My most shocking revelation related to being a Negro in a white society came in an educational course. I could not believe the words I was reading, that I and my ethnic group were “culturally deprived.” There it was, in a scholarly article based upon mythology and ignorance of cultural differences.
Cultural deprivation is a sociological theory that asserts that ethnic and social groups possess inferior values, norms, skills, and knowledge which place them at a disadvantage in the larger society. Cultural deprivation, as it relates to Negro culture, is a myth based on stereotypes of an enslaved group’s cultural, intellectual and moral existence.
It is the dynamic and empowering Negro culture that has made it possible for this Negro girl, despite segregation and discrimination, to develop resilience. Resilience is described as the capacity to withstand and recover from adversity.
Cultural resilience in the Negro culture is the result of several empowering concepts: our spirituality; the traditional values of hope; a collective community consciousness, joy, and our ethnic identity.
For our Spirituality, the church is a key institution in the community, offering the complete faith and trust in the Creator, the release of fear, and the expectation of good and joy.
Our Hope is the bridge of the past to the future; the sharing of community values and accomplishments by elders and our ancestors.
Our Community consciousness illustrates a sense of interdependence through “we” versus “I” and “I am because we are.” The value of “giving back,” serving others in the community, providing an atmosphere of emotional release and the sense of freedom one derives from letting go of pain and fear by helping others.
Our joy is the ability to laugh, sing and dance despite racial oppression and violence. And it is an expression of cultural resilience. Joy is our resistance against negative stereotypes and our conscious decision to celebrate who we are as a people. Our food, families, music, provide joy as they support and uplift us.
Finally, my ethnic identity is knowing “who I am,” my heritage and history; believing in the influence of our ancestors, their overcoming of and resistance to subjugation, and relying on cultural traditions over generations.
All of this provided the resilience that empowered this Negro girl to graduate with a degree in Speech Pathology and to pursue graduate studies. So, no, I am not culturally deprived.
"In my life, I have found myself as a colored, a negro, a Black, an African American, and a person of color. This is my reflection as a colored girl." This phrase opens each essay in the series “Reflections of a Colored Girl” from Martha R. Bireda, Ph.D. being aired on WGCU FM. Dr. Bireda is a writer, lecturer, and living history performer with over 30 years' experience as a lecturer, consultant and trainer for issues related to race, class, and gender, working with educators, law enforcement, and business, and civic leaders. She also is director of the Blanchard House Museum of African American History and Culture of Charlotte County, in Punta Gorda, Florida. Bireda was born in Southwest Florida in 1945 but spent the first 10 years of her life in a small town in Western Virginia. Her family then moved back to Punta Gorda, where they have deep roots. This is one essay in her series.
