The same reason Black genius is never celebrated is the very reason Black people in glass houses throw stones. This is the paradox of “Black-ness.”
Let me just say that I’m starting to think that if there is a such thing as a genius, Kanye West fits the bill. Despite his recent ill-conceived statements about 400 years of slavery being a choice, there is a part of me that looks at his body of work in various arenas and wonders if we are not looking at a polymath who is just frustrated by a feeling that his creativity is being straight-jacketed.
Although, I believe that Kanye West’s claims to be a genius are rooted in a concept of intelligence that relies on a foundation of White supremacy, I still believe that by the definition given in that very system that he should be considered a genius.
The very idea of “intelligence” is shrouded in controversy (i.e. it was founded upon pseudo-scientific concepts) and yet the Western world is still obsessed with the concept of “genius”.
Many believe it is a bad measure of intelligence and/or measures a particular type of intelligence that is skewed against particular people groups. It has also been observed that not everyone who scores at genius levels on IQ tests accomplish great things in their field. Case in point, a man known to have the highest IQ in America who works as a bouncer at a club (Chris Langan). As a result, “the current view of psychologists and other scholars of genius is that a minimum IQ of approximately 125 is necessary for genius but not sufficient, and must be combined with personality characteristics such as drive and persistence, plus the necessary opportunities for talent development.”
The idea to assess a person’s intelligence (now known as IQ testing) was first developed in 1800’s by a half-cousin and admirer of Charles Darwin (Francis Galton). Galton’s theories which are detailed in his book Hereditary Genius promoted the idea that “eminence” or “genius” was hereditary. He theorized that a lot of successful people were related to one another, because genius was hereditary. Galton went on to become the pioneer of the field of eugenics (a psuedoscientific ideology that claims to promote the improvement of gene quality through selective breeding). Believers in eugenics have engaged in some of the greatest human atrocities on the planet in the name of racial purification including sterilizing populations that were deemed unfit against their will, genocide (the holocaust being the most notorious case), murdering weak, injured or mentally challenged people.
Despite all the evidence that seems to point to IQ testing being ineffective at predicting genius level abilities and overall success in life, IQ tests are still widely used for admission into gifted programs, universities, jobs and even as a part of mental health evaluations.
Interestingly, it is generally very rare for Black people to be credited with the label of genius within the current system. Let’s look at the reasons why:
- First off, there is the issue of a bias towards negative associations about Black individuals performing the same activities as their White counterparts. Even if a Black individual had such a deep understanding of a body of knowledge that it birthed new ways of thinking, unlike an Einstein, Shroedinger or Stephen Hawking, it is more likely to be overlooked as either the ramblings of a mad man, or once accepted as part of the common understanding it will more likely be seen as an inevitable result of the education and work process afforded by being compliant with the system. (So, ultimately the system gets the credit)
- Second, to some degree, genius is a social activity. Genius resonates off of the activity of like minds. Some of the greatest work in history generally came out of a sort of creative commune. Einstein was one of many revolutionary scientist that came out of the same era. All of which interacted with each other in one way or another. One person’s equation would inspire another’s and that would inspire someone else to move in a particular direction with their work. Also, the contemporary companies Microsoft and Apple were founded in somewhat the same spirit of camaraderie and competition. At the end of the day, it is often the people within this community who ultimately recognize the work of a peer as inspired and “genius.” In a culture that systematically marginalizes Black people and excludes them from a lot of the more privileged segments of society, it becomes really difficult to foster a community that nurtures the potential of Black intellects.
- On top of that, the process of being recognized as a genius in a community is not without some hazing. The road to glory is marred by antagonists and competitors. For a Black person the color of one’s skin is a quick and easy disqualification in a battle of something as intangible and subjective as intelligence. In a culture that (consciously and unconsciously) sees your skin color as enough reason to question your intentions as well as intelligence.
- Also, there is the imbalance in distribution of resources that would be able to assist many Black individuals in obtaining the systematized education that may help them excel in advanced reasoning to even reach a point of skill and advanced knowledge that serves as the fertile ground from which genius germinates.
There is a lot more to be said on this topic just in the context of Black genius being recognized for what it is and/or nurtured within a White system. However, then there is Africa. I really do not want to talk about Black genius without interjecting my viewpoint on Colonial genocide of Africa’s genius potential.
I believe colonization murdered a germinating plant that was the potential for Africa to grow geniuses when their greed led them to choose indoctrination of a foreign system over civility and honest exchange. Had Europe made their engagement with Africa a relationship of equals, having sincere interactions, conversations, trade, and respectful intermingling, they would have learned from one another and human progress would have developed more organically (even if more gradually).
Now, what we have in Africa is a continent full of people committing cultural suicide in the name of “keeping up” with the agendas of nations that I believe conflict with their own. As they lose their native languages, symbols and rich traditions, they also lose their freedom of thought and sense of identity, which I believe are foundational to genius.
The ability to reason on a higher level within an established framework is difficult when pieces of the framework are missing. Africans are straining for higher achievement in a framework loosely bound together with bastardized elements of their colonizers and fading ideas of their ancestors. When your language was not allowed to evolve enough to allow your innovators to use said language in abstract thought processes, it becomes difficult to build a solid scientific foundation among your people.
And yet, great works still prevail in Africa. I think of the hyper-realism artwork that is coming out of Nigeria at this very moment.
It’s a wonder that under these circumstances, still Black Americans scientists, engineers and mathematicians continue to spring up. And then there are the people that I would argue their genius if not for the fact that they have already been demonized by society. For example, Bill Cosby. The following is a text I sent in a debate with a friend about the value of removing The Cosby Show from syndication:
Every Black sitcom that has been created since the Cosby show has been a shallow imitation of the Cosby show. Those shows are like Panda Express is to real Chinese food. Cosby employed doctors of psychology to consult on the creation of the show. He made every element of the show to paint a picture of a self sustaining Black community. Yes, it is unrelatable and utopian, but that is more a statement about the system it was made to counteract. People do not look at Black art the way they look at a Picasso. People dont look at African intelligence the way they look at Newton. That is a big part of the problem and the foundation of the slavery that is so hard for people to articulate which makes people misguidedly agree with Kanye West.
Cosby show was the Black Panther of his day. That home was Wakanda on American soil.
So, yea…I put Cosby in the genius category. Although, many (both Black and White) can not see it.
Just in case my point is not clear enough, I will say it plainly. My tendency is to believe that Black people are fighting a futile fight right now, and the only way they will win if they change the game.
Oh, and Kanye West is a genius.