12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself

by Nannie Helen Burroughs (Circa Early 1900's)

1.  The Negro Must Learn To Put First Things First.  The First Things Are:  Education; Development of Character Traits; A Trade and Home Ownership.  
·          The Negro puts too much of his earning in clothes, in food, in show and in having what he calls "a good time."  The Dr. Kelly Miller said, "The Negro buys what he WANTS and begs for what he needs."  

2.  The Negro Must Stop Expecting God and White Folk To Do For Him What He Can Do For Himself.  
·           It is the "Divine Plan" that the strong shall help the weak, but even God does not do for man what man can do for himself.  The Negro will have to do exactly what Jesus told the man (in John 5:8) to do--Carry his own load--"Take up your bed and walk."

3.  The Negro Must Keep Himself, His Children And His Home Clean And Make The Surroundings In Which He Lives Comfortable and Attractive.  
·          He must learn to "run his community up"--not down.  We can segregate by law, we integrate only by living.  Civilization is not a matter of race, it is a matter of standards.  Believe it or not--some day, some race is going to outdo the Anglo-Saxon, completely.  It can be the Negro race, if the Negro gets sense enough.  Civilization goes up and down that way.

4.  The N egro Must Learn To Dress More Appropriately For Work And For Leisure.
·           Knowing what to wear--how to wear it--when to wear it and where to wear it, are earmarks of common sense, culture and also an index to character.

5.  The Negro Must Make His Religion An Everyday Practice And Not Just A Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Emotional Affair.

6.  The Negro Must Highly Resolve To Wipe Out Mass Ignorance.  
·           The leaders of the race must teach and inspire the masses to become eager and determined to improve mentally, morally and spiritually, and to meet the basic requirements of good citizenship.
·           We should initiate an intensive literacy campaign in America, as well as in Africa.  Ignorance-- satisfied ignorance --is a millstone about the neck of the race.  It is democracy's greatest burden.
·           Social integration is a relationship attained as a result of the culti! vation o f kindred social ideals, interests and standards.
·          It is a blending process that requires time, understanding and kindred purposes to achieve.  Likes alone and not laws can do it.

7.  The Negro Must Stop Charging His Failures Up To His "Color" And To White People's Attitude.
·           The truth of the matter is that good service and conduct will make senseless race prejudice fade like mist before the rising sun.
·          God never intended that a man's color shall be anything other than a badge of distinction .  It is high time that all races were learning that fact.  The Negro must first QUALIFY for whatever position he wants.  Purpose, initiativ e, ingenuity and industry are the keys that all men use to get what they want.  The Negro will have to do the same.  He must make himself a workman who is too skilled not to be wanted, and too DEPENDABLE not to be on the job, according to promise or plan.  He will never become a vital factor in industry until he learns to put into his work the vitalizing force of initiative, skill and dependability.  He has gone "RIGHTS" mad and "DUTY" dumb.

8.  The Negro Must Overcome His Bad Job Habits.
·         &nb sp; He must make a brand new reputation for himself in the world of labor.  His bad job habits are absenteeism, funerals to attend, or a little business to look after.  The Negro runs an off and on business.  He also has a bad reputation for conduct on the job--such as petty quarrelling with other help, incessant loud talking about nothing; loafing, carelessness, due to lack of job pride; insolence, gum chewing and--too often--liquor drinking.  Just plain bad job habits!

9.  He Must Improve His Conduct In Public Places.
·           Taken as a whole, he is entirely too loud and too ill-mannered.
·          T! here is much talk about wiping out racial segregation and also much talk about achieving integration.
·           Segregation is a physical arrangement by which people are separated in various services.
·          It is definitely up to the Negro to wipe out the apparent justification or excuse for segregation.
·           The only effective way to do it is to clean up and keep clean.  By practice, cleanliness will become a habit and habit becomes character.

10.  The Negro Must Learn How To Operate Business For People--Not For Negro P eople, Only.
·          To do business, he will have to remove all typical "earmarks," business principles; measure up to accepted standards and meet stimulating competition, graciously--in fact, he must learn to welcome competition.

