To many African-Americans “Soulsville” is where they REALLY live

"Shaft" soundtrack cover

The motion picture “Shaft” was released in 1971 and was historical on many fronts.  It was the first time a major studio (MGM) invested in a movie that featured an African-American hero, who was not a criminal, who matched wits with organized crime and won.  It also showed an African-American who was self-employed, who earned a good living, who carried a badge and a gun LEGALLY and had a working relationship with police.   A movie with such a plot would be cutting edge in 2014 but in 1971 it was avant-garde to portray an African-American in a positive light; ESPECIALLY considering a major studio produced the movie.  As groundbreaking and impactful as the movie’s plot was, the movie’s soundtrack was historical in its own right.  Isaac Hayes, who was later dubbed “Black Moses” after the LP he released after “Shaft” in 1971, wrote and produced the soundtrack.  This, too, was unprecedented.  The soundtrack was done in typical Isaac Hayes style.  There were those masterful “whah whah” guitar riffs, there was some jazz, there was some seduction and there was some action.  It was a very nicely done soundtrack that sold millions of units.   Isaac Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “The Theme from Shaft” and was nominated for Best Original Dramatic Score for the project.  I have owned this soundtrack in many forms over the years: LP, 8-track, cassette and compact disc.  Of all the tracks on the soundtrack. “Soulsville” has always been one that stood out to me.  As funky as the musical arrangement is on that track, the LYRICS are just plain brilliant.  They tell the raw truth of life in a significant number of African-American communities in America in 1971 and, unfortunately, in 2014.  I know – the MORE things CHANGE, the more they REMAIN the SAME.  In fact, I would suggest that anyone who was unaware of the black experience and/or truly had an INTEREST in the black experience in America watch the video and CLOSELY listen to the lyrics.  The song addresses social and political stereotyping, living conditions, lack of employment opportunities, poverty, crime, drugs and the religious influence in the black community.  This track has it all covered.  These components are worth looking at individually and collectively.  We’ll do that.  However, check out the video and the opening lyrics and THEN take a virtual walk with me. 

Black man, born free

At least that's the way it's supposed to be

Chains that binds him are hard to see

Unless you take this walk with me

Place where he lives got plenty of names

Slums, ghetto and black belt, they are one and the same

And I call it Soulsville

 

 

• Living conditions – The first thing you notice in the video is the absolute SQUALOR that you see black people living in.  How many reading this would WANT to live in any of the places featured in the video?  Again, the operative word is “want”.  I know that I would not WANT to.  I am going to go out on a limb and say that no one reading this would want to, either.  I’ll also say that 99.9% of the people who live in putrid conditions don’t want to.  They do so because they HAVE to.  Why does it seem that a significant number of black people live in sub-standard conditions?  Are they stuck?  Are they conditioned to accept sub-standard living conditions?  Are they WORTHY of better?  Those with an opposing viewpoint will undoubtedly point to the various subsidized housing programs; Section 8 being the one many point to.  Section 8 does help millions keep a roof, sure, but it has limits.  First off, landlords and apartment complexes are not required to accept Section 8 vouchers.  Additionally, the monetary value of the voucher is capped.  Those two stipulations alone limit access to nicer apartment and townhouse complexes and communities where there are better school districts and lower crime.  Housing discrimination plays a large role, too.  Some landlords and complexes simply don’t want to rent to African-Americans.  They are too smart to openly admit they discriminate.  That is why the state of California's Department of Fair Employment & Housing have under cover units acting as prospective renters complete rental applications at suspect properties and complexes.  These crews are made up of bi-racial couples, gay and lesbian couples, Latinos, African-Americans, those with handicaps – basically a cross section of America.  There are a fair number of property owners who are caught breaking the law every year and they are dealt with accordingly.  Yet, the question remains: WHY is there a significant number of African-Americans living in sub-standard conditions? 

• Social and political stereotyping – When you SEE or HEAR the word “ghetto”, what demographic immediately comes to mind?  What is the ACTUAL definition of “ghetto”?  

 

ghetto

[get-oh] /ˈgɛt oʊ/ Spell Syllables

noun, plural ghettos, ghettoes.

a section of a city, especially a thickly populated slum area, inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or other minority group, often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures, or hardships.

(formerly, in most European countries) a section of a city in which all Jews were required to live.

a section predominantly inhabited by Jews.

any mode of living, working, etc., that results from stereotyping or biased treatment: job ghettos for women; ghettos for the elderly.

adjective

5. pertaining to or characteristic of life in a ghetto or the people who live there:

ghetto culture.

6. Slang: Often Disparaging and Offensive. noting something that is considered to be unrefined, low-class, cheap, or inferior

As you can see, "ghetto" has many definitions and connotations.  Other not so flattering nouns and adjectives used to describe less than desirable African-American neighborhoods are “the Hood”, “slums”, “killing zones” – there are too many to list.  Who among you readers would want to live in “the Hood”, a “slum” or “the killing zone”?  How many would want to open a business there?  Own and maintain property there?  Frequent and visit on a regular basis? How many of those adjectives sound inviting or encouraging?  How many of them illicit pride?  The media – all forms – only uses the bully pulpit as a bellow that stoles the raging inferno that is fear, resentment, misunderstanding and ignorance.  People living in those areas are to be objectified, dehumanized, disenfranchised and resented.   The southeastern section of Ferguson, Missouri has been described as such.  Only “animals” would live in the “ghetto” or “the Hood”, right? 

