On October 29th, in 1889 John Standard patented the Standard Oil Stove. This brother also patented the Standard Refrigerator.
Although I’m a student of history, you will find that I’m not keen on sharing “Black Achievement,” type shit for this reason:
Everything created, built, invented, cultivated, or even possessed by the Slave is, or becomes property of the Master. Without exception.
I’m not saying this because I agree with it, but I cannot deny this historical fact. Everything we achieve under the grip of White Domination ends up being totally owned by, and profiting our “implacable foes, our eternal bitter enemies.”
The Stove and the Refrigerator are just two of thousands of examples. Were is the African/Black stove and refrigerator industry? How have we as a people, or even Mr. Standard’s direct and indirect descendents profited from his brilliance. Who has ultimately profited and built an industry based on his work?
That’s why I can’t dance in the streets with the rest of yall when some Black geniuses are admitted to Harvard or some other I.V. League institution, when some Black youth are crowned chess masters, or the best this or that. I can’t fully feel pride when one of us becomes the PGA Master or the POTUS.
I can’t fully celebrate “Black Achievement” because I know that we as a people have not secured the resources or built the institutions to fully cultivate or benefit from the work of our intellectual, cultural, or athletic elite. We have to pawn our best off to others will will not only gain the greatest benefit from their talents, but they will dictate how those talents will be utilized, applied, and valued.
This is a shame, a Fucking Shame!
The rush of Black Pride I’d get from leaning about people like Mr. Standard wore off by the time I was 8 years old, by then I know we need so much more.
We need to recognize that we have every single thing we need to be free, secure, respected, and powerful as a People, we have everything except the desire to be truly free.
The best way to honor the memory of Mr. Standard and other greats, and to prove ourselves worthy of the future greats we will give birth to is to create a State, a sustainable economy, and a way of being that will allow them to use their brilliance for the betterment of our people and the world.
