Black Scientists and Inventors

It is so important to celebrate Black achievers and role models. Black young people often do not think about careers in the sciences when considering their career options.  

Many of them think studying the sciences is not "cool", and experience peer pressure to avoid studying, as Henry Bonsu pointed out in Black Success Stories. 

Click here to read my new article on Black Scientists and Inventors.  

The article includes an interview with Keith C. Holmes, author of Black Inventors, Crafting Over 200 Years of Success.  

Black Inventors is now available in over 800 national, state, university and public libraries, including museums, research centers and schools as a paperback in 30 countries

Instilling “Black Pride” in Children Helps Them Perform Better Academically

Saw this article online:   Instilling “Black Pride” in Children Helps Them Perform Better Academically

Really?  We didn't know this already?  

The better an individual feels about him- or herself, the better that individual performs.  This is true whether you are:  

- a bus driver 

- a film star 

- an entrepreneur

- a parent or
- a student. 

We perform in the way in which we see ourselves.  That is why it is so important that we acknowledge our own and each other's successes and achievements.  

That is why we need positive Black role models.  

And that is one reason why it is essential that we know our history.

We must acknowledge our strengths and our skills.  We must do this every day.  This helps us to perform at our best in every area of life.  

See also:  Allowing Success.  

And always, always Remember Your Greatness.  

Diane Abbott MP on Free Speech

Diane Abbott MP on The Wright Stuff talked about free speech and "political correctness" this morning.  

Matthew Wright asked her if she feels free to say what she wants, and she said that she does, but as a politician she has to be careful about expressing her views.  What she would say in private to her friends is not what she would say in public.  (Isn't this true of all of us?)  

Diane Abbott, the first Black woman to be elected to the House of Commons, is one of the people I interviewed in Black Success Stories. 

You may recall she apologised for tweeting that "white people love playing divide and rule".  I personally do not think she should have apologised.  Click here to read more. 

Abbott also said that some words are always offensive; however, it is also a question of context.  

Meanwhile, Asian comedienne Shazia Mirza stated that what she says about herself and her community is one thing, but if someone else calls her a "Paki" - and they have - that would be a different thing.  

See also:  Diane Abbott MP on the Olympics.  

Diane Abbott MP on the Olympics

Diane Abbott MP said on The Wright Stuff this morning that Olympic torch-bearers should be able to sell their torches - after all, corporate sponsors are earning huge sums of money from the Olympics.  

Click here to read more about this and other Olympics news.  

Diane Abbott, the first Black woman to be elected to Parliament, is one of the people I interviewed in Black Success Stories.  If you want to know how to have a career in politics, you need to read it.  

Do We Need to Learn from White People?

A few years ago, someone wrote a book in which he said that in order to be successful, we need to think like white people. I strongly disagree. We don’t need to think like white people, we need to think like successful Black people. Like London-based PR guru, Mavis Amankwah, pictured, whom I interviewed in MBS 10.

Recently, on my radio show, What U Need to Know, a brother called in and was talking about books where we can learn about how to be successful in business. He talked about Think and Grow Rich and he also mentioned Robert Kiyosaki. I said, it’s fine to read those books, we can learn from anybody. And there are plenty of successful Black people who we can learn from. That is why I publish Black Success Stories and the More Black Success free ebooks.

We have many, many successful people we can learn from in our own community, who reflect us culturally. We need to learn from the experts.

Click here to order your of copies of More Black Success now - remember, they are free.

Plus, if you are a parent,teacher or educator, or you work with young people, remember to share them with others. For more information, see Inspiration and Motivation.

Click here to listen to an audio interview with me on Interviews with Black Entrepreneurs.

Please leave your comments below. Thanks.

Inspiration and Motivation

The More Black Success free ebooks are inspiring and motivating. If you are a parent or teacher, or you work with parents, or young people, you will want to share your copies. Click here to read more. Click here to order your copies.

Click here to listen to an interview with me with Interviews with Black Entrepreneurs, about Black Success Stories and More Black Success.

Positive Images of Black Families (2)

In yesterday's post, "Where Are the Positive Images of Black Families?", I talked about the film "Happily Ever After", which features couples talking about their experience of marriage.

The couples in the film make the point that many young Black people today have not experienced positive Black marriage and family life, and thus do not even believe it is possible for them to have happy marriages.

They see the Obamas as a positive role model, and state that if you can see that something is possible, you can aspire to it.

The film was screened by Black History Studies, whom we interviewed on Saturday on What U Need to Know. Click here to listen.