11.  The Average So-Called Educated Negro Will Have To Come Down Out Of The Air.  He Is Too Inflated Over Nothing.  He Needs An Experience Similar To The One That Ezekiel Had--(Ezekiel 3:14-19).  And He Must Do What Ezekiel Did
·           Otherwise, through indifference, as to the plight of the masses, the Negro, who thinks that he has escaped, will lose his own soul.  It will do all leaders good to read Hebrew 13:3, and the first Thirty-seven Chapters of Ezekiel.
 ·           A race transformation itself through its own leaders and its sensible "common people."  A race rises on its own wings, or is held down by its own weight.  True leaders are never "things apart from the people."  They are the masses.  They simply got to the front ahead of them.  Their only business at the front is to inspire to masses by hard work and noble example and challenge them to "Come on!"  Dante stated a fact when he said, "Show the people the light and they will find the way!"
·           There must arise within the Negro race a leadership that is not out hunting bargains for itself.  A noble example is found in the men and women of the Negro race, who, in the early days, laid down their lives for the people.  Their invaluable contributions have not been appraised by the "latter-day leaders."  In many cases, their names would never be recorded, among the unsung heroes of the world, but for the fact that white friends have written them there.
"Lord, God of Hosts, Be with us yet."

·          The Negro of today does not realize that, but, for these exhibits A's, that certainly show the innate possibilities of members of their own race, white people would not have been moved to make such princely investments in lives and money, as they have made, for the establishment of schools and for the on-going of the race.

12.  The Negro Must Stop Forgetting His Friends.  "Remember."
·           Read Deuteronomy 24:18.  Deuteronomy rings the big bell of gratitude.  Why?  Because an ingrate is an abomination in the sight of God.  God is constantly telling us that "I the Lord thy God delivered you" --through human instrumentalities.
·           The American Negro has had and still has friends--in the North and in the South.  These friends not only pray, speak, write, influence others, but make unbelievable, unpublished sacrifices and contributions for the advancement of the race--for their brothers in bonds.
·           The noblest thing that the Negro can do is to so live and labor that these benefactors will not have given in vain.  The Negro must make his heart warm with gratitude, his lips sweet with thanks and his heart and mind resolute with purpose to justify the sacrifices and stand on his feet and go forward-- "God is no respector of persons.  In every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is" sure to w! in out.  Get to work!  That's the answer to everything that hurts us.  We talk too much about nothing instead of redeeming the time by working.

·          In spite of race prejudice, America is brim full of opportunities.  Go after them!

