African-American community needs grassroots leaders

While I appreciate TFP columnist David Cook recently shining light on issues stemming from redevelopment in Chattanooga’s historically black communities, I felt the piece painted African-Americans as helpless.

Chattanooga’s policies are not meant to exclusively serve the interests of its African-American population — and that should be no surprise. It is ultimately up to African-Americans to ensure that their interests are represented, protected and respected. By staying inactive and/or complacent in our own communities and local government, and asking others to be benevolent toward us, we leave the door wide open for “urban revitalization” and other forms of exploitation in those communities.

Where the African-American community is today is due in part to us not paying enough attention to the issues affecting it. Until we start making dayto-day investments in the diversification of thought, innovation and education in our communities, those issues will persist — despite benevolence on the part of local government.

As the writer suggested, the local African-American community needs more leaders. But as an African-American native of Chattanooga, I ask how do you find those leaders in a subculture that has largely neglected, and sometimes even discouraged, African-American leadership and success?

Angelo Smith Washington,

D.C.