May 14, 2014

By Zakeia Tyson-Cross

Inspired by Justin Timberlake’s song “Suit and Tie,” the African-American boys of Illinois Central High School created their own video for the song in an effort to debunk racial stereotypes around young black males. This reinforces the idea that they must embrace traditional Western business attire. The video begins with a group of African-American boys walking through the entryway of their high school garbed in suits, ties, pressed dress pants and cardigan sweaters. Their body language as they stroll through the school halls shows confidence, assertiveness and, most importantly, self-control. Subtitles throughout the video offer positive self-reflection statements like, “we are scholars, and we are athletes.” However, does the video model what we would ideally like our young black men to demonstrate and norms they should adhere to?

Although these young men are well dressed, I question the rationality of their messaging and what forms the foundation of their projected confidence, as well as what’s helping to shape their principles around acceptable demeanor according to Western standards. Probing further into my reaction to watching the video, perhaps the bigger issue is not necessarily black boys wearing proper school or business attire to warrant respect. The underlying issue may be that fear of not being accepted may lead to black boys feeling and thinking that they must conform to the current social norms in order to receive an education and achieve economic equality.

In the 1950s and 60s, wearing a suit and tie in an urban setting was the everyday norm. Highly regarded black men such as Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, as well as a list of prolific poets, artists and musicians wore suits and ties to dinner, business meetings, religious gatherings and more. However, their personal choice of attire did not deter daily racial slurs, nor economic and political inequalities that were perpetuated by their white counterparts. Most upper-class blacks who had a slightly better economic advantage compared to their impoverished peers were deemed as being “uppity,” disconnected and disenfranchised from their own race.

Today, perhaps the ability for some black men to buy and wear expensive fabrics and intermingle with peers that can leverage their career or cause was seen as a strength. Furthermore, the young black men of Illinois Central High School may feel that wearing a suit and tie will give them equal advantage as well as debunk potential racial profiling, which is still so prevalent within our urban settings today, as in the 50s and 60s.

I don’t think young black men who wear suits and ties for an Ivy League school’s approval or as a bullet proof vest against hate crimes will change the underlying racism that drives those attacks. Rather, we need to take a serious look at the pathology of self-inadequacy that breeds the notion of “being accepted means conforming,” regardless of whether it goes against your personal beliefs.

A young person’s intellect and drive to persevere, not their attire, should be more than enough to gain access to a better education and economic stability. Granted, I do believe in the phrase that if one wants to succeed, he/she must dress and act the part. And if these young men feel that dressing in a suit and tie will shape their future business endeavors, well, that’s fine.

But if they think a suit and tie will lower the probability of them being racially profiled or even killed, then we need to think about changing our narrative. Young black men should be regarded with respect and dignity no matter whether they chose to wear jeans, T-shirts, hoodies or suits and ties to school. These young men are worth so much more than the clothes they wear. My hope is for them to one day walk the streets and school halls and receive just treatment—as well as change the hearts and minds of those who see them as different.

If you would like to learn more about black men and boys and how they perceive themselves as well as how society more broadly sees this group, please read Opportunity for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption.

Original site: Opportunity Agenda