What Motown and Techno Have in Common
The global electronic music industry is worth $7.1 billion. From house clubs to international music festivals, the industry has amassed millions of fans and cemented itself as an industry soundhouse. Few know the roots of this genre in Black America.
One of the largest subsets of the genre, techno, can trace its origins to a geographic location: Detroit, Michigan (well, the suburbs).
To some accounts, three middle-class African-American DJ-producers are the brains behind techno: Derrick May, Juan Atkins, and Kevin Saunderson. However, other accounts delineate Juan Atkins as the sole originator.
Either way, they eventually would come together to enhance European “synth-pop” tracks with African-American sounds such as Chicago house, funk, electro, and electronic jazz creating a new, completely electronic and fast-paced sound.
Techno encapsulated afrofuturism through sounds that were primarily all-instrumental and with beats more complex than the syncopation of house music.
“We were just kids having fun. The technology allowed us to make this music. It just happened.” – Juan Atkins
The name “techno” was first used by Juan Atkins, who named his 1983 song “Techno City.” Atkins’ songs gained traction on local radio waves and eventually landed him a deal with Virgin Records.
Since the label was based in the U.K., Detroit’s new sound gained immense traction overseas and forever solidified the originators’ place in history.
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The dark side of this international attention was an emergence of what NPR calls “blackface DJs”. These DJs were white people who created fictional backstories and presented themselves as Black people to give their music more “authenticity”.
Blackface DJs would create names that “sounded Black”, like DJ Marques, and claim to come from places with high Black populations such as Gary, IN, Harlem, NY, or the Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago.
Techno’s influence helped spur the development of later musical sounds. As techno and house music seemed to bounce ideas off of each other, artists like DJ Deeon and DJ Slugo developed a distinct sound through “ghetto house.”
Techno music continues to be both produced and enjoyed by diverse audiences across the globe. Some current top songs include “Remember Pig & Dan Remix” by Matador “System Hack Original Mix” by Carlo Ruetz, and “Zoo Project Pax Remix” by Dennis Cruz.
Though now a global music industry, techno will never completely detach from its rooted Black hands in Detroit, Michigan.
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Heralded as the “Auto Dealer Advocate” by Black Enterprise, Al Johnson broke barriers in the automobile industry, and readily paved a way for others to follow. As an entrepreneur and philanthropist, Johnson became the first African-American to be awarded a General Motors franchise and later became a leading independent Cadillac dealer.
To do so, he capitalized on the attempted limitations of a racialized society in becoming one of the top salesmen and dealers in the region. Additionally, his philanthropic efforts helped support Chicago’s most impoverished and even get President Obama elected into office.
Born February 23, 1929, in St. Louis as the son of a physician, he earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Lincoln University and a master of science in hospital administration from the University of Chicago. However, while working as an assistant administrator of Home G. Phillips Hospital, he began selling automobiles part-time to supplement his income.
Though hired by Nolting Oldsmobile in Kirkwood, Missouri, Johnson was not allowed to sell from the dealership due to racial discrimination. Alternatively, he had to sell door-to-door, becoming known as the “briefcase salesman” that sold cars without having an actual, physical car to show.
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While at Nolting, however, Johnson discovered an innovative way to increase his profits despite inherent racial discrimination. He secured a meeting with the dealership’s owner and propositioned a new way to sell cars: the same way that dealers ordered them. Rather than the dealer making custom orders, the customer would be able to choose custom features – fabric color, trim, etc.
“The car would be built to the purchaser’s specifications.” Though Johnson’s potential sales were initially limited since restricted from the showroom floor, his briefcase model paid off: Johnson’s salary reached $60,000 in his first year (about $300,000 in today’s dollars). As a hospital administrator, he could only make up to $12,000/year even at the height of the profession.
Johnson would later move on to Brock Oldsmobile and continue to petition General Motors for the opportunity to franchise. After over 15 years and with demonstrated success as a “briefcase salesman,” the Chicago Oldsmobile Regional Sales Office finally granted the franchise on August 1, 1967: making Johnson the first African American to be awarded a new car franchise by General Motors (GM).
