When most black men see themselves portrayed in the media today, it is often in the form of a mugshot or a hashtag.
These dominant and pervasive images provoke an
inescapable infection on the nation'spsyche. It's an imprint that
distills the identity of black men to nothing more than "dangerous" and
"uneducated."
With that in mind, a hundred black men in Hartford, Connecticut decided to reform this perception by pushing forward a new image — not only for themselves, but for the younger generation to follow.
On August 25, a group of black men organized by Pastor AJ Johnson
and Attorney DeVaughn Ward dressed for work and anxiously awaited the
arrival of students at Martin Luther King Elementary School on their
first day.
Among the men present were lawyers, judges,
CEOs, dentists and doctors; a sea of suits, with a few men in scrubs and
police uniforms.
Johnson donned a navy blue suit, pink shirt with
a navy blue and pink bow tie while Ward rocked a monochromatic palate: a
navy suit, light blue shirt and dark blue tie.
Growing up, Johnson said his mother instilled in
him the importance of looking his best. Like so many mothers of black
youth, Johnson's mother told him that he would be judged by his
appearance.
For Ward, it was important for the students to see the men in their professional attire.
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Source: NBC News
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