Ryan Bradley                                   3/1/00

As African Americans become equal citizens in America they need to
establish their own aims and ideas as people. African Americans must do
active hands on research on the discipline of black studies.
DuBois recognized that any research on black studies must be done by
black scholars. This research must make a positive, lasting impact of the
change on humanity. The educated Negro must go back to the original
roots of Africans to establish a strong foundation for the development of
African Americans. I t is critical for African American Negro scholars to
be conscious and aware of these experiences to recognize the oppression
which the African American has occurred. These scholars can not
abandon their culture and heritage through integration and assimilation.
For the success of African Americans, intellectuals must recognize and
acknowledge this abandonment of their heritage so that they can move
forward in the future for the better of the collective masses of African
Americans. Black Americans must establish a sense of security of their
own culture and heritage as people in America. I believe black intellectuals
should recognize and express the "black experience" to African American
communities. African Americans need to be aware of the contributions
and experiences, which their people made to America. People of African
descent must recognize their culture and own heritage on an internal leve
l for their advancements as a people. African Americans must also
recognize the external forces in America that has slowed their development
in life as people in America. These external forces deal with the
assimilation and integration of black Americans into white America.
Once African Americans recognize these external and internal forces,
than their minds can be clear. This is than where the foundation of
establishing goals and aims for African American people in America can
begin.