Johnson’s keen sales and business management skills successfully revitalized the failing franchise, leading to a subsequent offer to become a Cadillac dealer: officially franchising on June 1, 1971.
He’d eventually relocate the Cadillac dealership to a new, state-of-the-art facility of which he built and remained until selling the business in 1994. In the process, he’d also gain independent status from the Motor Holding Division of General Motors, as well as acquire a Lincoln/Mercury agency and other business enterprises including Stellar, Inc. and the Pyramid Trotting Association.
But Johnson was never only in the business for himself. His pioneering work, advocacy, and willingness to help those coming after him helped establish the first Minority Dealer Organization and Training Academy to increase the number and success of African American dealers. He was actively involved in the Political Action Conference of Illinois, a group supporting Black candidates for the Chicago mayoral seat.
In addition, after the election of Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor, Johnson served as a business development consultant for an annual salary of $1. In later years, he’d become the first large donor to Barack Obama’s campaign for the U.S. Senate, pledging $50,000 towards the historic occasion.
Johnson has received numerous awards in recognition of business achievements, philanthropic efforts, and civic impact. He was chairman emeritus of the University of Illinois Center for Urban Business, College for Business Administration; a board member of LaRabida Children’s Hospital, a member of the Executives Club of Chicago, and the General Motors Black Dealers Advisory Board. Johnson passed away in 2010 at the age of 89, but his legacy continues to live on.
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The post How the “Briefcase Salesman” Became a Car Dealing King appeared first on PushBlack.
Angola Prison used to be a plantation. It’s been reformed into a prison, yet, inmates at the prison work in those same fields for as little as two cents a day. The sight of inmates working in the fields is an eerily similar reminder of the enslaved people who were forced to work nonstop on that same land.
Prisons in the U.S. have a long history. Dating back to the late 1800s, just after the Emancipation Proclamation, a new system of federal correction facilities began. There’s no other prison system where this is more apparent than the Louisiana prison system.
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The Louisiana prison system has the highest number of people incarcerated per capita. Angola Prison, located in Louisiana, is the largest maximum-security prison in the country. It was named after the country where enslaved people came from in that region.
In a 2017 interview, Sheriff Steve Prator of Caddo Parish, LA claimed it was necessary to keep inmates, even good ones, in prison to keep the facility running through free labor.
The U.S. incarcerates the highest number people in the world with 2.2 million people imprisoned. In 2010, it was estimated that 40 percent of people incarcerated were Black. There are many reasons for this, but a history of incarceration points to the continued institution of slavery in the U.S. prison system.
After Emancipation, freedmen were required to work, as stated by the Black Codes. Black codes were put in place to restrict Black folks’ freedom. The codes pressured Blacks to work for low wages or to repay debts. Lack of education and segregated public facilities forced freedmen to work menial jobs for little pay.
The passage of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments eliminated Black Codes. Black people experienced some social and economic equality with the ability to vote and securing better jobs. However, a loophole in the 13th amendment, still permitted a form of slavery.
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Laws that disproportionately affected Black folks put Black people in jails and prisons. Thus, convict leasing, leasing out prisoners to private bidders, began. David Oshinsky, author of Worse Than Slavery, said that the prison population began to swell and inmates got younger and Blacker.
Convict leasing ended in 1928, but inmates still worked for little pay. Inmates tried suing under the Fair Labor Standard Act, but they were unsuccessful. To sue, the relationship between the inmate and their employer has to be considered economic, but they were not. The relationship is considered “social or penological.”
Several arguments for and against prison labor have gone around. Some say it’s good for rehabilitation, some claim it is “just due punishment” or that “prisoners should contribute to society if everyone else has to.”
The excuses in favor of prison labor are mind-boggling and they go to show how the government still does not care about Black bodies. The system in place that funnels Black people into prison is a painful reminder that slavery is still ever present, even if only as nebulous dark cloud.
