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Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

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Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

"Dr. Bobby E. Wright was a "Black" Afrikan psychologist, so labeled

not just because he was both "Black" Afrikan and a psychologist, but

because he used his education, training, intellectual knowledge and

skills always in the best interest of "Black" Afrikan people all over the

world."

Dr. Wright tells us that the answer to Blacks’ problems can be found in

the works and lives of people like Shaka Zulu, Martin Delany, Marcus

Garvey, H. Rap Brown, Malcolm X, Chancellor Williams and others.

Dr. Bobby Wright was one of the greatest analytical thinkers of the 20th Century. He not only

skillfully identified the problems that face Afrikan people today but also had a clear solution to

help solve our problem. Dr. Bobby Wright developed a Black Social Theory that would combat

white supremacy. Dr. Bobby Wright said, "The Black Social Theory determines the destiny of a

people by establishing guidelines of life. It defines their relationship with other living things, It

defines values and rituals, methods of education, and how enemies are dealt with, etc." Also,

Dr. Wright concept of Mentacide explains some of the self destructive behavior exhibited by

African people worldwide. Unfortunately for us, Dr. Wright made the transition to our ancestors

in 1982, but his spirit and wisdom will be with us forever.

Recognized for his activism, he was a special guest on the Committee of Science and

Technology at the Sixth Pan-African Congress held at Tanzania in 1974. As a social scientist,

he sought an all-encompassing social theory for Black people and formulated the concept of

mentacide. To paraphrase, he defined mentacide as "the planned and systematic destruction of

a group's mentality aimed at the destruction of the group." Thus, Black folk alienated from their

culture and history eventually lose their sense of purpose and direction, the symptoms of

mentacide. Well aware of the implications of technical advances such as behavior modification

and genetic engineering, he presented science as a tool serving greater ends (such as

controlling the outcasts of white society), neither objective nor neutral.

Being an uncompromising critic of Western society, he wrote the following on the relation of

religion to prejudice from "The Psychopathic Racial Personality" in the Fall 1974 issue of

Black Books Bulletin: Because of their lack of ethical or moral development, there is no conflict

between the white's religion and racial oppression. “The white race had historically oppressed,

exploited, and killed black people, all in the name of their god Jesus Christ and with the sanction

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Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

of their churches. For example, it is generally overlooked that the Ku Klux Klan is primarily a

religious organization. Also, blacks should never forget the Pope [Pius XI] blessing the Italian

planes and pilots on their way to bombing Ethiopian men, women, and children who only had

spears to defend themselves...”

The Psychopathic Racial Personality and Other Essays by Bobby E. Wright Ph.D.

(44 pages)

Published by Haki R. Madhubuti (Third World Press) 1984

Haki Madhubuti describes esteemed ancestor Dr. Bobby Wright as

"one of the few Black people who dared to ask the penetrating

questions and demand answers and corrective actions to the racial

situation in the United States and the world." In these essays,

psychologit Dr. Bobby Wright coins the term "mentacide" which he

defines as the "deliberate and systematic destruction of a group’s

minds with the ultimate objective being the extirpation of the group."

"Mentacide," says Dr. Wright, is a worldwide phenomena being

implemented against the entire Black race. "Therefore," he says,

"Blacks in Africa will begin to manifest the behavior of Blacks in the

United States. Dr. Wright "was a thorn in the brain of Black men and

women posing as leaders." And his last words were a warning to his

friends and associates, "Watch the leadership, especially those proclaiming their God-given

answer to the problems of Black people." "Dr. Bobby E. Wright was a "Black" psychologist, so

labeled not just because he was both Black and a psychologist, but because he used his

education, training, intellectual knowledge and skills always in the best interest of Black people

all over the world." Just as Brother Haki considered it an honor to publish Dr. Wright, it was an

honor for me to study and draw lessons from this revolutionary and thought provoking work.

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Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

Dr. Wright poignantly begins the title essay, The Psychopathic Racial Personality, with

the following narrative;

"In a bullfight, after being brutalized while making innumerable charges at the movement of a

cape, there comes a time when the bull finally turns and faces his adversary with the only

movement being his heaving bloody sides. It is believed that for the first time he really sees the

matador. This final confrontation is known as "the moment of truth." For the bull, this moment

comes too late." According to Dr. Wright, the experience of Black people all over the world

presents an analogous situation. For hundreds of years, our European (white) matadors have

been holding up the capes of democracy, capitalism, Marxism, religion and education and for

hundreds of years we have been charging at the movement of these "capes." Like the bull, we

too are suffering from near fatal wounds and "indeed have arrived at our "moment of truth."

Sisters and brothers, it is time for us to look at the matador and Dr. Wright tries to sharpen our

vision. He defines a psychopath as "an individual who is constantly in conflict with other persons

or groups. He is unable to experience guilt, he is completely selfish and callous, and he has a

total disregard for the rights of others." Dr. Wright says Black leaders are reluctant to measure

psychopathic traits of the White race in their dealings with Blacks when there is a threat

involved. "For example", says Dr. Wright, "everywhere one finds Whites and Blacks in close

proximity to each other, Whites are in control, whether it is Chicago or Zimbabwe." And our

leaders rarely question this "extraordinary universal phenomenon" which Dr. Wright says "defies

every known statistical law of probability." He also analyzes some of our so-called intellectual

leaders and comments that, "Black intellectual enlightenment does not always lead to genuine

insight and it can be very damaging to the intellect as reflected by the behavior and attitudes of

many eminent Black scientists." As a result of the confusion, Dr. Wright concludes that Blacks

have become disoriented and the result is various inadequate and dangerous behavioral

patterns. "Some have become catatonic and do not move at all but wait for divine intervention;

others place their faith and energies in charismatic guides who are just as lost as they." Dr.

Wright tells us that the answer to Blacks’ problems can be found in the works and lives of

people like Shaka Zulu, Martin Delany, Marcus Garvey, H. Rap Brown, Malcolm X, Chancellor

Williams and others. For they all looked at the matador or psychopath for what he was and is

and moved against him." The "other essays", deal with Black Suicide, Educating the Black Child

and The Black Child: A Destiny in Jeopardy. These excellent essays reinforce the notions

discussed in the title essay. Dr. Wright quotes the Afrikan proverb that warns the traveler of life,

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Dr. Bobby E. Wright "Reach One Teach One"

"if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there." He says a social theory

determines the destiny of a people by establishing guidelines of life and Blacks should therefore

develop a "Black Social Theory." He warns, however, the ultimate achievement of a Black social

theory would be the recreation of Black culture and that is a very difficult task. Professor Jacob

Carruthers (RIU), who reviewed the book said, "brainwashed Blacks who are awestruck by

European theory and theorists cannot accomplish this task……and Bobby Wright’s concepts of

the ‘psychopathic racial personality’ and ‘mentacide’ are major contributions to this culture

recreation process." Since its publication in 1984, The Psychopathic Racial Personality has

proved to be a revolutionary, groundbreaking work on race relations. It is one of the works that

should be read by serious minded Africans everywhere who are dedicated and committed to

rebuilding the Afrikan world order.