Another missed opportunity.  Another missed chance to open up real, authentic dialogue regarding race, racism, classism and notions of Blackness, while using sports as the vehicle for discussion.  The Grant Hill vs. The Fab Five drama was provocative theater to say the least.  It started with ESPN Film’s documentary chronicling the basketball lives of Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose and Chris Webber’s tenure as University of Michigan basketball players.  The documentary takes an interesting twist when the former Fab Five players began to mention their disdain for Duke University, especially their African American players.  Jalen Rose (one of the documentary’s executive producers) furthers the animus by signifying his personal feelings regarding African American Duke players as an eighteen year old student at Michigan.  Jalen felt that Duke players were wait for it…“Uncle Toms.”  He felt that if you were Black and played at Duke University, you were a sellout.  Jalen continues by mentioning Grant Hill specifically, and speaks to his jealousy of Grant and his upbringing. 

Now let’s fast forward to Pardon the Interruption as journalists opined on Jalen Rose’s Uncle Tom comments which even prompted Grant Hill to write a scathing response published in the New York Times.  In this response, Grant defended his family’s legacy, his upbringing and Duke University; and interestingly Grant scratches the surface of the decades old debate, about what it means to be Black in America.  And as a still popular voice in the NBA, I wish Brother Grant and even Brother Jalen, would have spoken out more on this issue.  See this commentary; this inquiry into Blackness is a needed conversation.  Its importance parallels conversation regarding Black education, Black health or Black economics.  It is also probably one of the most painful to have.  This discussion is painful because it speaks to and deals with the damaged psyche of African Americans and their place in American social structures. The concept of Blackness has dealt with every aspect of the African American experience in America.  This concept has covered topics ranging from, places where Black people live, actions Black people do, words Black people say, schools Black people attend, acceptable shades of Black skin, texture of Black people’s hair  to even the clothes Black people wear. 

The feud between authentic Blackness and “Uncle Toms” didn’t start with Grant or Jalen, nor will it end with them either.  Michael Wilbon stated in an article for ESPN.com, that this argument has roots dating back to resentments between field niggas v. house niggas feuds in the 1800’s.  In the context of sports, the questioning of who is really Black versus someone who is an imposter has a storied history.  Remember when Joe Louis, “The Brown Bomber” was called an Uncle Tom by the now revered Muhammad Ali? What about when Jackie Robinson, the man who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier was considered a sellout because of his conservative views? Do you remember when Jim Brown was considered the epitome of Blackness because of his willingness to stand up to the system?  This notion of Blackness even carries over into sports journalism.  To some Bryant Gumbel was considered the poster boy  African American sellout (see the Negrodamus skit from the Dave Chappelle show), while Stuart Scott is down for the “cause” and “real” because he can intertwine hip-hop slang into his nightly sport broadcast.  And speaking of Dave Chappelle, do you remember the Wayne Brady sketch?  Brother Wayne had to prove his Blackness to Dave by conducting and participating in stereotypical destructive black behaviors (being violent, pimping women, abusing drugs and other criminal activity). 

Perceptions of Blackness have affected every single aspect of Black America, specifically in our sports, entertainment and our politics.  During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King was once called an Uncle Tom, by some of his contemporaries, for his nonviolent philosophy in creating racial equality and willingness to work with Whites in order to achieve this goal.  Malcolm X was considered a traitor because he changed his perception regarding White People after denouncing them as the “Devil”.  Back in 2008, Barack Obama’s “Blackness” was called into question because of his biracial background.  So this notion of blackness, and defining it, is nothing new. 

And sadly, if I were a betting man, I would say that the Grant Hill and Fab Five spat will be just that a spat; and the far more critical discussion regarding notion of Blackness will fall by the wayside.

Shame.

Continuing the discussion:

The great Malcolm X once asked:  Who are you? And even in March 2011, some blacks still don’t have a complete answer to this question.  Dependent upon who one may ask, being Black is synonymous with being poor and uneducated; whose only career goals are those of a thug, rapper or ball player.  Others may answer that same question by stating that being Black means ghetto or hood (see the ghetto parties at traditionally white universities).  And some may even respond by saying that being Black means presidential, righteous, intelligent or beautiful.  However, when the latter descriptors are used, a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson like eyebrow is usually raised, with an accompanying huh?

Why is this?

Typically, when African Americans step out of traditional ill perceived stereotypes, a double edged cut usually follows.  This cut can come from white and black folks alike.  It can come from the media.   This cut can come from brothers, sisters, friends, classmates, colleagues and even strangers.  Do you remember Fuzzy Zoeller’s comments, after Tiger Woods won The Masters in 1997, about fried chicken and collard greens?  This is a prime example of a double edged cut wielded down by American society.  To some, Tiger was a sellout because he played golf and to the Fuzzy Zoellers of the world, he was too Black and they wanted to constantly remind him of that.

Where do we go from here?

Throughout my brief tenure as a public school teacher, in a large school district in Florida, my work has been geared specifically to academically downtrodden urban inner city youth.  I have worked in failing inner city schools, detention centers and alternative schools designed for juvenile delinquents.  All of which are disproportionately filled with Black male students (but that’s a discussion for another column).  I recall an incident when my students were misbehaving, and downright acting a fool.  Something had taken place in the neighborhood over the weekend, so predictably it carried over into the school house on Monday. I asked my class why the students were acting out so badly, and one young lady blurted out, “Cuz Mr. Caldwell we Niggas!” 

We Niggas?  I was at a loss for words.

So, is this the mind frame our young children are developing?  And if so why?  Has the interpretation of Blackness been so misconstrued, intentionally or unintentionally, that our Black youth and hell even Black adults equate being Black with being a Nigga? 

I guess I didn’t get the memo. 

Is going to Michigan versus going to Duke, an example of keeping it real versus being a sellout?  Of course not, both institutions are predominately White schools, which have a long legacy of preserving White culture, and Whiteness.  So this feud between Grant Hill and the Fab Five has much more to do with perceptions of Blackness, than it does with the respective schools.  And until we can have an open and uncomfortable conversation about Blackness; and more specifically conversations regarding the destructive elements that are equated to being authentically Black, this episode between Grant Hill and Jalen Rose will be just another missed opportunity.

BlackCommentator.com Guest Commentator J.R. Caldwell, Jr., a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, is an educator and social critic.  He is currently working on his PhD in Special Education at the University of South Florida.  Click here to contact Mr. Caldwell.