Γνῶθι Σεαυτόν
Socrates
In the days of ancient Greece, we would know this as Know Thyself. A famous quote used by scholars and those educated in what it means to be confused, to encourage, and uplift an ideal of becoming tuned with not just any identity, but with your own identity.
We often try to understand the world, religion, life’s purpose, etc.; things on a grand scale, when in fact a more efficient question to answer is, How do we operate in this world, in our religion, with our life’s purpose? This can be explored through knowing yourself.
The quote comes from Socrates, a famous philosopher from Greece…if you haven’t read Stolen Legacy, I would encourage you to read it before you just accept this to be true. But at any rate, truth is truth no matter who speaks it. To know yourself is very important to surviving and maintaining sanity throughout our various matriculations. I will now open up with a very vivid discussion between fraternity brother, then aspiring mentor, of mine.
him: So do you know who you are?
me: Yeah, I know exactly who I am. A black man on a predominately white campus who loves to learn.
him: So you know that Alpha Phi Alpha is the better making of men? We don’t have some magic formula to making you a man. You come to terms with that by knowing who you are and how you fit into society and then assuming those responsibilities. Alpha’s not going to make you out to be some superstar. Alpha Phi Alpha is just a spotlight for the qualities you already have. If you’re a lame on campus, you gon be a lame Alpha man. It’s just as simple as that. Don’t tell anyone what they want to hear. Just know who you are before you knock on these doors.
me: Cool.
The Root of a Mindset
Understanding that I do identify with being an African American Male, I have grown to realize that it is very much different from identifying with being an African American Man. One deals with utility, and the other, responsibility. Straying away from that topic I want to point out that I attend Georgia State University, a predominately white campus. The same campus that has dealt with racism and segregation very recently. It has only been recent that we’ve been able to have an African American Department as well as an African American Student Services and Programs office. 
The early 90s was proof that we still weren’t able to mesh well as a university of blacks and whites. The tensions between greek fraternities was proof on a grand scale of how serious the matter has been. Black Face, trash cans riddled with explicit language, exclusion from activities, varied punishments for similar offenses, etc. are just some of the things we have dealt with as a University.
As a Black Man, I was always taught to embrace a heritage, a history, and respect a past for its wisdom and positive guidance. Being a Black Man, I was told growing up that I would face challenges rooting from my skin color; that I would be learning when to say certain things and when to dress a certain way; how to think this way and how to think that way. 
Not knowing that I was arming myself with a sort of Double Consciousness (Dubois), I understood this stressful living as a norm. Basically, I was taught to operate within being Black, and operate within being White.
Now, I’m not saying this because I believe it wholeheartedly, but I say it because it is a conversation that goes on within many Black homes. The truth is, that we have a deep rooted past stifled with anger, depression, and confusion; but also a past that is watered with success, opportunity, and tools to succeed.
As my experience here on Georgia State University’s campus as proven to be quite the ride, I’ve only realized up until now that Diversity…is…real. In saying that I want to explain what I think Georgia State University’s idea of Diversity is.
Diversity
The goal at the university from my viewpoint is to diversify majors, age groups, and most importantly, ethnicities. That’s what we think of when we think of diversity, but when it comes to diversifying this campus, a lot of Black students have called Georgia State a Black College and/or University ‘BCU’. So when on campus and you see a lot of the Blacks being campus leaders and student leaders, it’s hard to see the diversity on campus. As far as a culture, I believe Georgia State is trying to attain one culture, and water down the cultures of others. As far as mentors on campus and their diversity, the only people I see that look like me that understand how difficult it is to maintain and be true to supporting a culture that surrounds us – Urban Atlanta, GA, are few and far between. There are a few gems on campus that really work well with mentoring young Black Men on campus, but the overall majority viewpoint, is that there is little to no support for maintaining what ever mindset a history of hurt people have had – Blacks – and coexisting academically with the University’s majority. There is a focus only on diminishing cultures and increasing similarities of the assimilation-cast culture; whether that be White, American, or a Georgia State University culture.
Conclusion
Here is what i’ve surmised from my feelings and onlooking towards those who identify with my culture as a Black Man.
- There is a culture that is being created and those who are trying to maintain their own culture coming into Georgia State University should look to assimilate or try on your most fashionable shades of Double Consciousness.
- Those who are privileged don’t know they are privileged, so they are not going to care the you don’t get the way academics is taught here. What you need to do is play the game and survive with mind and motivation intact.
- Black Greeks are under watchful eye of the university. Any group that can control a big population of Georgia State students “needs to be controlled” and those that don’t have connections with people who have clout with the university should be mindful of university’s policies – it’s the strongest thing they have to obtaining justice.
- Look out for yourself and learn the ways of university culture and find ways to make it work for you.
- Understand that no one is going to help you understand who you are. Once you find out how to use your niche to gain every opportunity that is available to you, it’s your job to matriculate safely through this fraternity.
- At the end of the day, there really is no such thing as a Black Male Identity, neither is there a Black Man Identity. To describe one would hinge on the fact there there is a type of segregation in what a Black Man is and what a (insert ethnicity) Man is. When it comes to someone judging me by my skin color, and that includes people who hate me and people who need me to support a community of people, representation is powerful.
