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Why Bruce Lee Is An Icon of Black America

The kung fu legend stood up for himself and taught others to do the same, no matter their skin color

Zaron Burnett III
Humungus
Published in
8 min readJul 1, 2019

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“In memory of a once fluid man crammed and distorted by the classical mess.”

— Bruce Lee’s tombstone (which he designed)

I start each day drinking a glass of water. I don’t like to drink water. I often don’t remember to drink it even though well-meaning people constantly tell me water will give me glowing skin or delay wrinkles or flush my toxins. Those are all good reasons. But not for me. I need little reminders to care for myself, to do small things like drink water. And so, some days, okay, most mornings, I imagine Bruce Lee telling me, “Be water, my friend.”

I know he didn’t mean this literally. But it still helps me to drink water. This is not the main reason I call Bruce Lee an icon of Black America. But it is one reason. It’s like he offers me a saint’s protection. Sometimes from myself.

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Zaron Burnett III
Zaron Burnett III

Written by Zaron Burnett III

writer, story editor, essays & short stories at Medium, and always in the mood for donuts

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