The Wichita File: Minority Incorporation

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey, African-Americans in Wichita, Kansas make up 9% of the population (40,173). Despite the relative small percentage of African-Americans, many hold leadership positions in state, local, and community affairs. For example, Melody McCray-Miller (state legislator), Oletha Faust-Goudeau (state legislator), Gail Finney (state legislator), Carl Brewer (Mayor), LaVonta Williams (City Council), Norman Williams (Police Chief), Ron Blackwell (Fire Chief), Kevin Myles (NAACP), Chester Daniel (Urban League), Kevass Harding (School Board) and Betty Arnold (School Board).

Given the presence of African-American leadership in Wichita, why is the black community (as a whole not individually) so stagnant? Have African-American leaders achieved a high level of minority incorporation that would allow them to influence economic, social, and political decisions to address the needs and concerns of the black community? Minority incorporation is the degree “to which a group has been able to achieve a position from which strong and sustained influence can be exercised” (Brown, Marshall, and Tabb 1984, 241). By definition, the above African-Americans in Wichita have achieved it. Yet, we have not seen if the obtainment of these positions has translated into black empowerment.

Have these African-American leaders exercised a level of black consciousness/solidarity? Have they encouraged the black community to act as a cohesive group and exercise collective action to better the community?

If the answer is “no” to the above questions, then these individuals only provide symbolic representation for the black community. So, why do we hold them in such high regard if their actions are not congruent with what is in the best interests of the black community? To bring truth to this analysis, some of the above leaders “do” represent the black community (and very well). However, the rest of them have fallen victim to the embedded conservative ideology that impedes black empowerment in the city. For many of them to gain these political/community offices they had to embrace conservative coalitions. In fact, some of these leaders that have achieved these positions have alienated themselves (intentionally and unintentionally) from the general masses of the black community and only maintained relationships with other “so-called” affluent blacks in Wichita (i.e., the forming of clicks).

What good is it to have the presence of African-Americans in leadership positions if it does not benefit the black community? It creates a false ideology of the advancement of blacks in the community and appeases the white dominant, conservative base that says “what else do you want?” Simple, Wichita needs African-Americans in these positions that align themselves with the plight of African-American progress and understands the historic struggles of the black race (those from Wichita know exactly what I mean).

William T. Hoston, Ph.D.