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Why Black Preachers Are Better
Dr. King’s particular genius was his recognition that once he moved the freedom debate in a religious direction, segregation would have to fall. He knew that white Southerners of that time were immune to many finer things, but powerful preaching was not one of them. That’s what the “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” is about: reminding white people who had been relentlessly exposed to religion since the cradle that, deep in their hearts, they knew what Jesus would do about the charade of “separate but equal.”
From interviewing Dr. Lowery in 1975 for My Soul Is Rested, I knew that he, like Dr. King, was a student of homiletics, the scholarly study of sermons as vehicles of communication. (For Dr. Lowery’s learned discourse on the history of the black church, see that interview on page 66 of MSIR.) White America got a crash course in black homiletics in the “I Have a Dream” speech. It’s a style that blends every rhetorical trick in giving memorable and entertaining form to a serious message. It uses soaring King James language, theological exegisis, references to the sublime and ridiculous, humor, rhyme and doggerel, snatches of poetry and song. It includes show-off words alongside downhome vernacular.
As was often noted during his lifetime, Dr. King had a predilection for big words. It was more than a trick to make George Wallace look uneducated. It was part of a poetic arsenal that came as naturally to King’s oratory as it had to Lincoln’s. With King as with Lincoln, there was a playfulness. My favorite example in his Lincoln Memorial speech, is his reference to the “curvaceous slopes of California.” It hits the ear like a clunker, but then comes the most deadly description of Mississippi’s physical and moral topography ever coined: “Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.” It’s that tossed-in “molehill” that makes with literary elegance the point that a state “sweltering” in ignorant racism needed to be—and could be—redeemed down to every molecule of red dirt.
Jesse Jackson Speech, Tendley Baptist, Philidelphia, PA: Jan 16, 1984
As for rhyme in public discourse, it was notably used but hardly invented by Muhammad Ali and the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. I was surprised that Jon Stewart and the usually sure-footed writers of the Daily Show made fun of Rev. Lowery’s rhyming of “mellow/ yellow,” “red man/headman” and so on in the closing lines of his inaugural prayer. They didn’t seem to know that he was playing off the historic couplet about discrimination based on skin color. “If you’re black, get back; if you’re brown stick around.”
Ralph Abernathy Found Poem
Riffing this vernacular reference to skin color into a humorous and memorable closing for one of the most momentous events in American and African-American history was, to me, a signature work of artistry by Rev. Lowery. The comparison that comes to mind is Miles Davis taking a tired melody and investing it with the majesty of the blues.
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Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Jeff Madrick is a contributor to the New York Review of Books and a former economics columnist for the New York Times. He is editor of Challenge Magazine, visiting professor of humanities at Cooper Union, and senior fellow at the New School's Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. He is the author of Taking America, The End of Affluence (Random House) and The Case for Big Government.
His prayers for the nation come true as well, and God knows, he's been making them long enough and articulately enough, God is surely listening.
The man was charming, clever and with a sense of humor, just how it should have been. I enjoyed it tremendously and he made me smile when he said those couplets.
It's rare that I agree with Howell Raines but this column on Rev.Lowery is most informative and uplifting.
This is an excellent Benediction. Right up until he SLANDERS white people. "When white will do what is right"???? What is this man thinking???? He preaches 'tolerance' only a second earlier and then goes off slandering 'white people'???? Wow. Totally tansparent racism. Verrrry impressive. Well, we can all be cheered by the NEW TRANSPARENCY in America. The evidence is both transparent and clear that Rev. Lowry is a bigot. How nice.
Whether it is Jesus returning to earth riding on the 'dark side' of an Asteroid, no less, or Jim Jones and the 'electric cool-aid' crowd from Guiana, the Waco kids, or an entire Western State whose singleminded devotion centers around the practice of bigamy, especially when that bigamy involves the marriage of underage teen GIRLS; one can only conclude rationally that Protestantism is missing a gear. That 'gear' might be somehow connected to 'discipline', which Protestant's seem to lack in great abundance, and which the Rev. Lowry has demonstrated in his 'benediction'.
