"The Theory of American Racial Consciousness" by David Pailin Jr.

If you're familiar with the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, you'll recall how Everett Rodgers developed a bell curve illustrating multiple degrees of technology adaptation. In his book, Diffusion of Innovations, he outlines five segments of people who adapt to technology in very distinctive ways, and those five individuals are: 

With this in mind, I'd like to propose that Rogers' model be applied to racial consciousness. But before we begin, let's change the names slightly, adopting a vernacular more suitable for racial awareness.

  • Activists

  • Advocates

  • Early Majority

  • Late Majority

  • bigots

The descriptions are mainly the same, but before I go into more detail, I'd like to share how this theory came about. 

Racial Development of People of Color

In the not so recent past, I was a participant in a fellowship with a focus on racial equity in education called Leadership ISD (LISD). In it, I was exposed to means that put words to the thoughts, emotions, and experiences I've had as an African-American male in America. One of these revealing resources was the "Summary of Stages of Racial Identity Development," wherein William Cross Ph.D. shares his assessment of racial development. 

This incredibly accurate tool essentially breaks down how groups of people cope with their racial awareness bubble bursting. It's pretty comprehensive, so in the interest of time, I'll focus on the people of color's viewpoint, but I hope that you review the others at your leisure.

1. Pre-Encounter: absorbed many beliefs and values of the dominant white culture, including the notion that "white is right" and "black is wrong"; de-emphasis on one's racial group membership; largely unaware of race or racial implications.

2. Encounter: forced by event or series of events to acknowledge the impact of racism in one's life and the reality that one cannot truly be white, forced to focus on identity as a member of a group targeted by racism.

3. Emersion: simultaneous desire to surround oneself with visible symbols of one's racial identity and active avoidance of symbols of whiteness; actively seek out opportunities to explore aspects of one's own history and culture with the support of peers from one's own racial background.

4. Internalization: secure in one's own sense of racial identity; pro-black attitudes become more expansive, open, and less defensive; willing to

establish meaningful relationships with whites who acknowledge and are respective of one's self-definition.

5. Internalization-Commitment: found ways to translate one's personal sense of blackness into a plan of action or a general sense of commitment to concerns of blacks as a group, which is sustained over time; comfort with one's own race and those around them.

These "encounter"s happen very early for a lot of people of color. Like super early. I was still in elementary school when it hit me. My best friends and I were playing outside, eating snacks, and throwing acorns at girls from the safety of our tree fort when one of my fellow acorn throwers decided that we should take things to his house for more fun. We all hopped out of the tree and started walking, but as soon as we hit the gate to his backyard, he slowed to a stop. 

"David, you can't come because my dad doesn't like black people."

I definitely cried all the way home, but that sudden feeling of undesirability and exclusion due to an identity that is totally out of your control has a way sticking with you long after the tears have dried. In fact, it grows over time because you're reminded of it over and over again. Black parents often do their best to protect their kids with proactive with phrases like:

"You've got to be twice as good and work twice as a hard."

"Don't talk to police, but when you do always say, sir and ma'am."

"You're not white. Do whatever the police say to make sure you live to tell the story."

The problem is what happens when you are twice as good, work twice as hard, do what police say twice as long, and still end up twice as dead (really it's three times)? For many black people, this isn't hypothetical-several have personal examples, but perhaps even more concerning is when the person of color isn't twice as good as their white counterpart. Put differently, if you're not Obama you can expect a lot more police, professional, and customer service drama. It's the difference between Comedian, Jay Pharoah, saying, "Google me, you're making a huge mistake," and Morehouse College student, Messiah Young, saying "what did we do?"  when wrongfully profiled by the police. One was released within minutes; the other had their car destroyed and was violently tased. Still, these instances of unprovoked excessive force are pipedreams reserved for the celebrities, scholars, and white-collar professionals to many African-Americans, because the Eric Garners and George Floyds in our community aren't even allowed to live with the trauma.

The Thesis

If it seems like I'm taking the scenic route to my point, you've caught me, I am, but I'm getting to it now. By the time I was in high school, I wasn't surprised when my honors English teacher told me to "stop wearing dresses (tall tee's) you're not from the hood anymore" in an audience of classmates. I had lived in suburban two-story homes (far from the hood) all my life. Between the police following me home-literally up to my driveway, racist jokes from classmates, and disrespectful teachers, I was quite used to being underestimated, targeted, and mischaracterized. But it was when I was riding with friends to a party where I was asked to exit the car, stand in the darkness, and wait while they picked up another one of our friends that it truly hit me again. Sure enough, their parents didn't like black people either, and even though everything "was back to normal" once they came back to get me, it was crystal clear that I needed some "Emersion" in my life very, very soon.

