This made me ponder about the present.

Maryland today is home to cities like Baltimore, where people often criticize how many Black youth speak — the slang, the grammar, the “broken English.” People use it as a measure of intelligence or culture.

But when you really step back, you have to ask a deeper question:

How did people descended from one of the greatest orators the world has ever known come to be labeled as poor communicators?

The truth is simple:

We didn’t lose our ways.

Our ways were interrupted.

Centuries of systemic inequity, underfunded schools, generational trauma, and cultural disconnection did not break Black brilliance — they disrupted access to it.

And what many people call “broken English” is actually AAVE (African American Vernacular English) — a real, rule-governed, expressive, globally influential language rooted in African speech patterns, jazz, blues, poetry, and hip hop.

The oratory tradition didn’t vanish.

It shifted.

It hid itself in new forms.

It survived in cipher circles, music studios, barbershops, debate clubs, and lunch table philosophy sessions.

The voice is still there — it just hasn’t always been nurtured, sharpened, or connected back to its roots.

Reclaiming the Lineage

When I think about Douglass — a Black boy who stole knowledge, consumed it, weaponized it, and used it to free not only himself but countless others — I see a blueprint.

And I see why our young men need mentorship, exposure, communication skills, and brotherhood today more than ever.

Not to “fix” them.

Not because they are broken.

But because they come from a legacy of brilliance that many have never been taught to recognize.

Knowledge made Douglass unfit to be a slave.

Knowledge today can make our boys unfit to be limited.

Unfit to be underestimated.

Unfit to be boxed in by stereotypes, low expectations, or silence.

And that is the work.

That is the mission.

That is the calling.

To reconnect young Black men to the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural power they already carry within them — the same fire that burned in Frederick Douglass.

Final Thought

When a young man discovers his voice, he discovers his power.

And when he discovers his power, he becomes impossible to control, limit, or discourage.

This is why we mentor.

This is why we teach.

This is why we inspire.

Because knowledge still does exactly what it did in 1838:

It makes you unfit to be a slave.

Unfit to be powerless.

Unfit to be anything less than who you were created to be.

-Mr. Justin H. Tucker, MA, M.Ed, Founder & Creative Executive Officer, JustINSPIRE Mentoring & Adjunct Communications Professor, CCBC

About the Author

Justin H. Tucker is an educator, mentor, speaker, and the Founder of JustINSPIRE Mentoring Studios, a purpose-driven program dedicated to developing boys and men into confident, articulate, and spiritually grounded leaders. With a background in school counseling and youth development, Justin has spent his career helping young men discover their identity, build their voice, and walk boldly in their purpose.

Justin also serves as an Adjunct Communications Professor at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), where he teaches students the power of language, narrative, and cultural expression. His work blends academic insight with real-world mentorship, emphasizing the deep historical lineage of Black oratory—from Frederick Douglass to the youth of today.

Passionate about storytelling and community building, Justin hosts students, creatives, and anyone with an inspirational idea or lived experience on his YouTube channel and podcast, where conversations explore purpose, culture, and the journey toward becoming the best version of oneself.

Justin is currently accepting new mentees, supporting:

• Young men in grades 6–12 seeking guidance, structure, leadership development, and emotional growth
• Adult men looking for accountability, clarity, and personal transformation

To connect with Justin or explore mentorship opportunities:

📅 Book a call:

👉 https://calendar.app.google/VvGYEak1DE8SaQmp9

Through education, mentorship, and communication, Justin continues his mission to uplift the next generation—one young man, one story, one purpose at a time.