I suppose an apology is in order. That would be the PC requirement. But frankly, I'm not expecting one. You see, it is perfectly ok in this country to SLANDER white people, especially males. It is very regrettable that this 'idea' has now been extended to include Inaugural Benedictions as well. How lovely.
This speech was ridiculous. Charming my arse. All Lowery did was bring race BACK into the picture. You should not have voted or be excited for Barak Hussein Obama because he is black any more than you should've voted for McCain because he is white. Get past the race issue already. Blacks aren't sitting in the back. If they are, it's their own choosing or their own self doubt. Everyone must work hard to get what they want out of life. Everyone. White man do what is right....idiotic. Lowery should be ashamed.
Although I found it funny like I find my grandpa's unintentional racist comments funny, I still think it was a little out of place. If you are going to have an inauguration theme of "we are one" and creating hype around a post-racial president, then why the comment "white will embrace what is right"? If you are "playing off a historic couplet", shouldn't it at least be relevant today? Didn't the majority of the white people in attendance "embrace what is right" in Rev Lowery's eyes by voting in the first African American/post-racial president?
wow, magicman, lighten up. I know, if a white guy had said something similar about other races he would be vilified, blah bIah. You have to see these things in context. Rev Lowry is a man who has lived through some of the worst times of racial prejudice and persecution. I agree with the author and other comments here, Rev. Lowry's remarks were charming, and his poetry made me smile. I'm white and non-religious, but I found the symbolism of the moment very touching, and the rhyming couplets clever wordplay in the african-american preaching tradition.
This is such an excellent column. Reverend Lowery was indeed the perfect choice to deliver the benediction on this historic occasion. Amen.
I'm sorry, but I also thought it was corny. It was so outdated, and I thought it made the seriousness of the historical moment seem silly.
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Paster Manning is the best preacher I have heard in a long time, he tells it like it is.
An interesting perspective and informative piece. While I understood Lowery's word play, I was neither amused nor moved by it. I honestly thought that by electing Obama, we were moving forward and to end the inauguration with a piece of Civil Rights history seemed to be taking several steps back. Remembrances like Lowery's would have been far more appropriate during celebrations on Monday.
I loved his Benediction. Real.
The Republican cries of racism are too much. What did we see at the Republican convention, campaign stops? A sea of white.
The YouTube videos of Palin and McCain rallies, with racists blatantly exposing themselves and, even more disturbing, those surrounding them smiling and laughing, doing nothing to repudiate their disgusting behavior.
A Christmas gift of racism from RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman with the songs Barack the Magic Negro and the Star Spanglish Banner.
They are truly clueless.
Rev. Lowery's humor is an adaptation of black wit dating from the 1930's or before. It is not slander to hope that the white race (and I am mostly white) will do what is right, or to point out the hope of justices for other races or even other shades of African-Americans. Black preachers know that humor makes the message memorable. Bless them and the futures of their bombed, burned, imperiled, incomparable congregations.
I'm white. You Republicans are way to sensitive. Look at that little old man! I just want to have him tell me stories and give me Werther's Originals.
He said that line because it rhymes and also he remembers when dogs and fire hoses were being used to suppress his people. And it wasn't the Asians doing it. It was whitey.
So relax. He'll be gone soon. Republicans will be gone soon. And finally we'll have some peace.
The comments here can be delineated along racial lines and bias by Ray Charles.Too many white folks are stuck on stupid it's apparent in these asinine remarks.Black men are killed all over Amerikkka by white police and other rabid racists almost on a daily basis and Afrikans in Amerikkka must be happy and not speak truth to power.Read Tim Wise,look uo "The People's Institude for Survival and Beyond" and get schooled.
Magicman's comments serve only to confirm Dr Lowery's lyrical phrasing; "When white will embrace what is right". Obviously Magicman hasn't embraced what it right. He chooses to ignore 500 years of racial opression and injustice, then he accuses Dr Lowery of being a bigot.
Come on Magicman... Dr Lowery is not a bigot for stating what is an obvious historical fact. The white majority has not always done what's right.
As activists, supporters, and voters, we have the power to change what America is.
Some, of us white... got that right.
Some ideas the magicman... belong in a garbage can.
