Most outsiders do not recognize that there is a decades-long war occurring in Black America. Yes, I am alluding to the same conflict that famed comedian Chris Rock termed a Civil War between “Black folk and Niggas.” Experience has taught me that Black folk and N-words have nothing in common.

As you know, every war is composed of a series of battles of varying significance that make up the war. The most recent conflict in Black America’s Civil War occurred at Houston’s hip Third-Ward eatery, The Turkey Leg Hut. It is difficult to explain to outsiders the popularity of this local restaurant to Houstonians. It is THE PLACE TO BE.

The allure of this place causes hundreds of Black folks, even my beautiful cousin Lauren Evans, to stand in line under the legendary oppressive Houston heat for hours every single day. Such popularity has led to a somewhat predictable, yet still unfortunate, issue. The alluded to issue is that there is a segment of Black folks who have adopted an unbelievably dysfunctional culture that renders them an embarrassment to the rest of Black America.

The brouhaha occurring at The Turkey Leg Hut surrounds establishment owners Nakia and Lynn Price’s decision to institute a dress code and code of conduct for patrons. The repeated complaints of the customer base forced the owners of this Black-owned business into publicly detailing what was and was not acceptable within their establishment. According to Nakia Price,

We never governed what people wore before, but now it’s becoming increasingly worse. What we’re seeing is the extreme, like shorts so short that literally your butt is hanging out or shredded shorts with no underwear. When did it become OK to just wear this in public, period, let alone a restaurant? The dress code that we implemented is pretty lax. The only thing that we’re asking is that you have some respect.

Now let’s be clear on precisely what Nakia and Lynn Price are asking of Black folks. The Turkey Leg Hut’s dress code and code of conduct are as follows:

• No excessively revealing clothing (shorts must cover your entire bottom).
• No obscene language or baggy clothing.
• No house attire (including wave caps, du-rags, house shoes or shower caps).
• No exposed undergarments (including sports bras, bras, panties or garments resembling these items).
• No swimwear of any kind.

It appears that somewhere along the way, the sense of decency and appropriateness eroded into a sea of nothingness.

Maybe this phenomenon of cultural erosion could be attributed to educated Blacks’ flight to suburban areas during the 70s. Perhaps it was the integration of schools after the Brown v. Board of Education decisions (1954 & 1955). Dare we join the chorus of White racists who fervently believe that there is something intrinsically wrong with Black folks? I dispute the latter notion with my entire being.

I attribute the aforementioned cultural dysfunction of a specific segment of our community to their investment in a dysfunctional culture whose ascension is aided by many things.

• Lack of knowledge of self.
• The influence of social media and reality television.
• Engagement with a popular culture that denigrates Black life in every way imaginable.
• The absence of socialization that naturally flows from a healthy Black family.
• A misled cadre of Black clergy who preach a prosperity gospel instead of one based on morality.

One of the surest indicators of how far some within our community strayed from a familiar path of civility are the public outcries that installing a dress code and code of conduct by the owners of The Turkey Leg Hut is anti-Black.

Nothing could be more ludicrous.

It appears that a culture of inappropriateness has become synonymous with Blackness. The adopters of such dysfunction are historically illiterate and culturally backward. The pushback against calls for public decency has undoubtedly caused innumerable graves of our ancestors to be disturbed.

Never in the existence of Black people have we seen such a determination to be uncivilized toward one another. As I have written in this space repeatedly, I am unconcerned with the maneuvers of White racists. My focus is a proactive one that calls for all Blacks to work toward the liberation of Black America.

So, I hope that you comprehend how heartbreaking it is to see my people fight for the right to behave in a manner that guarantees the continuation of their bottom-rung social status.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021