“When the Rules Are Public, We Win”: Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Brilliance of Black Excellence

In a powerful Instagram Reel shared by @herbntou, civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson shares a truth that speaks directly to the Black experience in America:

“When the playing field is even and the rules are public, we win.”

It’s a simple line with profound meaning. For generations, Black people have been forced to navigate systems with shifting standards, moving goalposts, and unspoken expectations. This quote dismantles the myth that success is out of reach due to lack of talent or discipline. It flips the narrative. The issue was never about ability—it was about access, transparency, and fairness.

The Power of Clear Rules

Jackson’s words remind us that Black excellence is not a surprise—it’s the result of opportunity. When the expectations are the same for everyone, and those expectations are out in the open, Black folks show up and show out.

The real problem isn’t a lack of intelligence, creativity, or drive—it’s that too many systems were built to exclude us, quietly or blatantly. But when those systems are forced into the light—when the rules become public, enforced equally, and measured fairly—we excel. And the world takes notice.

Let’s take a look at where this has happened, and what we can learn from it.

1. Education: Talent Meets Opportunity

Education has long been a site of struggle and brilliance for Black communities. When the rules are murky—when Black schools are underfunded, teachers are biased, or standardized tests are culturally loaded—it’s easy to label students as underperforming. But when the playing field is even, brilliance emerges.

Take Zaila Avant-garde, the first African-American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021. That competition has one dictionary, one mic, one bell. The rules don’t change based on who you are. Zaila didn’t just win—she captivated the country. Her victory wasn’t an anomaly. It was a reminder of what happens when access meets talent.

The same goes for competitive debate. In 2014, an all-Black team from Emporia State University won the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) National Championship. Their style—rooted in spoken word and hip-hop—disrupted expectations but followed the rules. They beat the best in the country, not by bending the rules, but by mastering them and making space for their voice within them.

When rules are clear and fair, Black students don’t just meet the standard—they redefine it.

2. Sports: The Original Meritocracy

Sports are one of the few arenas where the rules are visible and the outcomes are hard to manipulate. You either score or you don’t. You win or you lose. The clock, the scoreboard, the finish line—they don’t lie.

This is why Black excellence is so visible in sports. The systems, at least on the surface, allow talent to speak. And what have we seen?

• Serena Williams didn’t just succeed in tennis—she rewrote what dominance looks like.

• Simone Biles took gymnastics to new heights, performing skills so advanced that judges had to update scoring models to catch up.

• LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant aren’t just icons of Black greatness—they’re icons of greatness, period.

We didn’t ask for special treatment. We just asked for the rules to apply equally. And when they did, we took over.

3. Business: Breaking Barriers, Building Empires

In entrepreneurship, Black success is often overlooked, but it tells the same story. When gatekeeping gives way to access, Black innovation takes off.

Madam C.J. Walker, in the early 1900s, became America’s first self-made female millionaire by building a beauty empire. She did it with vision, grit, and a deep understanding of her community’s needs—at a time when Black women were locked out of traditional markets.

Today, Black-owned businesses are carving out their space:

• Slutty Vegan turned plant-based food into a nationwide movement.

• Blavity became a media powerhouse by speaking directly to Black millennial audiences.

• Partake Foods, started by a mom of a child with food allergies, now sits on shelves nationwide with allergen-free, Black-founded products.

And in the tech world, where platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram level the playing field (at least somewhat), Black creators often set the cultural agenda. Think dance trends, fashion, language—when the algorithm doesn’t suppress and the tools are accessible, creativity takes over.

4. Justice: A System Where Rules Aren’t Equal

If you want to see what happens when the rules aren’t public, just look at the criminal justice system.

Black people are policed more heavily, charged more often, sentenced more harshly, and offered fewer opportunities for diversion or rehabilitation than their white counterparts. The so-called “rules” are vague, selectively enforced, or applied differently based on race.

This system doesn’t reflect the idea of equal rules—it reflects punishment without transparency. And it’s a reminder that where fairness is absent, outcomes will always be unjust.

This Is What Equity Work Requires

If we want real change—lasting, measurable, meaningful change—we need to:

• Make rules public and clear.

• Enforce them fairly.

• Remove hidden barriers.

• Hold systems accountable.

Whether it’s a classroom, a boardroom, a courtroom, or a creative platform, when expectations are the same for everyone, Black people don’t need a handout—we just need a fair shot.

We’ve proven it time and time again: When the rules are public, we win.

The Work Ahead

Reverend Jackson’s message is a call to action. It urges educators, employers, policymakers, and community leaders to rethink how they structure opportunity. It reminds us that brilliance isn’t rare in Black communities—it’s often just waiting for the right conditions to thrive.

Black excellence doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It’s been here, often surviving in spite of barriers. When fairness becomes the norm, that excellence becomes undeniable.

So let’s stop asking if we’re capable. Let’s ask if the systems we’re in are built to be fair.

Because when they are—we don’t just compete.

We win.

Photo by Oladimeji Odunsi on Unsplash