Rev. Lowery was arrogant, insensitive, racist and totally offended me. How about a little gratitude for living in a country that IS colorblind and for all those brown people, and white people, and yellow people that worked their butts off to pay taxes to support them and help educate them and pass affirmative action laws that benefitted them. President Obama is the total embodiment of a black man who has refused to play the role of being a victim. What excuse are so many black men going to use now for their own self-victimization! President and Mrs Obama both have had the very best education from the most prestigious universities in America and it was free to them! I had to pay and pay and pay for every dime of my education because I was only a white woman and didn't fit any quota, category, or liberal agenda. And I thank God everyday I live in a country that had and still has equal opportunity for all. There's even a way for a white woman to make it! We aren't all equal, but we do have equal opportunity, Reverend Lowery. You, however, think that you as a black man should be "more equal" if not elite. What is the content of your character?
"exegisis" (sic Raines).
Good Lord, can we please stop with equating blackness to everything Obama? As long as the liberals continue to bring up Obamas race and everything surrounding his presidency and election, the longer that race is going to be a factor. How about judge the man on his charachter and leadership instead of the color of his skin??? Great, we elected a black president, we made history. From here on out, it shouldnt matter. He's our president. Race is NOT a factor anymore. STOP with the black is better articles or white is better, stop with attaching race to everything he does or surrounds himself with. As long as you continue with stupid articles like this, racism is going to continue to be a factor. But deep down, you want that, dont you??
i think everyone need to realize that one thing black preachers do is tell the truth and he told it the people who insulted by what he said need to sit and think about what has gone on in this country since the beginning of this country (white has always been right) get over yourself and try to be better citizens to your fellow man
magicman:
Yeah, white people sure have it rough. And we have always done right. Clearly. Black people have been BEATEN to death in my lifetime by white people for no other reason than their being black. We've come a long way, but we're not so far past race that a plea to 'do right' should fall on deaf ears.
And come ON. He asked white to 'do right'. He didn't say 'because every one of you is a bastard'. He said do right. I don't have any problem, as a white person, being asked to do right. Hell, I was going to do that anyway. Your indignation makes me think otherwise of you. You yell loudest when you're hit.
Hell, if you want to take him that literally, he 'slandered' Asian and Native American populations too. Possibly also South Americans - I don't know how they feel about the 'brown' label, but 'yellow' and 'red' were never considered to be complimentary.
It was the intent behind the words that made them supersede their obvious political incorrectness. He clearly spoke in love and affection for all the races he called out, and we're all aware of that. No one watching it could possibly have thought he harbored ill thoughts toward any race. If you seriously think so, I don't know what's wrong with you.
The quote is: "Lord...help us work for that day...when white will embrace what is right." That phrase was preceded by the other color references. The implication of this section of Rev. Lowery's speech is that these things have not occurred yet. Don't forget, he said "let us work for the day when black will not be asked to get back." That day has long come and gone.
"When brown can stick around." Who can argue that brown does not get to stick around.
"When yellow will be mellow." What?! Are Asians rioting somewhere?
"When the redman can get ahead, man." Have you been to a Casino lately.
I understand that it was just meant to be a cute part of the speech, but this was billed as an historic event, when the incoming administration is calling for change of some type. So to rest on the tired arguments of a former era on the cusp of a supposed new enlightenment, rings hollow in light of the occasion.
As is proved by the current change of power, most of the nation is past the hurdle of racism. The only thing holding blacks back is blacks.Of course racism will never be eradicated, along any color of the spectrum, but we have arrived at a crossroads, and this should be acknowledged by the black community.
The Reverends' comments hold open the option to use the race card in the event President Obama does not perform as advertised. It keeps open the festering wound of liberal white guilt.
Blacks clutch to the "movement" to this day, and do not let themselves renew their identity free of it. President Obama is opening that possibility, and his words express his determination to that end. Can the mindset of the black consciousness ever evolve from that of Rev. Lowery and his generation, to that of Barack Obama and the new enlightenment? Can the left truly learn tolerance of more than their own opinions? These will be the benchmarks of the Obama presidency.
Who better to spread ignorance and lies?
There are more than two pillars to the battle against civil rights... ask Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, and Jesse Owens.
Thank you.
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