When Americans became aware of a conservative blueprint now known as Project 2025, aimed at rolling back progressive and diversity programs, many African Americans ignored the implications. Some, given their individual economic status, education, and lifestyle, believed that our government could never, and would never, attempt to endorse supremacist ideologies that would support turning back the clock to the days of segregation and Jim Crow.
But in recent years, we’ve seen the intentional pursuit by America’s richest and most powerful citizens to erase all the achievements made by African Americans since the Civil Rights Movement. However, this should come as no surprise.
In his 1881 autobiography, Frederick Douglass reflected on the transformation of his enslaver’s wife, once a tender-hearted woman, who, simply by acquiring absolute authority over another human being, became a cruel tyrant.
“I know of no class of my fellowman, however, just, enlightened, and humane, which can be wisely and safely trusted absolutely with the liberties of any other class,” said Douglass who added, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
A few years later, in 1903, W.E.B. DuBois defined the “color line” as the defining global and domestic challenge of the 20th century. He believed that race and skin color would continue to be used to deny basic rights, economic opportunity, and human dignity to over half of the world’s population. Douglass, DuBois, and others were prophetic in their observations and conclusions.
Yet, some often glossed over their warnings as African Americans were allowed to purchase homes, attend white colleges, secure the right to vote, and be welcomed with presumably open arms in suburbia and as “studs” for white billionaires who owned teams like the Boston Celtics or the Washington Redskins.
Some falsely believe Black folks had arrived.
So, in 1975, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes released a song, “Wake Up Everybody,” that reminded the world how tenuous the future was for African Americans.
“Wake up everybody. No more sleepin’ in bed. No more backward thinkin.’ Time for thinkin’ ahead. The world has changed so very much. From what it used to be. There is so much hatred. War and poverty.”
Then, another prophet emerged: Spike Lee in his 1988 film, “School Daze.” Lee warned Black Americans to “Wake Up!” His recurring demand urged the Black community to wake up from apathy, dismantle internalized racism, and recognize their political power and global solidarity.
Thirty-eight years later, delay is no longer an option. Not if we care about our children and our children’s children.
When Malcolm X proclaimed, “the devil’s chickens have come home to roost,” he must have been speaking about this moment.
It’s truly time to remember the call to action from Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes: “Wake up everybody!”