The accomplishments of Black Americans are many, and as February comes and goes, many Americans will get a small taste of these accomplishments. But, as we all know, Blackness is a 365-day-a-year state of being (oftentimes mistaken as a "job" in America), not a 28-day celebration.

The historical accomplishments of our people must be more than a month of television specials and discounts on hair products at White-owned stores. We must, as Kwame Ture instructed, "use history as a weapon to build consciousness."

As Africans, we are quite adept at singular accomplishments; it’s time to concentrate on our collective future. What do we need to do? We simply need to remember what we have forgotten and act on it. As Drs. Nathan and Julia Hare, our preeminent psychologists, stated in "The Black Agenda," "It’s time to do the action part of affirmative action."

There are no new plans under the sun, only advice unheeded. Study of any number of noteworthy African texts reveals this. It was Senusret II, King of Egypt during the 12th Dynasty, who said, "There are no unknown words, utterances, or sayings in new languages that have not already been said by the ancestors."

Our systemic problems have not changed. All areas of Black culture must be enlivened and elevated—from education to economics to health to spirituality. The late psychologist Dr. Bobby Wright once wrote, "Blacks are still enslaved today for the very simple reason that all of our life-sustaining institutions are controlled by Europeans." Our schools and hospitals and many of our churches are controlled in this manner. Only we have the power to change this. Economically speaking, the acquisition of money is no longer a big stumbling block for most Blacks. Now, the problem is the proper allocation of the billions we already control.

The great struggle for freedom and self-determination lies not with the oppressor, but with ourselves. We must WANT the same thing—liberation—and act toward its achievement. There are over 24 million Black folks in the United States. It is possible for liberation to reach us all; but it is just as possible that liberation won’t wait for us all. It was Harriet Tubman who flatly stated, "I freed thousands of slaves. I could have freed thousands more, if they had known they were slaves." Once we want the same thing, we’ll find the quest for liberation will be stronger and the path easier to walk.

We must not be distracted from our goals of freedom and self-determination by the glitter of the world. It was one of our greatest scientists, George Washington Carver, who said, "It is not the style of clothes one wears, neither the kind of automobile one drives, nor the amount of money one has in the bank, that counts. These mean nothing. It is simply service that measures success." So, remember this the next time our latest celebrity is promoted by a 4-page spread of their home and wardrobe. What have they done for the benefit of the community? Nothing else matters.

"Me, We" is how Muhammad Ali expressed it. This linking of the individual self to the larger community is a source of strength we must rekindle. Where there is no struggle, there is no progress. Frederick Douglass prepared us of our future. Our enemy is cruel. The Hon. Elijah Muhammad warned us that "the American White people delight in mistreating us, their former slaves." There’s no need in concentrating on this fact. Rise above. When the going is exceedingly rough, simply remember what our ancestors endured.

"Your ancestors took the lash, the branding iron, humiliations and oppression because one day they believed you would come along to flesh out the dream," wrote Maya Angelou. We carry the strength of our African ancestors and in today’s world, we carry loads far lighter than what they endured. Remember this, and continue to persevere. Know, as Ossie Davis says, that "struggle is strengthening. Battling evil gives us the power to battle evil even more."

Everyday Black people are rising above the mire of White supremacy. We need only look at the many in our community who are not imprisoned, enslaved, pursued or purloined. Don’t look to the media for your examples; look around you. Take heed of that brother and sister with clear skin, heads held high, eyes bright and voices strong. Find out what they are doing to maintain their integrity, health, and self-esteem, and follow suit. Applaud and support those brothers and sisters who have pulled themselves from the mire. Do not ignore the blossoms of this positive movement. Allow it to pull us all from negativity.

The time is not yesterday or tomorrow. The time is now.

The glory of ancient Egypt is gone; so is the energetic tumult of the ’60s. What the future holds for us as a people is the big question mark in the sky. The time is now to plan for that future. Don’t wait ‘til "The Hughleys" goes off; don’t wait ‘til the weekend; and don’t wait for a leader. Every moment of everyday is capable of bringing Black people one step closer to liberation.