With the current unrest in Baltimore MD, the events in Ferguson MO, and a history of riots like the ones in Los Angeles CA, Harlem NY, and Detroit MI, decades ago, this book has become very timely and very important. It describes the culture in the black communities that leads to the feelings of hopelessness, defeatism, to vultures who prey on them trying to take advantage in one way or another, to the self destructive lifestyles of some, the crimes against each other, and the almost impossible task of climbing out of that pit of despair, because there is nothing outside that pit that offers them anything better.
The Turner family lived on Yarrow Street in Detroit for decades. They watched the community morph into a war zone. Like the house, the family was falling into a state of disrepair. The story begins to take shape in the 1940’s, when the first of the children, Cha-Cha (Charles), was born, and continues on its way describing the birth of the following 12, the last of whom is Lelah, born 20 years later. It follows the family all the way into the first decade of the 21st century. Sadly, nothing has changed in all that time. The despondency continues with no end in sight. Life keeps throwing slings and arrows at them that in many cases are due to no fault of their own. The housing market debacle, the drug wars, police brutality, addiction, eviction, all these things confront them, and they have no tools to fight back. The vultures take advantage of their plight.
The differences in the ways that life is viewed and/or approached and lived, in black communities, are illustrated as each of the 13 Turner children, their parents and the following generation’s offspring’s enter the narrative. They each try to find a way out of the community, in their own way, and in some cases, they succeed, in others the way out actually locks them back in, at some point. While it is easy to have sympathy and even empathy, it is also easy to judge them without ever having walked in their shoes. Therefore, the picture is not accurate, unless the reader can truly relate to the experience. Still, there has to be a way to change the situation, to bring upward mobility and a respect for education, law and order to the community. Otherwise, there will always be an underclass, always be riots, prejudice and perhaps chaos. In some cases, it is the very need to keep a low profile, to prevent ridicule that keeps the system from advancing. It is often pride that prevents progress. Also it is the fear of being ostracized by certain parts of the community because of higher aspirations, because of a desire to advance, to do better, to get ahead. I sometimes felt that some of the Turners, and those they associated with, wanted to find fault with each other in order to elevate their own opinion of themselves.
The Turner family was seething with sibling rivalry. There was often the absence of universal trust or respect. The book demonstrated the prevalence of superstition, the lack of marital fidelity, the disrespect for, and distrust of the police and the illogical impulse to cheat each other. It seemed as if they saw no real harm in what they were doing; they only saw the benefit to themselves. There was an atmosphere in which unlawful behavior seemed to be acceptable, and more so, it seemed to be expected, even preferred as the only way. No matter how hard one tried, defeat waited around the corner. Gambling, drugs and alcohol brought relief and hope to some, even though they watched it destroy their opportunities and their very lives. There was no strong support system to pull them back up when they fell and few healthy examples to follow. There were so many heroes with clay feet. The leadership in the church, in the government and in the community perpetuated this hopelessness in order to feather their own nests and prosper, while these poor victims remained in poverty. Some in the black community policed themselves, forging ahead to educate themselves, to lift themselves up and move out of the despicable atmosphere of these ghettoes where human life is not valued nor is ethics or morality, honesty or integrity.
Single parent families are failing the children. In their search for hope, love and maturity, young underage girls are bearing babies when they themselves are still babies. They cannot inspire their children to a better life because they can’t create one for themselves. They have locked themselves into a world of poverty because of a lack of education and immature choices. Even so, in this matriarchal society, the mother does command respect, in most situations, but there is no real authority figure, because the young child and the young parent are almost equal in needs! Both lack education and both lack the optimism and opportunity to improve. Although, once a community of faith, a community that valued morality, it now seems to be more of a community in which morality is more often flouted.
It is hard to blame the black community for their plight, although it is a self-inflicted wound in some cases. More likely, it is the result of years of disrespect and abuse which has beaten them down. They have to rise up, but not with anger. The community has to stop respecting the community organizers and those in authority who fail them; they need to vote them out and remove that negative influence from their communities. Only they can do that. They need to find their self respect again, begin to value themselves and their futures so they can create a better future for their offspring, the hope of all human beings regardless of color, creed or nationality.
Initially I gave the book four stars, but then I changed it to five, because the book is honest and open and informative even when it casts the community in a negative light. Above all, for me this book clearly illustrated the hopelessness, the humiliation, the shame and the guilt of the community as a whole. It also illustrated their dreams and their nightmares. To believe in themselves, they have to shut out the rest of the world, ignore the hate and the humiliation they face everyday of their lives, and that they have faced for generations. They have to stop allowing the wrong people to lead them, stop electing officials who hold them down in this untenable situation. They have to start taking responsibility for themselves, start rejecting the bullies and the thugs that try and influence them negatively. Blaming others for all their misfortunes will solve nothing. They have to stop the cycle of misfortunes, of drugs and death. Yet, many who try will not succeed. The system is stacked against them. There is a saying that commands, don’t fix what isn’t broken, but this is broken and seems never to get fixed.
It is a sad story, more so because it is a true picture of the plight of the black community and this plight is a blight on our history, and could be on our future if we do not end this cycle of violence and ignorance. The lack of a good education and a good foundation on which to stand, perpetuates the culture of loss and encourages this pattern of defeat. Often, foolish pride prevents success. I think a possible solution to this tragedy lies in mutual respect, self-respect and self-reliance; that is the path I hope we can pave together in the communities of color.