• Lack of employment opportunities – Although the overall unemployment rate in America is down to 5.9%, the lowest since 2008, unemployment in the African-American community remains in double digits (10.7%)  WHY is that?  I asked that question in this space three years ago (Why are nearly 16% of African-Americans unemployed?) when unemployment in the African-American community was a staggering 16%.  Some will point to self-imposed barriers that many in the African-American impose upon themselves.  There is some degree of truth to that theory.  I also addressed those self-imposed barriers in the previously referenced piece.  That would hardly explain the exorbitantly high percentage of unemployed African-Americans.  Another mythical theory as to why the unemployment rate is higher in the African-American community is that African-Americans are LAZY and only want – all together now – HAND OUTS.  I challenge anyone who subscribes to that misplaced theory to drive through just about any area with a large black population on weekday mornings and take note of the number of black people waiting to take public transportation to their jobs.  This is the case in less than pristine weather conditions, too.  In addition to a higher UNEMPLOYMENT rate, there is also an UNDER employment rate within the black community.  This is not just about racial inequality.  It is also about INCOME inequality. 

•  Poverty – Having little to no money is both mentally and physically unhealthy.  Financial destitution can be devastating.  A staggering 4,000,800 African-American children (39%) live in poverty.  (KIDS COUNT DATA CENTER: CHILDREN IN POVERTY BY RACE AND ETNICITY)  The percentage of African-American children living in poverty is IMMORAL.  It is a human rights issue.  Why is this so acceptable?  The United States sends food to impoverished nations all over the world and that is applauded.  Yet, when the focus shifts on feeding impoverished citizens of the United States, it becomes political and polarizing.  That is just wrong.

• Crime – The CRIME rate is almost always related to the POVERTY rate.  To be clear, no criminal act should be condoned.  Desperate times occasionally lead to desperate measures.  When there is no food on the table, when the electricity and gas is turned off due to nonpayment, when you’ve received an eviction notice and face a real possibility of being homeless, OPTIMISM doesn’t always reign supreme.  Patience is not a virtue.  Some will advocate personal responsibility.  That would be accurate.  One’s personal responsibility is to SURVIVE.  Unfortunately for law abiding citizens and victims of crime, criminals view their unlawful and nefarious acts as a means of survival.  If you live in the “ghetto” or “the Hood”, either witnessing, being a victim of or knowing someone who is a victim of crime is a way of life.  As natural a breathing. 

• Drugs – Sociologist and other mental health professionals often refer to “coping strategies”, which are pretty much self-explanatory.  In the “ghetto” a most common and easily accessible coping strategy is chemical dependency.  In addition to there being a liquor store on seemingly every other corner, illegal drugs run rampant through impoverished black communities.  Everyone knows who the drug dealers are, including the police, and yet the drug trade flourishes with little to no interference from law enforcement or concerned citizens.  In a lot of cases, the most prominent people in impoverished black communities are the criminals – ESPECIALLY the drug dealers.  They have the accoutrements of success – money, clothes, cars, women and fine dining.  SELLING drugs can be as addictive as USING drugs, if not more so. 

 

• Religious influence – Churches in the black community are in every available space.  There are congregations, large, small and miniscule.  With all the madness and despair that goes on in impoverished neighborhoods, people flock to the nearest sanctuary in order to receive the spiritual nourishment and spiritual reinforcement that a lot of people NEED in order to maintain their sanity.  You would be hard pressed to visit a house in “Soulsville” and not find a Bible and God fearing residents.  Religious influence is as big of a coping strategy that can be found in impoverished black communities. 

“Soulsville” is not exactly Utopia.  It is a truly a place where only the strong survive.  The BIG ones eat up the LITTLE ones.  “Soulsville” is also a place where generations of successful African-Americans have been born and bred within solid family structures.  Those African-Americans – the successful ones – are more the EXCEPTION than the RULE.   The United States of America is better than that.  The government goes on humanitarian missions all over the globe and invests BILLIONS of dollars a year in these efforts.   Yet, we neglect investing in DOMESTIC humanitarian missions.  Since this is America in 2014, most social issues are drawn along racial lines.  Racial polarization in America is a BLOOD SPORT that is alive and well.  To deny that would simply be FOOLISH.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of foolish people in America when it comes to issues of race.  Meanwhile, third world conditions within our borders continue to manifest.  Hopelessness, despair, depression, disenfranchisement and marginalization are accepted and tolerated by the mainstream.  This is IMMORAL and it is WRONG.   These elements are pervasive in “Soulsville”.   Question: WHAT did you learn on your walk through "Soulsville"? 

To many African-Americans, “Soulsville” is where they REALLY live. 

 

Peace, peace.

 

Craig Riggins

Email: therigginsreport517@gmail.com

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