"You have three strikes against you. You're poor, you're black and you're a woman."
An elder said this to a 13-year-old Ursula Burns, who grew up in the Baruch Houses, one of the roughest projects in New York City's Lower East Side.
And for a while, this message deeply affected her.
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Fast forward to 2017. Burns has amassed numerous accolades, including recognition as the first Black woman to rise to CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and ranking 22 on Forbes' List of Most Powerful Women!
Burns has come a long way from the Baruch Houses. Yet, even as she continues to break glass ceilings in the business world, she notes that it took a combination of hard work and positive relationships to make it to the top.
Ursula Burns first entered Xerox as an intern in the early 80s, before eventually securing an entry-level position. Though her hard work afforded her stability in the company, it was an intense discussion on workplace diversity which ultimately put her on the radar. She was handpicked to serve as assistant to the Executive Vice President.
Burns faced several obstacles along the way. She was often the only Black woman in the room; and sometimes she was the only woman, period. She had the added pressure of blindly blazing her own path, as role models in the business world were limited.
Despite the odds, by the year 2000 she'd risen to the role of vice president of corporate strategic services where she worked closely with Anne Mulcahy, who was gearing to become CEO. In 2009, Ursula Burns succeeded Mulcahy and was named CEO.
She believes firmly in helping people step into their destiny. For that reason, she takes every opportunity she can to share her journey and advice with others.
With vision, sharp intellect, staying power, and a humble spirit, Burns is a powerful example of what it means to turn "strikes" into strides.
If you were inspired by Burns’ story, learn about more powerful leaders in the book "The New CEOs: Women, African American, Latino, and Asian American Leaders of Fortune 500 Companies.” 
Just a few weeks ago, Jordan Edwards was fatally shot by Texas police officer Roy Oliver. In the past 48 hours, 50,000 people have signed our joint petition with Color Of Change in support of assigning a special independent prosecutor to his case. We’ve been here before. But, we know what justice looks like and with the help of each one of you, we can pressure justice into action.
Jordan’s family has remained strong, steadfast, and relentless in their pursuit of justice. And while a special prosecutor can help provide a more thorough investigation, this is not the family’s only route to justice. In addition, they have also filed a wrongful death suit against the Balch Springs Police Department for “failing to supervise and properly discipline” the cop responsible for Jordan’s death – even after multiple instances of “brash behavior.” But they’re not stopping there; the family is also calling for an investigation that includes the following:
Identify and prosecute officers other than Roy Oliver that interacted with Vidal Allen and the other three boys riding in the car if any criminal misconduct is found
Release to the press and public all video evidenced sourced through the investigation, including body camera video in the case that has been generated by the Balch Springs Police Department and identified by the Dallas County Sheriff
Support the release of all disciplinary records and complaints lodged against Roy Oliver during his employment with the Balch Springs Police Department
Request an investigation of unequal and discriminatory policing in Balch Springs by the U.S. Department of Justice
While this may be the first instance of this gravity experienced by Jordan’s family, collectively, we all share their pain. After all, we, as Black people, have a long history of dealing with trauma. But if there is one thing we know how to do, it is to bounce back. We channel our anger and frustration into actionable steps for optimistic change. We never back down and we find light even when all we see is darkness.
Our resiliency allows us to incite social change even in the most trying times. Since Ferguson and the death of Mike Brown, we’ve seen greater awareness about the pressing issues that plague so many of our communities. We’re more informed and we’re collectively unified. And now, we must continue to combat the social ills and injustices that plague our society.
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The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement exemplifies how our collective resiliency transforms into calculated and impactful action. Through BLM, we’ve marched, protested, advocated to state and federal legislative bodies, been the headlines of international news, and galvanized support across racial and ethnic lines. We’ve collectively envisioned, changed, and worked to promote better public policies and more impactful organizations. We’ve collectively shouted our truths – and we will continue to shout and demand change.
