I like your question.
To understand where we are as a group now, we have to go back. Obviously Black Wall Street was when were thriving. The money accumulated from there bounced back and forth numerous times so much it didn't leave the community for four years! (Group Economics baby!) Once the area in Tulsa was bombed was the start. Don't get me wrong, even after that we were still competing. We had our own automobile line, (Patterson Cars), manufacturing plants, hotels, bus companies etc. The problem really got worse because due to white people having an huge economic advantage (due mainly in part to slavery.) they could ramp up their businesses, move across the streets from the black owned businesses, buy them out, or even force them out. Due to laws working in favor of the Caucasian many black owned business could be burned down over and over without even so much as an arrest. This happened repeatedly during the 30's. Also businesses could even get started because certain cities/towns/states had laws in place where an African-American entrepreneur couldn't even get a business license. But the killing blow was in the aftermath of the civil rights movement which by the way failed us. That was the pivotal movement where they could have asked for the ability to compete, land acquisition/ownership, laws that should work in our interests, programs that provide money to the African-American community which is interesting because this when the government decided to create "minority" programs. This was slick on their part because what this did was allow them to bring in other groups into the country and give them the benefits that we as a group are owed, therefore diluting them to the point of nearly nothing. (Perfect example: The Cubans coming into Florida in the 60's. A lot blacks suffered because of this. Also in Florida during the 70's and 80's neighborhoods were torn down in favor of freeways. Had the communities had the economic base on point, and used the proceeds from their businesses to buy/lease a politician, they would have had the power to stop it.) This is why when other groups come into the country, the build first, then take the money and get into the political game. That's where power begins to shape. In short instead of competing, the civil rights movement chose integration. They figured that if we're allowed to eat, shop, with white people we made it! Oh happy daaaayy! (Sarcasm.) So now blacks have the mentality "If it ain't white, it ain't right and if it's black, put it back". I remember a story Dr. Claude Anderson told. He had talked about a product that was created, and attempted to get the Asian community to buy. The Asian kept saying no. Dr. Claude said: "You stated that my product is superior to what you currently buy, and at a lower cost. so why would you not be interested"? The Asian responded: "You don't get it. We support our OWN.". Of course the crack era certainly didn't help matters either. Despite the dealers making money, most didn't have the sense to invest the money properly. (I have a homie from Harlem that was in the game in the 90's, and to this day he kicks himself in the ass because the dilapidated buildings in Harlem were selling for pennies on the dollar and he wishes he and his homies had got in on the action despite being told by his OG to do so.) Now we come to the present, because of all this we do not have majority ownership in the neighborhoods we live in, therefore we can be pushed out. Gentrification at work. Hell, they are already talking about calling Harlem "SoHa". SMH Once the land has been colonized, they mold it in their image.
I could even further, but I hope you get the point. So now that I've answered this question, please answer mine. Why do you feel we as a group have improved?