ACTIVISTS

I do want to underscore that the path toward the Activist tier is much easier for people of color. I will also say it's more about survival to many of us than ethics, which is normally the main driver for others. Numerous brothers and sisters pull on heartstrings hoping that "do not kill, steal, or destroy another humans" resonates with somebody's religion, creed, or belief system, but if that doesn't work, the desperation of self-preservation "by any means" takes over. 

For that reason, some black Activists never move on to the "Internalization" stage because their experiences have been so traumatic that it's inconceivable to "invite outsiders to the BBQ." This is unfortunate because non-black racial Activists do exist, and are powerful allies that spark change within their own communities. I think I'll say that again. Real non-black Activists exist and spark change within their OWN communities. They don't impersonate the community they are supporting; instead, they articulate issues that facilitate action among audiences of their background and economic status. Many of the first pro-black institutions of higher learning, churches, and businesses resulted from the collaboration of non-black Activists who wanted to be on the right side of history, and they are some of the longest-lasting.

ADVOCATES

Still, being black doesn't automatically qualify you as an Activist, just like being white doesn't automatically make you a racial bigot. I'm only acknowledging the paths of least resistance, and I feel this is the perfect time for me to say that I, David Pailin Jr., do not speak on behalf of all black people. Moreover, you should be very cautious around anyone who claims to do so. 

Everyone doesn't want or need to be a Martin Luther King Jr.Malcolm XMarcus GarveyRosa ParksDiane Nash, or Dorthy Height. It may be due to the apparent danger it brings to your doorstep, but disagreement with the methodology can be a deterrent as well. As mentioned earlier, I'm focusing on the black experience, but these characteristics can be extrapolated to other races too, and Advocates are the ones that carry the narrative. They are an integral part of planning and organizing. They will vote, post on social media, talk to friends, boycott, and donate, but they prefer to follow the Activists to stay informed as opposed to launching the investigation themselves. Those who are Advocates will march, but they're not necessarily leading the charge, and that's frequently where a lot of people of color live. This particular section of the bell curve for African-Americans usually is more substantial than the combined population. However, there are still plenty that a massive public outcry is required to move.

EARLY MAJORITY 

Similarly to the Early Majority in the technology adaptation model, the racial consciousness Early Majority have to be sold on the idea of developing their racial knowledge. Believe it or not, some black people haven't experienced racism at a degree where it is as visceral as a customer screaming the n-word at your supervisor. I witnessed this and other flagrant situations like it mostly because I lived in the South. Sometimes it takes a physical or symbolic knee to the neck, killing someone, for the Early Majority to authentically join the cause. I use the word authentically because, as you will see in the additional stages, here is where the sincerity stops. 

The Early Majority in the black community may technically be considered early when included in the whole of American society, but they are viewed as glaringly late in relation to their black kinfolk. This ignorance of systemic issues and problems can sometimes annoy and even enrage activists because they have been in the trenches so long it's hard for them to believe otherwise. People of color that aren't born and raised in European, American, or Asian communities sometimes fall into this category, because a stronger sense of unity, tradition, and identity was developed, so they don't immediately identify with the plight of African-Americans. However, it doesn't take long for them to have an "encounter" where they are treated no different or worse than people of color born in America. 

In all honesty, the goal of black Advocates and some Activists is to convert the non-black Early-Majority members into Advocates. Here is where and why video evidence, recordings, testimonies, and other "racial consciousness receipts" are critical because black people, for the most part, don't need more convincing of how the color of their skin affects their lives. On the other hand, they have more than likely encountered non-black people who genuinely do not know how much it does play a role in our day-to-day. These logical and emotionally savvy people from other ethnicities who make up the Early Majority can and will move into the Advocacy tier if and when overwhelming, undisputed, and factual evidence is presented. Early Majorities are indeed skeptics, so those with a lack of patience or knowledge to outline an issue in-depth automatically throw them in the bigot category out of frustration. They can become one of the strongest allies once a solid case is made, but the burden of establishing the argument for one's disadvantages and mistreatment while living and working through the ordeal in real-time is a tall task, if not at the very least, an unfair one. With that, black people's resentment and frustration of continuously performing this action for Early Majority non-blacks has to be mentioned.

