NAACP President Calls For Black Self Reliance

A call for whites to identify more closely with the struggle of blacks, and a call for blacks to shed a victim mentality. They come from NAACP President Kweisi Mfume, who spoke Sunday in St. Louis. Mfume addressed 300 people at the Sheldon Concert Hall to kick off the St. Louis Public Library’s speaker series in a commemoration of Black History Month. Mfume emphasized that blacks still suffer disparities in education, health care, and the economy. He said overcoming them would take compassion from all Americans. Yet, Mfume added it is most important for blacks to lead the effort in improving their own fortunes.