by Shawn James
“Even then she was listening to serpent.”
“But she wasn’t trusting in God. She arrogantly thought by eating the forbidden fruit she could know like God instead of appreciating the role God gave her.”
“Seems like we women have always been our own worst enemies.”
“That we are. Tell me Colleen, have you read the book Their Eyes Were Watching God?”
“In African–American lit last semester.” I answer.
“Do you remember the passage where Nanny tells Janie that “Black women were the mule of the world”?”
“Hurston was foreshadowing Janie’s future. Talking about how the Black woman is a victim of the abuses of men in her life.”
“That’s the progressive view of the book.” Grand Mother Flowers corrects. “Hurston actually compares Black women to mules because they’re selfish, stubborn and arrogant.”
“That’s kind of a harsh assessment of Black women–”
“It’s an honest one. She was talking about how Black women create their own folly and how their actions ultimately lead up to their own humiliation.”
“What do we do that leads up to our humiliation?”
“We Black women are too proud to listen to the good older women who are smart enough to know better. And as a result of our selfishness, stubbornness, and arrogance, we leave school and the things that are important to go off to get married off to greasy old men like Logan Killicks who promise to give us things if we work for them. And because we don’t like hard work, we’re gullible and easily led away by the shiny objects of well–dressed men who pull at us like Joe Starks who dress us up and treat us like property. And when we’re tired of being possessions on a pedestal, we’re charmed away by those wayward men with sweet Tea Cakes that leave us sick our stomachs, unfulfilled, and looking to go home to find a cure.”
That’s a unique analysis of Hurston’s work. Nothing like I’ve read from the literary critics in the library journals at NYU. She has to be a professor or someone prominent in education when she’s not presiding over Theta affairs; I just know it in my gut.
“But I thought the story was about how Janie learned to love herself regardless of how the men in her life treated her–”
“That’s how the progressives want you to see it. It’s actually about how a woman who lives her life without the guidance of God and how she is humiliated as a result of it. She’s arrogant enough to think she can watch God, when it’s God who’s looking down on her and pitying her for her stupidity.”
“Janie was her own worst enemy.”
“She sabotaged herself the day she went along with Nanny’s scheme to marry Logan Killicks. Had she been socialized properly, she would have learned how to be a help meet to the man who God had for her instead of wasting her life with three fools.”
“Janine sort of reminds me of myself.”
“I think you’re smarter than Janie is. At least you’ve come to an understanding about your arrogance and learned some humility.”
“You’ve been talking to Abby.”
“I heard it through the wall.”
I didn’t know we were that loud. “Man, she ripped me a new one-”
“I thought she was being compassionate.”
“I forget how rough it is around here.”
“Better to hear it from your sister here than from your husband a few years from now in divorce court.”
“I’m assuming part of being here is learning what type of woman God wants me to be.”
“It’s an intricate part of our mission and our core values.”
Rosa walks into the suite. “Excuse me Miss Flowers, and Miss. Anderson, but dinner is ready.”
I check my watch. Man, I can’t believe it’s seven already.
“We’ll be down in a minute Rosa.” Grand Mother Flowers tells her.
Rosa walks out and we ease up off the bed and head over to the door. “Well we best head downstairs. Dinner doesn’t start until we’re all there.”
“Before we go, I just have one more question. When you’re not a Grand Mother, Are you a professor?”
Grand Mother Flowers smiles at me. “I’m retired from Spelman University.”
Chapter 26
Grand Mother Flowers and I make our way down the grand marble staircase and march down the vestibule. Man, I wish I didn’t have to cut our conversation short. I wish I was learning so much. Maybe we can continue our conversation over dinner.
Thinking about it, she does have a point about women being their own worst enemies. In some ways I was working against myself by being so resistant to pledging. I thought this whole experience was going to be a waste of my time. But the more I become involved with The Thetas the more I learn about who I could be and the impact I could have on others in the Black community.
I get the door for Grand Mother Flowers. As we head down the hall, my curiosity gets the better of me. I can’t wait for us to talk over dinner, I need to know why she teaches her approaches here and not at a college.
“I take it you couldn’t teach this stuff to your students at Spellman.” I say.
“I’d get drummed out of the university for even proposing this type of material.” Grand Mother Flowers replies. “Talking about God and my assessment of the Black woman’s hubris wouldn’t be prudent in an arena where grant makers make donations and endowments.”
“But wouldn’t it benefit a school to teach different viewpoints?”
“A historically Black college like Spelman needs donors to stay operational. And controversial views like mine would offend some of our more sensitive benefactors.”
Controversial would be an understatement. Her views would be considered downright radical on most White college campuses, let alone the historically Black ones. It’d be a fascinating class to be a part of.
“But why would the Thetas allow you to teach these approaches here?”
“We Thetas don’t believe in compromising our beliefs to match a progressive view or to satisfy the whims of a donor. We believe in doing all we can to prepare a woman in the way she is supposed to go.”
