Dr. Na'im Akbar Lecture at ASU Discusses Black Identity in Modern Day Society

Submitted by DaVaun Sanders

The African American Men of Arizona State University (AAMASU) hosted Dr. Na'im Akbar on Feb. 23 for the Carter G. Woodson Lecture series. This will mark the fifth annual offering of an event which is fast becoming a Black History Month staple for ASU students as well as the metro Phoenix community.

Each year AAMASU invites a national speaker to engage the community in a talk aimed “to connect African and African American history to contemporary issues.” Dr. Akbar certainly fulfilled the rich and very necessary tradition the student group is establishing, with his poignant and engaging discussion on the nuances of Black identity in modern day society.

“The people here under 20 represent the first generation of African Americans in America who have a choice not to be Black,” Akbar proclaimed to those in attendance.

One of the premier clinical psychologists in the country, Akbar's extensive body of work is often quoted and used for coursework across the country. His published works include Black empowerment classics such as “Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery” and “Visions for Black Men.”

In Tuesday evening's talk he chronicled Black identity from slavery through Jim Crow, all the way to present day denial of Black identity through assimilation and materialism. He explained how Black identity in contemporary culture is considered as negative, and for many prominent Blacks — such as Tiger Woods — the behavior that goes along with that denial is ultimately self-destructive.

Akbar's discussion employed several telling images to emphasize one of his key points about the creation of “media monsters.” He explained how some Blacks don materialistic uniforms (i.e. pimp, playa or hustler) to escape the Black identity, some prominent examples being Flava Flav and Lil Kim.

He also blasted basketball star LeBron James' infamous appearance with supermodel Gisele Bundchen on the cover of Vogue.

“He was victimized to let himself be portrayed as a brute,” Akbar said. “To let himself be portrayed like King Kong in the 21st century — and no one's making him choose that - it is not increasing his value.”

Despite the numerous examples of Black identity gone awry cited during the talk, Dr. Akbar's message proved to be one of empowerment and continued awareness. He stressed to the audience that “your identity should empower you.”

Akbar defines power as “the ability to influence the environment in a way consistent with a people's self interest.” He explained how Blacks must discover their legacy to live a life of full potential, and exhorted students to embrace “an awareness and appreciate for the challenges that have been endured, and the resilience of your identity.”

“Your being here and using this scholarship or this opportunity is a charge for responsibility,” he bade the students.

Dr. Akbar's honest critique and examination of the elements shaping Black identity allowed those present to engage in a true accounting of the factors shaping the Black community. Well received among the crowd of ASU students and community members, the Carter G. Woodson Lecture Series is the sort of programming guaranteed to ensure Black history is remembered, cherished, and acted upon by future generations.