Our shouts are not in vain, as our voices are being heard. Social media has leveled the playing field, allowing us to not only connect with one another but to broadcast to the masses the truth as witnessed right before our eyes. Black Twitter has birthed both humor and humility – serving as a refuge for collective laughter and a source for the news and perspectives we so desperately need to hear. We’ve manifested a space for unfiltered Black perspectives on the world – we’ve hosted conversations that rarely exist in mainstream media, but penetrate it by the day.
Here at PushBlack, we are encouraged by all the efforts to bring justice for Jordan Edwards and his family. As this case unfolds, it is imperative that we stay engaged, informed, and continue to demand reform. While Roy Oliver’s arrest is the first step towards justice, his murder conviction will signal a necessary shift towards holding our law enforcement accountable for their actions.
Sign this petition to continue to show your support, as we must continue using all the resources at our disposal to fight the good fight.
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But remember, dealing with these heavy issues on a regular basis is draining, so it is imperative that we prioritize our self-care. Black mental health matters. No one is expected to be strong all the time and that may mean at some point we just need to disconnect and decompress.
Be as involved as you can, but remember we do not all have to be on-the-ground activists. In the words of Malcolm X, do your “best work.” In whatever it is that you do, do your best for the betterment of Black people. Attending town halls and sending letters to Congress may be the actions for some, while reading and sharing news articles or reflecting with friends and family may be the route for others. Every little bit counts.
We remain optimistic about the work of our Black communities in pushing forward for justice and change, and we hope you will too. We believe in cultivating a supportive network of allies who understand that Unity of the people can bring down any system. Let’s do this together. Click here to sign the petition in support of the Edwards family’s demands.
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The post A Firestorm of Support for Jordan Edwards Family Demands appeared first on PushBlack.
In 1933, America faced a massive housing crisis in the wake of the Great Depression that shook up the entire economy. To combat this epidemic, President Franklin Roosevelt and his administration instituted the practice of redlining, which disproportionately hurt African-Americans who hoped to own homes.
Appropriately named, redlining literally meant color-coding maps to draw boundaries between areas that were deemed good investments for banks and those that were not. As you can probably guess, Blacks inhabited the majority of areas considered risky investments.
The Federal Housing Association (FHA) shaded “good” neighborhoods green or blue and included mostly lower and middle class whites who received mortgages fairly easily. On the contrary, the FHA considered areas shaded in red unfit for lending and typically encompassed Black or immigrant communities.
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Redlining was legal segregation no matter what fancy language is used to say otherwise. Black neighborhoods crumbled as a result of these practices which pushed African-Americans out of developed areas and into housing projects.
In 1968, the Civil Rights Act a.k.a. Fair Housing Act passed outlawing redlining, but unfortunately thirty years of segregation and discrimination left Black families decades behind in terms of wealth. Not only did redlining affect home ownership, many businesses refused to set up shop in these areas leaving countless Black people jobless.
One of the most alarming aspects of redlining is that the FHA provided reasons for grading neighborhoods the way they did. For example, “infiltrated by Negros,” “respectable homes, but too close to Negro area,” and “full of poor Negroes” were typical reasons given for shading a community red.
Literally, one Black-owned home in an area could prevent the other community members from receiving loans. These banks essentially applied the “one-drop rule” to judge these neighborhoods as desirable or not.
For entirely too long, Blacks have received the short end of the stick, especially when it comes to building wealth for future generations. While many white families send their kids to college with equity from homes that they were basically just given, lots of Black families barely make ends meet - let alone find money for college tuition and fees.
This is why financial literacy is so important and it is imperative that we find ways to build self-sustaining Black communities.
If you want to know more about the history of redlining, pick up a copy of “The Color of Law: The Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.”
Mapping Equality created an interactive map that allows you to view the grades and their reasons for over 150 cities across the United States. To check out the redlining map for neighborhoods where you live, just type in your city and prepare to be amazed here.