Booker T. Washington Society's Character Power

By Ronald Court

One of the greatest drummer-musicians of all time died last week in Manhattan. He was remembered for his contribution, not only to the world of music, but also for a militant expression during the Civil Rights Movement.

At a Miles Davis/Gil Evans concert at Carnegie Hall in 1961, Max, who felt Miles was “too centered” on civil-rights, staged a one-man protest by marching to the edge of the stage holding a “Freedom Now” placard.

Max & Miles. Their instruments and music reflected very different natures. Miles’ trumpet is a one-note-at-a-time, front of the crowd instrument. Yet Miles’ classic, “Kind of Blue” exposed a sure, slow patient side to Miles’ nature. Drums, on the other hand, are to an untrained ear, background, loud and fast. Yet Max’s break-through playing exhibits a mastery of complex riffs and timing, sometimes impatient yet always in control of the pulse.

Consider two people striving to reach the same destination. One is by nature, more patient, forgiving and aware that hard work…and time… is required to secure the help of others in order to assure a safer, more secure route to the destination. The other is rather impatient and unwilling to let go of lingering anger or resentment “issues.” For him, to criticise, complain and control is quicker and more satisfying than attempting to change hearts and minds.

Which approach is quicker, longer lasting, with fewer ill side-effects?

Ask any shrink.
Just as we admire Max Roach for his God-given talent and skill, let us also honor Booker T. for his patient, forgiving nature. After all, 55 years earler, Booker T. paved the way for Miles and Max’s appearance at Carnegie Hall by himself being featured on that very stage in 1906.
(Note: that’s Sam Clemens [Mark Twain] seated behind BTW.)

By Ronald Court

I recently read of the death of Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, age 90 in Gloucester, VA. In 1944, eleven years before Rosa Parks, she refused to move to the back of the bus. Read her NYTimes obit here.

She paid a fine for kicking a sheriff but refused to pay a much smaller fine for refusing to move. This woman of integrity and character planted the seed for a winning NAACP strategy that had to wait until the time was right. Irene Morgan’s case, argued in part by a young NAACP lawyer named Thurgood Marshall, went all the way to the US Supreme Court. She won.

But another decade elapsed before the strategy could be executed. Conditions needed to be right. In 1955, the same act, this time by Rosa Parks, a part-time NAACP volunteer worker, sparked sufficient wide-spread concern to make a lasting difference.

The marches, riots and oratory of ML King Jr. following Rosa Parks’ action might well have gone unnoticed as well, had not the new technology of television exposed the ugly face of segregation to the Nation, and indeed, to the world.

Booker T. could not have been aware of the advent or impact of TV, but he clearly foresaw that social progress would take time — and a lot of it. He knew the first priority for Blacks had to be to focus on and achieve economic progress while affording Whites time to absorb a ‘new social order.’ Arguably, time has proven Booker T’s assessment to be correct.