Opportunities

For two years (Fall 1975 through Spring 1977), I had the privilege of being a student of Jerry Coker at Duke University. He began his professional career as a saxophonist with the Woody Herman band in the mid-1950s. While he was a doctoral student at Indiana University he led the Indiana University Jazz Ensemble on a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour in the spring and summer of 1966. He then founded the jazz program at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. After he left Duke, he founded the jazz program at the University of Tennessee. He passed away last year at the age of 91.

When Jerry was about to leave IU in 1966, the Dean asked him who he would recommend as a replacement. Jerry quietly said, “David Baker.” The question came up repeatedly. His answer remained the same. “David Baker.” Patti Coker told me Jerry became convinced that if he had mentioned any white man for the position, the Dean would have chosen him. To Jerry’s credit, he never wavered. David Baker joined the faculty in 1966, and the rest is history.

I wonder how many times the recommendation of a white man has made the difference for a person of color. Louis Armstrong, Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, and Jackie Robinson all had influential white men on their side. While the abilities of these gentlemen should have spoken louder than words, if someone does not speak up on behalf of the most qualified people, they will not be selected. We all need someone to put in a good word for us now and then. The problem is a “legacy” of white (most often male) preference has been the rule. From Ivy League colleges to corporate boardrooms, the presence of white males has been self-perpetuating. The IU Dean’s tacet expectation is but one example.

Here’s another. When I was looking for a summer job in 1974, my dad called a friend of his, the plant manager at a neighboring company, to ask if they had any openings. I got a summer job on the “Bull Gang” at J&L Steel. Everyone on the Bull Gang was – you guessed it – white. As was management, and perhaps nearly all the regular employees. It seemed innocent to me at the time. After all, people tend to look no further than those they know. Later, I realized that just making connections with “those we know,” leaves out a lot of other possibilities. I now cringe when I hear someone say, “I just don’t think he or she would be a good fit.” How can we know unless they have the chance?

We had affirmative action and more recently, DEI programs, to make sure underrepresented groups have opportunities. These initiatives are attempts to answer the question, “What if the best man for the job is actually a woman, or a person who would not have had a chance given the usual patterns of thought?” There is no benefit in disregarding merit. If Jerry Coker had disregarded merit, IU students would not have benefitted from one of the finest Jazz Educators of all time. David Baker would not have been considered without Jerry’s persistence.

Perhaps the unspoken notion that white men are inherently superior is the most troubling. Some have argued that preference has been given to women and minority candidates even when they were clearly unqualified. Others have accused DEI programs of imposing quotas rather than setting goals. I know from 38 years in higher education that the goal of having the student body more closely resemble the demographics of the country was elusive, to say the least. I can also say that there are outstanding students with all sorts of backgrounds. It’s simply not true that only certain groups are capable or talented.

I’m sure DEI programs have had difficulties and I’m sure there has been a lot of confusion about what they do or aim to do. Nevertheless, the general concept of making sure all kinds of people are considered – especially those who have merit but might otherwise be overlooked – can only strengthen an organization. Handing out positions to white men has often turned out to be the opposite of a merit-based process. After all, it’s not as if there have been no problems of any kind under all-white-male leadership! I’m thinking of the myriad times when the inner circle has been white males only, and the results were enslavement, bankruptcy, corruption, economic collapse, inquisition, famine, war, or genocide. The old boy network has been responsible for some of the greatest failures in history. It seems to me it wouldn’t hurt to give others a chance.