“That’s why you all invest your own money into the Sisterhood?”
“Exactly. Instilling these values in our sisters’ hearts is far more important to us than any material assets we have. The seeds we plant in young minds today will grow up years later to bear good fruit.”
“So me pledging is about more than just etiquette?” I ask as I get the door for her.
“You have to know about the social intangibles in our circle before you go out into the world. Women like us are part of a larger picture in the Black community.” Grand Mother Flowers says as we head into the hall and turn the corner headed towards the dining room.
As Grand Mother Flowers pushes the sliding doors of the dining room open, The Sisters, Dean Mothers, Rosa and Rumsfeld smile at us. I hurry around the table and find my place at it between Abby and Marcy. When Grand Mother Flowers sits at the Head of the Table, we all take our seats and Rumsfeld and Rosa begin serving dinner.
As appetizers are placed in front of us, I look across the table to Grand Mother Flowers. I think she’s as eager to continue our conversation as I am.
“What part of the picture are you in the Black community?” I ask.
“Right now I see myself as a teacher and a mentor. My job is to pass down knowledge so that the next generation can preserve our values and traditions.”
“And you feel that just a college education isn’t going to give me what I need to be in that picture.”
“Before you go into your company to do your father’s work, you have to understand what your role is in that bigger picture of the world. You’re not going to learn that in college.”
“I’ve learned a lot about economics these past two years–”
“A good base in theories, but it’s not what you really need to know to define your role in that picture.”
“I thought I’d learn everything else on the job�
�”
“Learning there would be too late. Women of our stature can destroy decades of hard work if we don’t learn how to make the right choices early on.”
“I doubt me taking the time to learn the ropes is going to mess things up that badly–”
“Spoken like a child.” Grand Mother Flowers laughs. “When Black women apply the progressive approaches of the world to Black wealth, they lose their fortunes like Madame C.J Walker’s daughter did.”
“But if we’re good businesswomen, how can we lose our fortunes? Isn’t money just money?”
Dean Mother Carver uses my question as an opportunity to come in on the conversation.
“That’s what they want you to think. While the color of money may be green, it’s White Supremacist discrimination against Black people that keeps it out of our hands.” Dean Mother Carver says. “We may think we can invest in the same business opportunities as everyone else. But when we try to be individuals investing in other communities’ businesses instead of investing in building up the businesses of our community we lose.”
I guess that was the lesson Marcy and Abby were teaching me when they took me to Madame Panache and Hanna’s today. I learned a little there, but I have a feeling they’re going to teach me about it on a larger scale.
“Why do we have to spend so much time focusing on Black businesses alone? Why can’t we just invest in things that are the most profitable? Doesn’t that make things more competitive?”
“Because there’s no competition where there’s oppression.” Dean Mother Carver continues. “While we may invest in them they aren’t investing in us. They take money out of our community without giving it back.”
“So stores like Madame Panache and Hanna’s wouldn’t exist with investment from us?”
“They wouldn’t last a year without our support.” Grand Mother Flowers replies. “Our economy has always been fueled by the money we invested in it.”
“Banks have never been eager to invest in our community, even in the best economic times.” Dean Mother Morgan says. “When people in our sisterhood wanted to start up businesses after they graduated, they come to people like your father to get the capital.”
“That money they borrow from us allows them to hire other Black people and puts our men and women to work in the community.” Dean Mother Carver adds.
“Do you stipulate that they have to hire other Blacks when they borrow your money? I ask.
“We insist upon it.” Grand Mother Flowers answers.
“Isn’t that discrimination?”
“Is it discrimination when they don’t hire us?” Marcia asks. “No, it’s just doing business.”
“Just like they feel their discrimination is a protection of their investment, our stipulation is a protection of our investment.” Dean Mother Carver says. “By investing in those who hire our own we’re building our wealth. Just like the bank we own something at the end of the process whether it be profits or property.”
“So you come out with something in the end, failure or success?”
“It has to be that way. When families of our stature lose our fortunes, opportunities for everyone are lost.”
“Have other sisters lost their fortunes investing their wealth outside of the Black community?”
“Some of the more progressive sisters have. But they were able to get help rebuilding their fortunes once they learned the error of their ways.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed says.
The somber way Dean Mother Dr. Reed says that has me wondering if she was speaking from personal experience. Maybe she’ll share it with me during my visit.
“With you being one of the future financial managers of all our fortunes you have to understand why it’s important to keep our wealth in our community.” Dean Mother Dr. Reed continues.
“And you have to understand why we have to invest in ourselves first.” Dean Mother Morgan says.
“Well, I think I know why. I read about the Black economy in my African–American History Class. The towns, the businesses, and the trades like blacksmithing, banking, barbering, and carpentry that came up during Reconstruction. We built those businesses because we weren’t allowed to work in White society due to segregation.”
“Did you learn how extensive our economy was in America at one time?”
