Denzel Washington: Education is the pathway for success in the mindset of Denzel Washington

Black Collegian, Oct 2000 by Hazell, Ricardo

Do you remember what it was like when you were accepted at the university of your choice? You knew you could do it. You studied hard and that hard work paid off. Your mother was ecstatic, but grandma just sat there and nodded her head with a "I knew you could do it" look on her face. She probably told you she saw this day in a dream. But it wasn't just her dream. It was her mother's dream and her grandmother's dream as well. Actor Denzel Washington told us that he and his sister were the first in their family to attend college. Perhaps you are the first in your clan to attend an institution of higher learning as well. "There wasn't pressure for me to go to school. My sister was already a senior or a junior in college. My mother sent me away to private school where I eventually earned a scholarship. I was a pretty smart kid. There was no real pressure for me to go to college," Washington said.

The award-winning actor was raised by a single mother, who constantly sang the praises of the value of an education. This is a fact of life that many African Americans can relate to vividly. The key word in 1861, 1961 and today; was, is, and always will be education. Education is how we are able to digest the universe and come to an understanding about our place in it. Washington told us he had no clue of his place in the universe when he left home at age 17 to attend Fordham University in The Bronx, NY. He is an award-winning actor now, but like many young people, he was clueless as a youth. Washington told us his love for the theater did not manifest itself until he became exposed to it. In essence, he had to know what it was first before he realized it was for him. "I had a liberal arts education. I went from biology to political science to journalism to theater. I think I was headed toward the arts without having had any experience, so I didn't know that's where I wanted to go. For one thing, I couldn't pass the biology class," joked the actor. "Actually, I did pass, but I was bored because it wasn't for me. I went to college not knowing why I was going. I just knew I was supposed to go. I liked political science and I liked philosophy and theology. I was just taking a little bit of everything. But when I clicked in with theater, got a chance to perform, and got good feedback, theater took over."

The importance of an education is a message that the readers of this article have undoubtedly heard at one time or another. Whether that message was screamed through a loud speaker from atop a snow covered mountain or carried on a soothing summer wind past an ear lobe, its importance is still more valuable than a thousand ransoms from a thousand sunken Spanish galleys. Our ability to function in society depends on education, but rushing into any decision is like taking the wrong fork in the road. It takes a little while to realize that you're lost. "I was a good student when I liked what I was doing. I'm proof of the importance of education. I don't think anyone wants to decide on a major as soon as they get to college," Washington says. He continued, "why should they when they're only 17 or 18? 1 had to find myself in college and I had the freedom to fail in a sense; not to fail courses or they'll kick you out, but the freedom to search. I found out what I liked and what I didn't like. I became aware of my own study habits and I eventually found the thing that I loved, and I continue to do that until this day."

In this day and age, money seems to be growing on trees. You can't swing a stick without hitting a brother or sister who is filthy rich, especially in Hollywood. Many of them are in the entertainment industry or in athletics. But without an education, riches make one ripe for disappointment and mismanagement. "How are you going to be able to keep your money, if you don't know how to count it? Yes, the more obvious avenues seem to be basketball, football, rapping and, maybe acting. But those are difficult to maintain over long periods of time. Why not study business? College, it's such a fun time in your life. Don't miss it," said Washington. He mentioned" kids all want to grow up quickly, but that's your last four years to have a blast before the rent is due on a regular basis. I say, study hard and enjoy yourself because it's not easy out here. Even with a college education, it's not easy. It's a little tougher for African Americans. So, we need to understand that and prepare ourselves through education."

The path to properly educating oneself is not rigid like university buildings, nor is it limited, like a textbook with out-of-date theories on quantum physics. It can be found almost anywhere. Anything that is a mystery, or an area of uncertainty, is, in fact, an opportunity to educate oneself. Teachers across the nation have used Malcolm X and Glory, both starring Washington, as teaching aids. The actor's portrayal of a tough, no-nonsense African American in times of racial tension could conceivably be used to that end as well. That film is called Remember The Titans. Washington plays a Black football coach in Alexandria, Vir-ginia, in the 60s who is charged with assembling a multiracial high school football team in a town that was segregated. Based on a true story, the plight of the characters in the Disney produced flick is an example of how education often presents itself as an opportunity, not a chore.