One sista in the audience pointed out that the benefits system in the UK works against married couples. If you need to claim benefits, you will receive more as a single person than as a married couple on benefits.

We have a similar legacy in the United States. In the '60s, I recall that if there was a man in the home, the family could not claim welfare benefits. So the man of the house would hide under the bed or in the closet when the welfare lady came round to check and see if there was a man present.

Many Black men were not in a position to be able earn enough to support their families. Yet they still remained in the household as a positive presence, providing moral and emotional support to their partners and being role models for their children.

One of the men in "Happily Ever After" decribes how he and his ex-partner continued to support and provide for each other and for their children after their marriage had ended. He said he had never lived more than a mile away from his chidren.

Even during slavery, parents travelled long distances under cover of night, just to have a few moments to spend with their children.

Nowadays, many times the woman does not even know where her ex-partner is living. The children don't know where their father is.

The State has systematically broken down Black families. In the UK, this problem is by no means limited to the Black community.

But to see the lengths to which white racist oppressors will go to split up Black families, see The End of the Dialogue.

Yesterday, I emphasised the need to have positive images in Black literature, film, and every art form.

The couples in "Happily Ever After" talked about the Huxtables, the family in the Cosby Show. The film states that before the Obamas, the only positive image of Black families widely available was fictional.

It was not the only positive image, but it was certainly one of the most widely available.

If children do not see positive images of Black marriages and families, they may grow up believing that it's not possible to have one.

Images are very powerful. For more about the power of visualization, see You Are Magnificent. See also Success Strategies for Black People.

I stated yesterday that this is one reason why it is vital for us to learn about Black history. It is vital for us to know about Black achievers, past and present, and about those who have challenged injustice and oppression.

If you have not seen "Happily Ever After", I urge you to see it.

Where Are the Positive Images of Black Families?

When I was a child growing up in the '60s, I recall Valentine's Day being about more than romantic love. It was not just for couples. Valentine's Day celebrated love in all its forms, including the love of parents for their children, the love of family, and the love which is found in friendships.

As Joan E. Gosier, author of Cotton Pickin' Paycheck, writes in More Black Success Volume 5, where are the positive images of Black families?

Where are the images of normal, healthy Black families with two parents?

This is one of the questions addressed in the film Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, which was screened by Black History Studies last night in London.

The film contains a series of interviews with couples talking about their experiences of marriage, in which they share the joys as well as the challenges of marriage.

See also: What Is Black Love?

The couples talk about the importance of having the Obamas as role models of a happy, loving and stable couple and family.

One person refers to a 12-year-old boy who has been quoted as saying "Marriage is for white people".

The film makes the point that, if we have never seen something, we are unlikely to aspire to it.

Visualization is so important for our development. If you can see it, you can be it. I talk about this in my book Success Strategies for Black People.

This is why we need to have positive images in Black literature, film, and every art form.

This is also one reason why it is vital for us to learn about Black history. It is vital for us to know about Black achievers, past and present, and about those who have challenged injustice and oppression.

If you have not seen Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, I urge you to see it.

The Future for Black Boys

One of our guests on What U Need to Know on Saturday, Theron J. Jackson, author of Never Be Nothin, talked about his experience of having been told in 5th grade "You'll never be nothing". He was told this by a Black woman teacher. Click here to listen to the show.

I use the term "teacher" advisedly.

One of the many challenges faced by our Black boys and young men is that many are being raised in an environment where they have no positive male role models. One result of this is that many of them are lost in the education system and end up in the criminal justice system.

Although our guest was speaking about African American boys, we see the exact same things happening in the UK.

Although being raised without positive male role models is not the only reason for this problem, the lack of role models does have an effect.

I think girls as well as boys need positive male role models.

This is why I published Black Success Stories Volume 1.

Many of those interviewed in the book speak about educating our young people, and the duties and responsibilities of Black parents.

Click here to order your copies of Black Success Stories now.

See also: Do You Think Like a Success?

Click here for more about our panel of experts.

Here's to your success!

Positive Black Role Models

The More Black Success free ebooks celebrate the achievements and contributions of people of African heritage. Hot off the press: Volume 8 focuses on Black-owned businesses.

In MBS 8, Coach Kevin communicates a constant message of hope and inspiration, and talks about his book From Ghetto to Greatness.

Click here for your free copies of More Black Success.

Why Do We Need Positive Role Models?

In The Miseducation of the Negro, Carter G. Woodson argued in 1933 that Black children were being indoctrinated by the education system to view themselves as inferior. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, this is often still the case. In addition, powerful mass media reinforce negative stereotypes.

To read more, see: Do You Think Like a Success?