“It was so competitive at one time that some White people lynched Black business owners, burnt down their stores, and burned down entire towns like Rosewood.”
“So you do have some background knowledge about it.” Grand Mother Flowers replies. “You do know our economy was how many of our more talented people could find work as doctors, lawyers, tailors, Blacksmiths, retailers, teachers, and artists instead of Pullman Porters, maids, and janitors.”
“I read about that. Our businesses were the only place where many of our professionals could do the jobs they were trained to do instead of degrading low–wage work.”
“And when we owned our own businesses we put ourselves to work, employed others and built our middle class.” Dean mother Morgan says.
“But wasn’t all that lost during integration in the 1960’s?”
“While most of the businesses within our economic system were lost, a remnant of them remains to this day.” Grand Mother Flowers answers. “We’ve made collective efforts to preserve that wealth.”
“But we require a good steward to keep that wealth maintained.” Dean Mother Morgan says. “Someone who understands how to be a wise woman who works towards building up our storehouse. Someone who understands why it’s prudent not to invest in progressive schemes that take money out of our community.”
Progressive schemes like I had in my mind when I graduated NYU. I wanted to take money from Daddy’s business and buy stocks in fortune 500 companies like Disney, Nike, and Microsoft. I thought it would make for some strong profits and make our portfolio look more competitive. But listening to them and meeting with people like Penelope and Yvette has me realizing that I should focus on investing Daddy’s money locally instead of internationally so it has an impact on our community.
“I’m guessing that’s me.”
“It’ll be a while before you’re ready.” Dean Mother Carver says. “But you have to understand why we must protect our institutions above all else.”
“Is that why you guys sacrificed your internships at those fortune 500 companies?”
“Yeah.” Marcia says. “There’s a lot at stake here. A lot.”
“With you being one of the people who will run one of our top investment firms, we needed to get you up to speed.” Abigail replies.
“Prevent me from becoming my own worst enemy by investing heavily in those non–Black businesses.” I say.
“The Whites invest in their own businesses; the Asians invest in their own businesses. But we’re the only ones who don’t think to invest in ourselves first or to protect our institutions.” Dean Mother Morgan replies.
“Why?”
“The progressive ideals of integration told many of our brothers and sisters that they needed to show the world we can be equal to everyone else. That the only color that mattered was green.” Dean Mother Morgan continues.
“As we poured our money into stores like Woolworth’s and Macy’s, sat in RKO Movie theaters and bought serge suits from Barneys we lost most of our economic base.” Dean Mother Carver says.
“But doesn’t investment in those corporations lead to larger profits for us?”
“It may profit a few individuals, but those big corporations cost our community its wealth.” Marcia replies. They work with politicians to make policies that force out small local businesses and replace them with franchises and chain stores in our neighborhoods.”
“But our people are getting jobs from those chains–”
“A few poor people get minimum wage jobs from those chains but long–term their investment stifles competition from small business.” Abigail says. “Sure they’ll hire us and take our best ideas, but when their profits fall
off we’re the first people they let go.”
“And then they close up shop in a few years telling us that they weren’t making enough profits in those locations as compared to the rest of the country.” Dean Mother Morgan says.
“Or they move to another country to get the tax breaks.” I say. “Leaving a big hole in our community. Our economy suffers long–term because we don’t own enough financial resources invested in it to sustain it afterward. Which leads to the continuing high poverty and unemployment.”
“The girl gets it.” Dean Mother Morgan quips.
“Hey, I am studying economics. But this is a master class.”
“I knew you were a fast learner.” Grand Mother Flowers says. “When that money is gone, we can’t get it back. And when those businesses are gone in our community, they’re gone for good.”
I’m starting to see myself in the big picture. It’s still rough and sketchy but I think I’m supposed to be one of the people who find the small local businesses in the Black community that can be expanded and support them with capital until they can grow to build a strong enough base to sustain themselves long–term.
“So I’m supposed to keep the wealth in the Black community by finding new Black businesses to invest in? And I’m supposed to protect the existing businesses with further support.”
“That’s what a good steward would do.” Grand Mother Flowers says. “But you’re not ready for that role yet. You still need a few more years of seasoning.”
At least they’re going to let me finish college before they start making demands of me. But it’s good to know what’s expected of me when I take the reins of Anderson Financial when I get older. I used to think me working there was some inevitable destiny I had to avoid. But understanding how much is at stake for everyone I realize I have to make more of an effort to learn about Daddy’s businesses so I can protect the people we serve.
I look over to Grand Mother Flowers. She likes a good debate and I love to learn. I’ve gotten more out of talking to her these last few hours than the professors at NYU in two years. Since everyone is here for me I’m going to make the most of it and learn as much as I can. “Are you going to be doing anything tomorrow Grand Mother Flowers?”
Grand Mother Flowers smiles at me. “I take it you won’t be sleeping in after your workout?”
“I only have eight weeks here.”