I received an assignment earlier this week. It was, on the surface, a very easy task - develop a blog entry based around the question What is the Power of Black Intellect? Deep question, right? There are so many ingredients that can be added to this stew for discussion - but alas I would be writing and pontificating for quite some time if I tried to open each ingredient packet. So how do I tackle this subject? That is the question that keeps racing through my mind even as I type this draft of the blog entry.

African American preachers have certain things in common as they teach from their pulpits on Sunday morning or doing weekly study sessions. One of those things is defining or taking parishioners back to the root of a word. They seek to offer a definition, so that the definition can bring better understanding. So since, as I write this I am listening to Pastor E. Dewey Smith, of Decatur, Georgia - let’s do that. In an effort to answer or perhaps incite thought to the question: What is the Power of Black Intellect? Let’s define the two words.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Black /blæk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[blak]

21. (sometimes initial capital letter)

A member of any of various dark-skinned peoples, esp. those of Africa, Oceania, and Australia.

A pigment or dye having this color value.

A member of a racial group having brown to black skin, especially one of African origin.

An American descended from peoples of African origin having brown to black skin; an African American.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
in·tel·lect /’?ntl??kt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[in-tl-ekt]

The power or faculty of the mind by which one knows or understands, as distinguished from that by which one feels and that by which one wills; the understanding; the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge.

Capacity for thinking and acquiring knowledge, esp. of a high or complex order; mental capacity.

A particular mind or intelligence, esp. of a high order.

A person possessing a great capacity for thought and knowledge.

Minds collectively, as of a number of persons or the persons themselves

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L intelléctus, equiv. to intelleg(ere) to understand + -tus suffix of v. action; see intelligent]

Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source
Main Entry: in·tel·lect?Pronunciation: ‘int-&l-”ekt?Function: noun?The power of knowing as distinguished from the power to feel and to will : the capacity for knowledge ?
The capacity for rational or intelligent thought

—in·tel·lec·tu·al /”int-&l-’ek-ch(&-w)&l, -’eksh-w&l/ adjective —in·tel·lec·tu·al·ly adverb

If I were to gather an overall assessment of the definitions offered by Dictionary.com or Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary, I could say that black intellect is a people possessing a great capacity for rational or intelligent thought and collective minds with a particular intelligence of high order from a people descended of those from African origin (people with brown to black colored skin). Does that pretty much pull it together for a combined yet concise definition?

What is the power in collective minds of high order all descending from one group of people or point of origin? Again, the ingredients to add are many. I have long believed that the reason Black people in America are so intimidating and dangerous to the political and legal systems - is there is a concern that we will all awaken one morning to the realization that we can be and perhaps already are the POWER that can run this country.

Black intellect is intellectual property that must be developed and marketed in mass arenas. We need not only groom athletes, but we must groom coaches, agents and team owners - conquer and capitalize. We must not only produce our own music and film products, but like Rainforest Productions and Tyler Perry - we must own the production companies and the distribution rights and companies - further we must own the broadcast outlets that air the products in greater numbers.

Black intellect is a continual stirring of our lives, destinies and even our legacies. It is understanding biblical and cultural principles that say when you leave this earth you must leave something for your children’s children behind. Which means we must plan to position our grand children and even great grand children to be born into wealth - financially, socially and intellectually and to continue the development of those properties.

The power of Black intellect is first of all recognizing that it is born within us and we have a responsibility to nurture it, launch it and cultivate it. Sadly, it seems for many of us power is relegated to who has the most toys - material possessions and in some communities who has the most weapons, money and drugs. Perhaps we answer one question by asking another - have the elders and the villagers thought about what we should truly consider powerful in our individual, familial and communal journeys?