Sister Souljah paid her much-anticipated visit to The University of Memphis Wednesday. Although she spoke on a variety of topics, the main theme of the night was “handle your business.”
The energized speech, which lasted over two hours, covered dishonesty, miseducation, responsibility, the media’s influence, sexual responsibility, the traditions of ancient Africa and Souljah’s ideas on how young black men and women should handle themselves.
“Handle your business or someone else will handle it for you,” Souljah said.
The Michael D. Rose Theatre was filled nearly to capacity with students who began arriving over one hour before the start of the speech.
“I came to see what she had to say and see what kind of knowledge she is trying to bring to the African-American community,” said Carlos Coleman, a student who attended the speech.
Souljah did not mince words in bringing that knowledge.
“Dishonest people are afraid of dialog. I have been informed that there are some guilty and unjust people here in Memphis, Tennessee,” Souljah said.
Souljah also said the African history taught in schools is not taught with enough passion. She encouraged those in attendance to become more active in what they want out of their education.
“Nobody told us anything except that Harriet Tubman was a feeble, old woman who walked through the wilderness and that George Washington Carver had a peanut,” Souljah said.
Souljah encouraged students to read about African history outside of the classroom and told the crowd a lesson her mother once told her.
“There are two things my mother told me that she could do for me. ‘The first thing I can do for you is teach you to read,’” Souljah said her mother told her. “‘The second thing I can do is get you a New York City library card.’”
Knowledge is the key to a person’s overall being, according to Souljah.
Souljah also called for more responsibility from both young black men and women.
“A man is what his word is. A man understands a man’s mind. A woman tries to understand a man’s mind,” Souljah said.
She also spoke about the ways of ancient Africa and how dating was handled in a more direct and sincere way than relationships between men and women are handled now.
Souljah was also critical of the media and how she believes it affects young people.
“(The media) tells you to be sexy, be sexy, be sexy, but they don’t tell you about the consequences that comes with that,” Souljah said.
Sexual responsibility and family values were talked about at length during Souljah’s speech, along with the connection between a man and a woman once they become sexually active with each other.
“You will be connected because you, as a man, make a manly decision and decide to provide for their seed, or you will be connected because she keeps dragging you to court for the next 18 years of your life,” Souljah said. “The whole struggle in life is for family, love and culture.”
Students who arrived early were engaged in conversation and debate in the lobby of the theater.
“I’m here because I’m curious to find out if she was taken out of context, whether that is her view and if so is it right for my money to be spent to bring that kind of view to perpetuate a stereotype,” said student Carol Mchann.
“I’m here to judge for myself. I think people shouldn’t try to judge her from things that they read, they should judge her for themselves. If you didn’t want her to come because of what she said, then you should come anyway and see what she has to say for yourself,” Coleman said.
The crux of Sister Souljah’s edgy message was delivered clearly and often - “handle your business.”
“People say, ‘Maybe if Sister Souljah were more exposed to the world she wouldn’t be so angry.’ No, I’m angry because I was exposed,” Souljah said.