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Early 1900's yall,,,,,,,

My title was sarcastic. Yesterday after service my family went to the Cracker Barrel for lunch. While we were there I had Catfish, okra, and Dumplings. I gave our youngest Gabriy'el a piece of okra w/o thinking.He's allergic to; fish, milk, eggs, nuts ,cheese, dogs, PLANET EARTH! 
On the way to the car he said his face hurt. Once we were in the car I noticed him scratching, this isnt uncommon for a child with eczema. Then i looked backa t him 10 secs. kater and he had welts on the left of his cheek. We knew the drill he'd been exposed to something, we figured we'd give him benadryl at home. 2 mins later (this is a 10 minute ride home) i noticed his neck welting, a min later his lips a getting bumpy. Next he begins scratching his eyes. Ok now were having a full blown histamine reaction! Mommy is a bit mad and panicked! Gabe is just slightly annoyed but entertained at the girth of his now swollen bottom lip. By the time we pull in at home his eye is almost swollen shut and his arms are itching.
We've never seen a reaction travel down his arms- Its usually his lips and neck then belly. We go inside give him a good dose of the good ol' Ben(God put doctors and medicine here for his people,dont let anyone tell you otherwise). 20 mins later he's not looking much better, but worse! My thoughts are; is this the first time we're gonna have to use this epi-pen and which hospital is more efficient? I prepare him to go to the ER. And Sherard is calm, but angry(cause he couldn't control it), and wondering are we overreacting. I get out to the car, which isnt running that great(stopped on the express way a day before). Sherard said he'll drive my car I'll take his and he'll follow me there. He and Miyka'el were supposed to be going somewhere later, I didnt want my other son sitting in the hospital. I got into the car, started it....... then decided to stay home.-Breathe Shon
My husband said a prayer for my son before we left out......Look yall we are all subject to "time and chance" and all that comes with being in the flesh. God's grace has been/and will continueto be suffcient. BTW gabe was in the hospital 3 weeks ago(9/19-22) in the ICU in Joliet. My baby was singing and talking during the ambulance transport. They don't know Gabe.He was moved to a regular room after 2 days.That's a whole other story! If yall wanna know ask.
 I let Gabe lay on my chest and tried to comfort him as best I could with creams for his bumps and a cold towel .My baby didnt complain. He sat with me on the couch looking in a hand held mirror counting his hives! He eventually fell asleep.
I was exhausted but i couldnt rest. I had let fear come in and trouble me. I started imagining my child would suffocate in his sleep. He rested peacefully swollen cheek,eye,lip and all! I called a spirtual mom from my church when he was asleep, and told her what happened. Gabe had gone an entire year w/o any hospitalizations(until 9/19) and he'd never had a reaction that almost covered his entire body! I was beginning to go weak/ and not hold my ground.You know what she told me...."you alright" & "he's alright" & "you know what to do". I had been looking at him like that for over an hour and wasnt sure I was "equipped" to handle this on a spiritual level. My flesh kept rising saying why my baby?!?! Why cant he have a peaceful childhood?! Genetics is the easy answer.
I was being silly, the imagination can really do you in....the enemy(his spiritual hosts) has been trying to use these windows with my child to attack the man & woman of God. Not only that....but what strength must lie within our lil one, what a testimony he'll have one day!What purpose & plan does God have for him!!?!?!? I can understand why the enemy would want us to feel powerless or defeated. I gotta hold my ground I gotta remember each thing God has brought us through. That's whats most important.Keeping the faith..... Fiery darts my shield can quench! Thank God for Mother Warren too, you need people of wisdom and strength around to lead,encourage and refresh you.
I wiped my punk like tears  Got my oil,annointed my baby, repented, and prayed scripture that claimed his healing, prayed for his comfort, and prayed that I was in line with God's will, and thanked him for the breath in Gabes body! It edified me and I brought My Daddy's word to him! My son is now and was then, fine. He made it home from the hospital and through this(some children didnt come home)! By 10 pm or so he was about back to normal in the face, his arms were still welted. And he still wasn't complaining, nor scratching, for real. He was too busy asking for popcorn and cookies.
I just felt like sharing
OH...I forgot....when we called the restaurant they said the okra was fried in the same grease as the fish. We're assuming that was the source.

Ephesians 6:
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

God desires for us to hold the line when we're in battle. During the worst of times, your evil Day, the truth you hold will enable you to stand your ground. Many of us don't hold God's word in truth & thats why we fold at the sight of the fiery darts/flaming arrows of the evil one. We can't stand firm when a rock is thrown our way, let alone an attack from powers of darkness!
There are times when we may not be able to advance(move foward), but we must "stand firm". The way that you stand firm is by holding Gods's word in truth. Remember Jesus is the source of all truth.We know that the word is truth, but this "belt of truth" we are speaking of is separate from the "sword" which is the Word of God in the text. This is because in the original language this truth is called e-lee-thee-a (greek pronunciation) I dont know how it's spelled I just wrote it as I heard it during service, bear with me.
The same truth mentioned here is mentioned in John 8:31.....
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
The same scriptures that we may have just read and glanced over during our time in darkness, should now have the effect of deliverance.
Truth (e-lee-thee-a) as originally written is written(spelled) the same way in Romans the 1:18....
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...
My Pastor told us that it's mentioned here in regards to false teachers and those who know but deny/twist. Supressing the truth can come in many forms...but ignorance is not what suppresses truth. It's usually intelligent proud logic, or cunning teachers. BTW Don't glance over that WRATH part.
Matthew 13:1-23  is the beginning of the parable of the sower. This scripture can reveal to you how you hold the Word in your heart. 
A.Were your seeds sown near the path being snatched away by birds, the enemy? This happens when someone is really lost/blind and unable to comprehend.
B. Were your seeds sown in "rocky places" never being able to take good root? You having received a "good word" in service but not having joy that extends beyond Sunday Morning. Therefore when the heat/life hits you, you scorch & wither.
C. Were your seeds of truth sown amongst thorns? Did v:22 "the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."?
D.Or have the bulk of your seeds been sown on good ground? Has v:8 "it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."? Are you hearing the word, understanding it, and allowing it to take root? Will you be able to "stand firm"?
John 8:33-46 also has a very interesting passage about truth. Some descendants of Abraham were rejecting the truth. Jesus told them that if God were their father his language would be "clear" to them.
Reading these scriptures in their entirety is more revealing.

