Courage Has No Color

Much attention has been given to the recently released film Red Tails, a story about a group of African-American United States Army Air Force servicemen called the “Tuskegee Airmen” during World War II.  A movie review about this heroic wartime fighting unit is not the subject of this article, but the focus rather is on the promotional phrase that was used for the film’s marketing efforts: “Courage Has No Color.”  Although this idiom was intended to show the film’s theatrical presentation of the enduring racism throughout the airmen’s recruitment and training in the Tuskegee flight program, it is also indicative of the inequalities facing today’s young African-American males. 

The data about young African-American males is clear: They are less likely to graduate from college in comparison to their female and white peers and, on any given day, are more likely to be in jail or prison for repeat offenses.  Adding more fuel to the fire, some media outlets also seem determined to broadcast only the seemingly wrongdoings of young African-American males in their nightly news programs. These grave statistics and harsh realities are unfortunate.  Yet, I still believe there are many students who are willing to be courageous in spite of their color and station in life. 

It all starts with making great educational investments early on.  Perhaps that is why so many organizations and individuals are now refocusing their efforts to support African-American male student success.  Not only does there seem to be a resurgence of interest around education initiatives similar to the days of President Lyndon Johnson, but those who are most closely connected to the education community (i.e., policymakers, philanthropic organizations, nonprofits) are doing their part to make sure learning and college completion is critically important to all Americans. 

While it’s commendable that many are taking up the charge to help more students with their educational endeavors, we must acknowledge that African-American male students are still being hindered by life circumstances and finding it difficult to graduate even from high school.  Many African-American students come from low-income backgrounds and have distinctive needs that include overcoming class, social, academic, and cultural barriers.  To combat these challenges, there is a common belief that more attention should be given to fostering a love of learning and intellectual curiosity in young African-American male students to help build the moral character that is critically necessary to become a successful student and a productive citizen.

Let’s consider the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys (Bishop Walker), which is a tuition-free private school for African-American boys located in one of Washington, D.C.’s poorest neighborhoods—east of the Anacostia River.  In 2004, when the school was conceived, a majority of students who lived in the community (particularly boys) did not read, write, or do math at grade level.  Of the almost 1,800 boys who took standardized tests in the community’s 18 elementary schools in 2004, approximately 70% were not proficient in reading, and more than half were not proficient in math.  Despite these bleak statistics, Bishop Walker administrators are doing their very best to make a positive impact in the lives of each student through the school’s close partnership with students and their families as well as volunteer-based initiatives such as its Lunch Buddies program, where men of all ages and professional backgrounds spend one hour a month with one of the classes.

The solutions are out there.  It’s up to us to consider them.  Now, more than ever, the time has come to really take into account the current and future educational needs of our young African-American males.  By doing so, can you imagine the great benefits to our nation?  If their educational experience is met with meaningful investments and deep commitments that create both short- and long-term benefits, every African-American male would be given an opportunity to thrive beyond their environments and understand completely that courage has no color.

Tia T. Gordon, M.A., is the founder and CEO of TTG+Partners (www.ttgpartners.com), the nation’s only communications consultancy with the unique focus on promoting diversity and equity in higher education. She is also a member of the INSIGHT Into Diversity Editorial Board.  Follow her on Twitter @TiaTGordon and @ttgpartners.

Originally published in our February 15 issue (March 2012).