No matter how I feel about this university, it was my job to be able to play the game of the institution and learn the culture of diversity. The heart of diversity is the increase of similarity. You can’t hold on too tight of the past because it will get in the way of your growth with other people. On the other side of this heart of diversity, there are those who remain privileged in society who do not understand the struggle of an oppressed people.
Here is a question that I asked my colleagues and their responses:
“If you had advice to give to a Black Male coming to a Predominately White Institution about maintaining his identity, what would you tell him?”
Maurice Stewart:
if you don’t know who you are, find out what you’re not first…. keep that spiritual foundation with God on point, because he alone knew you before you knew yourself, and will guide you along the way, don’t get caught up in popularity b/c it has no lasting value, become acquainted with your people’s historical contributions to humanity, learn about other cultures, to thine own self be true
Turner Cooper:
Be yourself. Network. Have fun. Love Yourself!
Rashaad Owens:
Know yourself and who you are and where you come from..
Sherman Lofton:
Interesting. Main thing is stay true to yourself and stay rooted in your life lessons. Learn from others but don’t make their ideas/thoughts superior to yours
samwuma I guess i would advice one to treat it the same way you would w/ any other important part of your identity…say like religion. You might not have the same one as everyone else, but you should still wear it proudly but respectfully. dont push it on others, but be willing to share it. Obviously there are preconceived notions of what a black man should be. I would hope that this person embodies something other than a goon, angry obnoxious man, uneducated,…etc…basically what is portrayed in alot of media even though we like to say “we dont care what others think”…i dont know about you but sometimes I consciously hold myself in a way that will destroy any generalizations, stereotypes, or expectations from a “majority” i encounter.
But for real, don’t alter your identity. Let them c the true u, and they’ll show u their true selves and just connect. There r white people who want to c u succeed.
Citabeast
March 31, 2011 at 3:15 pm
YES! I was so glad when I got to the bottom and read that there is no such thing as a black male identity. One of my problems with GSU being classified as a diverse campus is bc it doesn’t utilize all the different people that go there. Diversity is actualli getting out and understanding one another and blending of cultures for better understabding of the world around you. The more you know the more you grow.
Saying “I am ……..” puts a subconcious limit to yur abilities. The only thing that should end that sentence is “me” for that is all I am and all I can be bc I set the perameters.
I personally feel like the majority of rising black leaders at GSU dnt really know themselves as much as they think they do. Beat me, idc. They tackle the same issues they see ppl before them take on in similar manners, where is the fresh new ideas? Are you doing it bc yu really want to or bc you are told or that what society says is “good”? Is it a populairty contest or something driven my true passion?
This isn’t about the takeover of blacks. The more we push that idea, the more we seem bitter and inturn more racist. Understand that there will NEVER be a time when all ppl hold hands and skip gleefully into the sunset. At least in this lifetime. Simply bc it is so rooted in us to find the differences rather than similarities.
I challenge everyone to look deep inside themselves, and look at another person and see that there ain’t shit different. We all have the same oppurtunity, esp here in america, its finding a will and a way to benefit from these oppurtunities individually. Our mission is to make ways for EVERYONE to benefit. You can’t always be looking out for yur own race all the time.
Fyi. Black is not a culture, cut it out (to anyone who feels that way)
PS- a bigger problem we have than race is equal pay for men n women… that is all.
lyricalphoenix
March 31, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Wow this is really thought out and well written. I might read this in one of my grad class for I feel the black male’s perspective is often missing from our conversations. I believe that it is hard to define the culture of black people seeing as our culture for ages has been watered down and taken from us since we were brought to this country. I think we as a black community have tried to carve out some sort of culture and define it as our own. That being said I can only look at the black male on campus through the eyes of being a black woman. I believe the black male on campus takes four forms: The Athlete, the Musician, the Promoter and the least common scholar. I believe this campus that claims to be diverse but struggles with the idea of diversity, is intimidated by the potential power of a black man who knows who he is and uses the full potential of his brain. I also believe that the black male scholar in a way is placed on a pedestal by black women on campus. And most time black men don’t live up to those impossible standards and then black women put them in the category of “just another sorry black man”. In conclusion, lol the black man on campus is misunderstood by people who aren’t black men on campus in my opinion
Chaina Nickole
June 2, 2011 at 10:12 pm
excellent.
As a student at an HBCU (Spelman College) I see similar questions of diversity arise. When I first arrived at scoffed at administrators who tried to convince me that this all Black, all female, highly-rated, liberal arts, “Our Whole School for Christ” college was diverse. But I now see that it is in so very many ways. Aside from the fact that we literally come from all over the world, the diversity in opinions and lifestyle are crystal.
While we are stereotyped as prissy rich lawyers to be (at an interesting crossroads between “acting Black” in the West End of Atlanta and “acting white” (read: educated) in America), I now know that many of my sisters are just like me. Middle income, the only Black student taking honors classes in a PUBLIC school, likes to party and get As too… with the occasional B of course. Then there are those who came from more extreme circumstances, the Burroughs of New York City where their very livelihood was threatened every day. And then the doctors kids, of course, who went to private schools and didn’t need to bother scuffling for scholarships. But they, too are diverse, many just as well-driven and down to earth as the rest of us.
I say all this to say that whether HBCU, BCU, or HWCU identity and diversity are parts of every campus. Yours is great advice: no one can tell you who you are. It’s up to you to find and maintain it for yourself (no matter what your environment).