If you don't hold the word in truth your armour will be ineffective. Everything after will be a lie.
Your Sword....will twist the word
Your Helmet.....will leave your mind exposed(living unrighteous proclaiming Salvation)
Your Breastplate...will be that of self-righteousness
"Natural Revealation(what we see in the world/nature) is not enough to bring you to salvation but it is enough to send you to hell"- Danjuma Gibson
There's Special Revealation that can only be received through the Word.
I Hope this was a blessing to someone else as it was to me. These were only a1/4 of my notes from this Sunday so believe me this could've been longer.
-For those who have an ear to hear.

Who is this omnipotent "they"? 
How is it that "they" seem to be solely responsible for our lack of achievement? 
Why is it the duty of the almighty "they" to provide for and sustain us?
I've heard things like: "They trying to destroy the Black community," "They don't want me to get ahead," "They make it hard to succeed," "They racist," "They don't let us get a quality education," "They gave us drugs and guns," "They killed our leaders," and the list goes on ad infinitum.
Don't get me wrong, there are groups of people and individuals who have contributed to the general lack of goodness in the world today.  There has been a face of negativity and evil.  Wickedness has been personified from time to time, but let's be for real....is everything "they" fault?
-Did "they"  force you to oversleep and be late for work for the 5th time and get fired?
-Did "they" make you drop out/flunk out of school?
-Did "they" mismanage your money - spending it on clothes instead of paying your bills?
-Did "they" deny you access to the library (free education)?
-Did "they" force you to spend 6 hours watching TV every day?
-Did "they" deny you access and opportunity to spend time with your child?
-Did "they" litter your neighborhood with trash?
-Did "they" force you to abuse yourself by whatver means?
Maybe it happened on my sick day, but I don't remember "they" riding into our neighborhood on horses and giving us guns with the directions to start shooting each other over land that "they" own!
But the funny part is (and I mean, this is the real kicker)....that after all of that we expect "they" to just up and fix it for us .
Did "they" murder self-determination and personal responsibility?
I think that "they" is the embodiment of our own perceived powerlessness.
-"They" is the name of our excuses.
-"They" is the "us" that we can blame for our failures without admitting that our own mess is our own fault.
-"They" is our own lazy a$$es sitting and waiting for the world to humbly present itself at our feet.
-"They" are the reason that we envy someone else who the mighty "they" must favor.
-"They" are the scapegoat that we name so that we don't have to look at ourselves as the one who needs to change.
I don't know about you, but I'm sick of giving all this power to "they."  I'm sick of waiting for "they" to take pity on me and take action on my behalf. 
I'm sick of waiting on "they" to decide that my world needs to change. I'd much rather be able to address myself and say, "Hey Jones, you need to fix your attitude," and then see something happen.
And in case any of you have a problem with what was written,..... "They" wrote it; take it up with them.

This was written by my magnificent man(Sherard).....ladies dont covet you can get your own