Young blacks can overcome society's history of racism by pursuing a college education and focusing on improving their communities, the vice chairman of the national NAACP said Wednesday.
Roslyn McCallister Brock spoke at Mississippi Valley State University as part of the school's Black History Convocation.
In her address at the H.G. Carpenter Auditorium, Brock cited Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard about the importance of remembering the past.
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward," Brock said. "Black History Month give us this opportunity to assess the state of black America from a different vantage point."
Brock, 41, said 20 years ago she was sitting where many of Valley's students are.
"I never marched with Martin, protested with Malcolm or bled like Medgar," she said, "but I understood inherently that I had a responsibility and an obligation to take the valuable lessons of the past and take a new road for the future - to ensure that the groundwork and progress of my people have not been made in vain."
That's when she joined the NAACP. Over the years Brock has advanced through the civil rights organization's national leadership.
In her travels, Brock said, she is always asked "'What does the NAACP do?'" or, more importantly, "'What have you done for me lately?'
"The NAACP does more for people who are not members than those who are members of its organization," she said.
The organization "fought on behalf of all Americans, not just those with a brown hue," Brock said. She said white women in the United States have advanced
significantly "due to the advancements of people of color."
Discrimination, Brock said, still exists in America.
Although progress has been made with respect to overall black income, home ownership, business development and voter participation, in some areas progress has been slower.
"Despite great progress, there is still a noticeable gap between African-Americans and whites, especially in the areas of education, economics and health care," she said.
Brock said 37 million Americans still live in poverty.
Another 45 million, mostly children, lack health insurance.
"In 2001, the white households in America had an average net worth of $458,000," Brock said, compared to just $75,000 for black households.
She said black women, who make up only 12 percent of women nationally, account for 54 percent of the new HIV cases.
Brock also decried the amount that the state of Mississippi spends on prisons versus what it spends on public schools. The state spends close to $73 million annually to house about 5,000 prisoners, she said.
"What is the best use of tax dollars in Mississippi? Is it prisons, or is it public education?"she asked.
Brock said that situation can be corrected by the next generation of leaders sitting in the audience.
"I believe we have a bright future before us. The future is in your hands," she said.
