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PROJECT 2019 |
Mission
The mission of Project 2019 is to elevate the socioeconomic status of black
America.
Major Goal
The major goal of Project 2019 is to increase the level of formal education
attained by black Americans to the same level of formal education attained by
the rest of America.
Primary Objectives
The primary objectives of Project 2019 are:
(1) To convince black America to embrace the truism "knowledge is power."
(2) To convince black America that the best way to acquire knowledge is through
formal education.
(3) To motivate black America to increase the level of formal education attained
by black Americans.
Measurement
The measurement of the success of Project 2019 will be the percentage of black
Americans who earn college degrees versus the percentage of all other Americans
who earn college degrees.
Completion Date
The completion date for Project 2019 is the year 2019.
The Mission Of Project 2019
American history can be a source of confusion if one believes that the United
States was
founded on such lofty principles and high ideals as "freedom, equality
and justice for all." To eliminate most of the confusion, simply replace
"all" with "all white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant males." For
many Americans, freedom, equality, and justice were not guaranteed. In the case
of black Americans, freedom, equality, and justice were prohibited by law and
tradition. It has taken almost four centuries but America has finally evolved
to the point where "freedom, equality, and justice for all" does include
"all" citizens of the United States.
During the three hundred and eighty years it has taken for this evolution to
occur, black America has had three great missions. The first mission was to
end the barbaric horror of Slavery. The second was to end the injustice and
oppression of the Jim Crow era. Black America's third and hopefully its last
great mission is to end the socioeconomic inequality that has resulted from
Slavery and the Jim Crow era.
The Goals and Objectives Of Project 2019
The basis for Project 2019 is the certainty that black America will never attain
socioeconomic equality with white America until it achieves educational equivalency
with white America. For three and a half centuries, racism was the underlying
reason for the lack of success of most black Americans. This began to change
when black America entered the Equal Opportunity era three decades ago.
As America enters the twenty-first century, racism, sexism, and religious and
ethnic discrimination continue to decline. These tools of oppression are becoming
less and less powerful against minorities that were once easily disenfranchised
by their power. In the new millenium, the success or failure of all of America's
citizens will increasingly be determined by their education and knowledge rather
than by their gender or the color of their skin.
While this may be good news for black Americans, the bad news is that white
America is much better educated than black America. Twenty-four percent of white
Americans have completed at least four years of college versus thirteen percent
of black Americans. White America is therefore in a better position to meet
the demands and reap the rewards of the age of technology. The major goal of
Project 2019 is to ensure that black America is equally prepared for the challenges
of the twenty-first century and beyond.
In order for black America to reach the goal of educational equivalency with
white America, black America must accept and embrace the truism "knowledge
is power." Black America must recognize and accept that the best way to
acquire knowledge is through formal education. And, finally, black America must
be inspired and motivated to reach educational equivalency, by any means necessary.
College Degrees As A Measurement
The measurement of the success of Project 2019 is limited to formal education
attained, specifically higher education. Project 2019 does not directly address
entrepreneurship or trade or vocational training. This is not because the value
of such efforts are not recognized or equally regarded. They are not addressed
because a focused, laser approach is necessary to make significant gains in
any of these areas. Even so, a major success in any one of these areas would
make it easier for black America to achieve success in each of the other areas.
Project 2019 does not include measurable objectives for primary or secondary
formal education attained or any qualitative measurements of academic achievement.
While these elements are critical for the success of Project 2019, it is not
necessary to make them measurable objectives considering the one measurement
that is driving the major goal. That is, it is not possible to double the number
of black Americans who earn college degrees without a substantial increase in
the number of high school graduates. Nor is it possible to double the number
of blacks who earn college degrees without a significant improvement in the
overall academic achievement of black Americans.
The measurement to be used to establish, track, and to determine the success
of Project 2019 must remain straightforward and finite. It is based on the percentages
of bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, law degrees, medical
degrees, etc., earned by white Americans versus black Americans.
The Year 2019 Completion Date
The roots of Slavery can be traced to the selling of twenty black indentured
servants to the inhabitants of the Jamestown Colony in 1619. Therefore, the
year 2019 will be the four hundredth anniversary of the beginning of Slavery
in America. With the success of Project 2019, this anniversary can be celebrated
as a watershed moment in black America's history. It would be the first time
that black Americans are full and equal partners in pursuit of the American
dream. It would also be a fitting tribute to the millions who sacrificed their
labor and their lives to make freedom and equality a reality for their descendants.
The year 2019 is twenty years, one generation, away. To some, a generation may
seem to be an unnecessarily long time to complete Project 2019. To others, twenty
years may not seem to be enough time for such a monumental undertaking. There
is also the consideration that the amount of time it takes to complete a task
expands or contracts to meet the due date assigned to it.
Twenty years, one generation, is a reasonable time frame for black America to
reach educational equivalency with white America. If this time frame is a little
short, it only means that black Americans will have to work harder to reach
the goal. If it is a little long, then the bar can be raised by setting new
goals and establishing new objectives.
The year 2019 will be one of the most notable years in the history of black
America. However, if 2019 is to be one of the most successful years in the history
of black America, it must be the result of thousands of successful days. A successful
day is each day that a black American realizes the importance of Project 2019
and understands the reasons why it must succeed. A successful day is each day
that a black American resolves to do his or her part to help ensure the success
of the next generation and all future generations of black Americans.
Issues That Will Impact Project 2019
There are many issues that will impact the nature and the progress of Project
2019. Clearly, no one person knows all the questions. Certainly, no one person
has all the answers. If Project 2019 is to succeed, there must be a cooperative
effort to determine the most pertinent and the most critical issues. There must
then be open and meaningful dialog regarding these issues and the merits of
the associated arguments and proposals. This process will best ensure the continued
progress and the eventual success of Project 2019.
Education and knowledge is the "gateway" that will lead to the solutions to all the problems that afflict black America.
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