Dr. Leonard Jeffries: The Challenge of Blackness

Dr. Leonard Jeffries talks about the challenge of blackness and the struggle for the control of the mind. He discusses systems of mutual and collective support as well as the system of exploitation originating from European and African slave trade as early as 1482. Jeffries states the challenge of blackness is to deal with the system of exploitation and the greatest control of the system which is the control of the mind. He discusses ways to break the control through a constant effort to change and resocialize our value system, and to develop a socialization process that implants positive values. Jeffries also explains the differences in the value systems of the African-Asiatic tradition and the Euro-American tradition; and provides an overview of early African and American history as related to slave trade and land settlement throughout his lecture. Introduction by John Kinard.

Lecture. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. AV003079: part 1. AV003540: part 2. AV003103: part 3. Dated 19780606.