Sweet Release: The Last Step to Black Freedom

After 350 years, black Americans finally have physical and political freedom in the United States. Now, Sacramento psychologist Dr. James Davison Jr. proposes the last step to total psychological freedom: removing the mental shackles. However, Davison says this step can only be completed individually; he argues that the black community is filled with “delayers,” or people who say, “The system is keeping us down,” while holding back those who really want to succeed. The tale of Pookie, Davison’s cousin and a freeloader who blames racism for his troubles, drives his point home. According to Davison, Pookie’s struggles “are his own and of his own making.” So, unlike his cousin, Davison planted his feet firmly on the ground, stood up and walked briskly toward the exit of his own psychological shackles.