LATE MAJORITY

Frustration moves to disgust with the next tier as we must talk about the opportunists, or Late Majority, who are feigning consciousness by joining half-heartedly, if at all. Consider the black people who participated in, signed off on, and advised our nation's leaders to dawn kente cloth and kneel, for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. Their pandering, circus acts of "solidarity" are actually more jarring than their non-black counterparts because we know they know better. Similarly, are those who could care less about police brutality, but are capitalizing on the chance to maim a competitor by either literally or metaphorically throwing a Molotov cocktail through their window. These black people couldn't help but add their own branded extra sauce on #blackouttuesday, and they are the first ones to find a way to monetize our plight. Their efforts bring awareness at the most superficial level, but since the Activists, Advocates, and Early Majority have created such a hub-bub, it is now fashionable to participate in some manner, especially when it becomes socially irresponsible not to do so. 

Though there are some black people in this area, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that it's labeled the majority for a reason. A significant number of black people perpetually roll their eyes at the stale, forced, and low-key, insulting contributions from the largely apathetic and disingenuous number of non-black people in this tier. Telling us that you basically viewed us all as thieves before, but are now unlocking our products to be sold with everyone else's isn't an announcement most black people want to hear. Nor is coming out with an exclusive line of Black Lives Matter apparel after previously banning employees from visibly supporting appreciated. It's like when your parents make you shake hands or hug your sibling after you just got into a heated fight. You know they aren't sorry, and will most likely do it again as soon as the supervision is gone. In fact, many Late Majorities would be better off if they had only stayed silent because they were given the benefit of the doubt due to close proximity with people of color. Whether you're a super bowl winning quarterback or successful gym owner, it's clear that those resisting the urge to do and say the out of touch things they truly feel can only last but so long, and their awkward overcompensation for showing their true colors is just as painful for everyone to watch. Still, this isn't as bad as it gets.

BIGOTS

What would our world be without the bigots? Seriously, can you imagine? Oh, what a place it would be. All bigots aren't racists, but all racists are certainly bigots. Black bigots are, in fact, pawns for the Grand Poobahs of bigotry from a racial perspective, and black people have many terms for them. Coon, Uncle Tom, Spook at the Door, and House Negro are some of the most popular labels, but true-blue black bigots should really be called betrayers. 

At the helm of bigotry is illogical rigidity, as their flawed view of the world is not only illegal but, most importantly, unpopular. Yes, I said that correctly. Let's be clear, bigots are exiled bullies. Fueled by the same ethical bankruptcy, the only difference is that people, who typically cower in the sight of bullies and their status, feel a renewed sense of social safety in numbers when the world deems them cancelable. Take Hitler, for example. People wouldn't dare talk crazy about him back in his heyday. He had to lose big time for the stigma of him and his followers to gain traction. That's why even the Late Majority are somewhat helpful in the cause of racial awareness because the optics of them repudiating bigots are useful.

So it is with people of color who take on the attitude of Uncle Rukus, idiotically becoming a lightning rod for organizations that would certainly slaughter them under any other circumstance, they're hoping for a place at the feet of their new world order's overlords. Black bigots are often totally oblivious to the knee descending on their necks as soon as they finish betraying their own kind, but some indoctrinated fools are aware of their impending demise. They'll refuse to move past the "Pre-Encounter" stage in an effort to be a negro kamikaze for the white supremacist cause and destroy themselves along with their friends and family along with it. Tragic.

When public sentiment shifts, the true nature of a bigot shows. Where the Late Majority would concede, the bigot doubles down, because if there's one thing a bigot doesn't do is change their mind or compromise their beliefs. Bigots rather go out in a blaze of humiliation, ostracism, and dishonor than to accept that their way thinking is not progressive but extinct. That's why stripping them of their memorials, awards, and accolades is so important. Their irrational responses to the removed symbols of universal wickedness and backwardness are only more evidence for the doubting Early Majority. However, this also makes bigots especially dangerous because they are the first to use weapons and excessive force. Bigots didn't get to where they are by being dumb, so although "rednecks" often come to mind when thinking of absurd racism, the throne of bigotry often comes from principalities in high places.

CONCLUSION

There you have it, the Theory of American Racial Consciousness, complete with its own bell curve for its inhabitants. Hopefully, now that we know where we all stand, we can join forces with those who have sense and integrity and plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize against those who clearly don't.