Of The New Negro

When do you first realize that your black? I honestly can't remember, but as I walk UK's campus I am reminded of it everyday. At what point do you realize your the only minority in class? When you do, do you sit in the front of the class to say I'm here and I'm going to be acknowledged, or do you sit in the back of the class so they can forget about you and wait until the opportune moment to spill out some dope, intellectual shit.What about when your expected to carry the BLACK flag for your race? Or in my case when you can't relate to the rest of the black people in the class? We aren't a monolith but shouldn't there be a sense of unity? Like the head nod black people share when they walk past each other. Isn't that basically saying what up brother? But that's as far as it goes right?  I don't know you, and you don't know me. But I acknowledge that your black and at one point in time we've shared a similar struggle; being the black person. But we aren't the same type of black person, I don't think it's cool or funny to disrupt class, I try my best to watch my language when speaking in a public setting. Oh and I realize that there's probably a purpose to the homework or in class exercises we were assigned. But I don't kiss anyone's ass either, I'm aggressive in arguing, I know I'm competent and my self worth is valued based on how much I make the class laugh. So does that make me the new negro? I'm Black And I'm Proud. But I'm not like the "Migos" over there. W.E.B Du Bois said "they know the low social level of the mass of the race is responsible for much of the discrimination against it" if that's so then I'm going to show them the New Negro. It's an uphill battle though. Nothing truly worth it is ever easy.