And then there was one, or maybe a few. Tokenism is a symbolic effort to create the appearance of equality or inclusivity. I am tackling this issue because it is a manifestation of contemporary/covert racism that has gotten out of hand. Tokenism is not a new concept. There are plenty of Blacks throughout history who have occupied the role of the token. Some Blacks held the role with pride while others were discontent, being either the one or amongst the few chosen.
Presently tokenism impedes Black progress by assisting in maintaining the status quo and using Black people to lambaste Blacks that fail to achieve the same levels of success. The status quo works to preserve racial inequality and is always a threat to Black people. Blacks who make it to high positions become so-called representations of what all Blacks can achieve. However, minimal thought is given to the road it takes for Blacks to reach the top ranks compared to their White counterparts.
One needs to look no further than the nation’s last president Barak Obama to identify a Black token. Obama was an involuntary token. Whites often used Obama’s token status as an excuse to downplay ongoing racism. Although Obama was elected president, it is fair to say his stint in office had some fundamental differences from previous presidents. Obama received a similar treatment that is all too familiar to Black men throughout the nation, and that is the need to prove their legitimacy.
Previous presidents’ tasks were primarily to implement their vision of how they would run the country and help the American people. Right out of the gate, Obama faced endless interrogation. At times, there was less talk about Obama’s goals than there was about his legitimacy to serve as president. Black men throughout the nation face an uphill battle to prove their legitimacy. For example, many Black men have experienced a job interview that turned into an interrogation. They prepped all night, preparing to answer what Google claims are the most asked job interview questions.
However, when the interview began, the interviewer asked a series of questions unrelated to the job. In these situations, there may be a preoccupation with where the interviewee is from and repeated requests to the interviewee to clarify details that are blatantly laid out on the resume. The interviewer may even question how the interviewee knows they can handle the responsibility of the job. The tone given to such questions can make the interviewee feel they are not getting the job and are not good enough for such an opportunity.
Blacks often feel the pressure to have zero blemishes on their records, knowing any flaws will likely be used against them in a secret weed-out process. The daunting prospect of what it takes to get into prominent positions can make an opportunity to serve as a token crucial to success and, for some, an honor to have made it through. The problem is the illusion of progress that tokenism creates holds Blacks from their desired state of equal opportunity. Blacks have to accept that the only way forward is as a unit. Embracing the token role isolates an individual from their race and shackles the individual to their oppressor.
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