Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

KAREN GRIGSBY BATES , a contributing columnist for the op-ed pages of the Los Angeles Times, has written for Vogue, The New York Times, Quarterly Black Review of Books, Essence, Emerge, and other publications. Her commentaries frequently appear on National Public Radio’s "All Things Considered." KAREN E. HUDSON is the author of Paul R. Williams, Architect: A Legacy of Style, a biography of her maternal grandfather, and The Will and the Way: Paul R. Williams, Architect, a biography for young people. They both live in Los Angeles.


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polite behavior,or good manners.  Others call it proper breeding, but to most African  Americans its simply called "home training."  Now in Basic Black, authors  Karen Grigsby Bates and Karen E. Hudson offer a  modern guide for gracious  living.

Contrary to the more traditional etiquette books  that most African Americans may find stodgy,  off-putting, and culturally alien, Basic  Black is for real people who live  real lives--and addresses many of the  issues of a growing black middle class who want to  live riche without seeming  noveau. Straightforward,  user-friendly and illustrated with line drawings,  Basic Black includes all the  information any well-mannered person would want to know  about the social rites of passage (marriag

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polite behavior,or good manners. Others call it proper breeding, but to most African Americans its simply called "home training." Now in Basic Black, authors Karen Grigsby Bates and Karen E. Hudson offer a modern guide for gracious living.

Contrary to the more traditional etiquette books that most African Americans may find stodgy, off-putting, and culturally alien, Basic Black is for real people who live real lives--and addresses many of the issues of a growing black middle class who want to live riche without seeming noveau. Straightforward, user-friendly and illustrated with line drawings, Basic Black includes all the information any well-mannered person would want to know about the social rites of passage (marriag

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Basic Black

By Karen Grigsby Bates

Doubleday

Copyright © 1996 Karen Grigsby Bates
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0385484348
Chapter 1

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING

"If you're going to play the game properly, you'd better know every rule."
Barbara Jordan

Here's where we run through the basics. And basics are the foundation upon which good home training is built. You know what the basics are; you learned them in Sunday school. Or at the knees of your mother, grandmother, and aunts. And though the hectic pace of daily life sometimes threatens to hide that foundation, you know that if you reach deeply enough, you'll find the basics right there when you need them.

Manners transcend social status, race, and gender. Courtesy and consideration help to make the unbearable parts of life a little more bearable. And you probably know, from having met one (or better, being one yourself), that a person who is considerate of others is welcome almost anywhere.

All major religions have a simple phrase that distills what good manners are: doing unto others as you would like others to do unto you. This Golden Rule applies to friendships, workplace relationships, romances, and family interaction--virtually all human relationships.

The basics of good manners (besides the above) include the very things that, in another age, were referred to in our culture as "home training." We're sure you remember them. They include the following:

Respect for Elders

-Standing (if sitting) when being introduced
-Offering to pull up a chair or help put on a coat
-Offering a seat when on public transportation
-Speaking respectfully (saving one's slang for one's peers)
-Offering to serve as an extra pair of arms and legs:
"May I bring you some dessert, Aunt Emma? Let me tell you what's on the buffet table."
"Would you like me to reach that for you? Those cereal boxes are always stacked up so high!"
"Excuse me, but you dropped your change purse."

CP Time

We all know what CP time is. But when we let our personal clocks dominate Greenwich mean time, all kinds of trouble happens. (We've been told this is not endemic to "colored people"--a Jewish friend assures us there's JPT, an Italian IPT, etc.) If you're going to be late meeting a personal friend, try to call so she's not kept waiting. Definitely call ahead as soon as you know you won't arrive at a business or professional appointment on time. (Here's where cellular phones can be a blessing: "I'm calling from my car; a big accident up the road has tied things up for miles. I'm afraid I'm going to be at least twenty minutes late; would you check to see if he'd still like me to come, or should we reschedule?")

The same should apply to an appointment with a doctor, lawyer, or hairstylist: call and let them know you've been delayed for reasons beyond your control, ask if it will still be convenient for you to come, or, if not, if you can reschedule the appointment. People often don't mind trying to accommodate you if they feel you've shown them a little consideration. For someone who owns his own business or who bills by the hour, time is literally money. And this works two ways: doctors should not keep their patients waiting, either.
Note: Do not have a chronic excuse. If you're always late for a haircut because of "heavy traffic" or some other excuse, sooner or later your stylist will simply factor in your habitual late time and make you wait. If you always overbook your patients or clients, sooner or later they vote with their feet and move elsewhere.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Sometimes excuses are unavoidable: your child becomes sick at the last moment; you get a flat tire; your plane leaves late. In those cases, you explain briefly what's delayed you or forced your deadline back: "Janet, I'm so sorry. We were planning to come to your party tonight, but Courtney has a sore throat and a temperature. I hope we haven't inconvenienced you too much."

For work, you need to indicate that you're aware the delay may cause problems and will try to clear things up as soon as possible: "Mr. Sanders, my mother-in-law died this morning, and I'm afraid I'm going to be gone for the rest of the week. I plan to take the Jeffrey account with me and I hope to have my recommendations to you by next Tuesday."

Never invent an illness or death as an excuse for not completing an assignment or meeting a deadline. If you're not ill but don't wish to go to a social engagement you've already agreed to attend, think of an excuse that doesn't require you to "gift" your family (or yourself) with a dire fate you'd like to avoid in real life. Remember what the old folks say: what goes around comes around.

Public vs. Private Manners

Don't make the mistake of being more courteous to strangers or people upon whom you wish to make a good impression than you are to your own family and close friends. The same rules of consideration apply: there is no such thing as second-class manners (or if there is, we don't want to know about it). Everyone in your life should be treated as if it's vitally important that he or she thinks well of you.

And Brother, Remember

It may be your sister, your wife, your girlfriend, or a casual buddy at work; when you honor and appreciate your relationships with women, you'll be surprised at what you receive in return.

Race and Good Behavior

"Act your age, not your color" used to be how some folks reminded others that the world expected lesser standards of us because of our race. When we behaved poorly, we were "acting like . . ." well, you know. And when we behaved well, we were considered a "credit to our race." Both phrases assumed that black people were one big population, one lumpen stereotype. Good behavior, like manners, transcends race, gender, and even age. Reflecting well on oneself should be the rule of thumb.

Respect for Other Cultures

Variety is the spice of life, and the patchwork of different cultures and ethnicities is part of what makes America such a vibrant country. As we continue to evolve into what sociologist Marshall McLuhan called a global village, our exposure to and comfort level with other cultures increase. And we learn that what is acceptable in one circumstance may be offensive in another. In some Asian cultures, for example, a recipient wouldn't think of opening her present in front of the giver; in the Western world, we consider it important to open a gift when it's given to us. It's always a good idea to ask if you're not sure: "Mai Lee, when we go to your sister's wedding next Saturday, how should we dress?" "Robin, do women have to have their heads covered to visit your mosque?" The key here is to be as sensitive to another culture's traditions as we would want others to be to ours.

Welcoming People into Your Home

From the first time we came to these shores, even in the dark, lean times, we have been a hospitable people. So honor that tradition. When folks stop by to see you, tell them you're glad they've come to visit. Offer them refreshments. Warn them if you have pets they may be afraid of or allergic to: "Do you mind cats? We'd be happy to put KitKat in our bedroom while you're here." You want your guests to feel comfortable, and people are always more comfortable outside their own environment when they know what the rules are. If you don't smoke and don't want others to do it, either, a lack...