A Legacy of Tradition...Black Men giving Back!

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A Legacy of Tradition (ALOT) is a Giving Circle comprised of ordinary African American men. Its members are collectively engaged and focused on impacting and bridging the societal gaps faced by African-American males in the areas of education, collective giving, and community responsibility.

A Stump Experience...

Go with me on a trip to the past. It’s 1837 in rural North Carolina. There are a group of black men all standing around an old tree stump that stands about waist high. The stump sits along side of a flowing stream. Can you hear the water flowing? Can you hear the birds chirping? Can you see it? The men greeted each other with firm handshakes as more brothers made their way to the stump. All the men there were dressed in old bib overalls. Most of them had on tattered shirts and large hats to block out the sun. Their boots were very dusty from the hard days work. They all turned to see the last two brothers (one short and one tall) make their way to the circle that formed around the stump. The men approaching the circle seemed to know most of the brothers in the circle because they were the men that called the meeting.

Once the two brothers joined the circle, the shorter brother greeted the group and called the meeting to order. The taller brother began to tell them about an opportunity for a young black man in their community. He explained how this young man had a chance to get educated. The young man had an opportunity to be included in the first class of black students attending the new Institute for Colored Youth (later called Cheyney University), in Pennsylvania. None of the men in the group had much formal education at all; most of them couldn’t read. With that being so, they all knew the power of education. They knew if our people were to ever make a change, they would need to get more education. The other brother stepped up and asked the men if they could help to fund this young man’s education. Many of the men around the circle began searching their soul. They all knew that it was time for a change. It was time to break the cycle. No amount was asked for. The brothers were simply asked if they could and/or would help. The taller of the two brothers stated, “It’s not equal giving! It’s all about equal sacrifice!” Can you still see that scene? A few of the men stated that they had to look out for their own family and could not participate. The men were asked only once. There was no convincing done. The two brothers, asked the men that wanted to contribute something, to step forward. A small group of the men stepped forward. Some of them reached into their pockets and placed whatever little bit of monies they had on the stump. Some of them stated that they would volunteer to take the young man to school. Others volunteered to help prepare food to feed the young man while on his trip to Pennsylvania. A few of the men offered to pay into the group on a monthly basis to see that the funds were available for the young man to attend school. Can you see it! Can you hear it? What I see is PHILANTHROPY! Many of the men around the stump probably had never heard the word PHILANTHROPY before but in my eyes they were ALL PHILANTHROPISTS!

A Legacy of Tradition’s (A LOT) goal is to continue that PHILANTHROPY! We want to continue the meeting held at the stump with our Time, Talent, and Treasure. A great man once said, “The most persistent and urgent thing, is what are you doing for OTHERS?” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) ALOT is made up of concerned Black Men that have the desire to continue meeting at the STUMP to help others. Have you had a STUMP experience? For many of us, stump experiences were the events that got us to where we are today.

Do you want to have a STUMP experience? If so contact ALOT! info@alegacyoftradition.org