February 2014
n a i l l i v e z n o r B e th
nt Suppleme A newsletter from the An electronic newsletter from the Department of African African American American and and African African Studies Studies Community Extension Extension Center Center Community
Celebrating Black TV By: Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D. Features Pages 1, 3: Celebrating Black TV – Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D. Pages 10-11: Reciprocity, Maat and the Ultimate Purpose of Heritage – Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D.
I
n honor of Black History month this issue of the Bronzevillian Supplement is dedicated to African American television during the coveted weekday prime time slot. From Nat King Cole’s short-lived variety show to the 2013 version of Arsenio Hall, African Americans have excelled in a number of roles and genres. Some of the more memorable characters over the years include Liz McIntyre of Room 222, Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington of Welcome Back Carter, Miss Grant on Fame, and “Hawk” on Spenser for Hire—the list goes on and on. This issue of the Supplement, however pays homage, not to individual characters necessarily, but to those prime time television shows whose main as well as ancillary characters were unquestionably African American.
Pages 12-13: Carter G. Woodson, The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and the Making of Black History Month – Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D. Book Review Pages 6-7: Salt of the Earth: Georgia Boy – Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D. Ads Page 4: Girls Go TechBridge Page 5: Free Health Clinic Page 8: Black History Month Challenge Page 9: The Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Awards Luncheon
While there have been a number of Black television shows that have been a consistent source of entertainment we celebrate one in particular. February 8, 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the debut of Good Times, a thirty minute program about a family of five mired in the harsh realities and chronic poverty of the Windy city. Its characters included the family’s rock, Florida Evans, the caring and nurturing Christian mother who despite the odds always kept the faith; continued on page 3
Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43203-1413
Phone: (614) 292-3922 Fax: (614) 292-3892 http://aaascec.osu.edu aaascec@osu.edu
2 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
of the CEC 12Core Programs 6 T he Ohio State University’s AAAS Community Extension Center is the outreach component of the Department of African American and African Studies. The CEC is one of the few off-campus facilities of its kind in the nation. Originally housed at two different locations on Ohio Avenue, the CEC moved to its current location in 1986. The CEC plays an integral role in enhancing the life chances of those who live in and around the Mount Vernon Avenue Area. Toward that end, the CEC offers an array of programs at no or nominal cost to the public. Programs include, but are not limited to, the following: conferences, symposia, computer classes, credit and noncredit courses, summer programs, lecture series, and film series. People from all walks of life have participated in these programs. Based on evaluations of our programs and personal testimonies, the CEC is having an impact on residents living in and around the Bronzeville Neighborhood.
1 Black Veterans Day Salute During the salute, Black men and women from Ohio who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces are publicly recognized. Since the salute’s inception in 2006, the CEC has honored Vietnam War veterans (2007), Korean War veterans (2008), African-American servicewomen (2009), World War II veterans (2010), Gulf War Era veterans (2011) ,Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans (2012) and Black Civil War Veterans (2013)
2 Ray Miller Institute for Change & Leadership This 10-week long leadership course trains young Black professionals from the Columbus community in various areas of leadership. The Institute was founded in 2006 by former State Senator and Minority Whip Ray Miller. Miller has built a reputation as a strong advocate for those who have historically not had access to power. Admission to the Institute is highly competitive. The Institute is offered during OSU’s autumn and spring semesters with the support of OSU’s Office of Continuing Education. Participants who complete the course receive three CEU credits.
3 Senior Citizens Movie Matinee The movie matinee is a chance for senior citizens to watch a film that otherwise might be cost prohibitive in an accommodating environment. A discussion, usually led by an OSU professor or administrator, is held at the end of the film.
4 Computer Literacy Program Throughout the academic year, the CEC offers free and reduced-cost computer technology courses. The program is geared toward seniors but open to everyone. Courses include the following: Senior Computer Orientation, Internet, Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher.
5 Lecture Series Presentations given by OSU faculty, students and/or community members about topics pertinent to the Black community.
Math and Science Program
The Math and Science Program was established in partnership with the OSU Medical Center in 2003. The Math and Science Program exposes students in grades 4 through 12 to the wonders of math and science using hands-on activities. The purpose of the program is three-fold: 1) To increase competency in math and science among students of color; 2) To expose students of color to math and science related careers; and 3) To encourage students of color to major in math or science. The program meets on the fourth Monday of each month from October to May.
7 Summer Residential Program The Summer Residential Program (SRP) was established in 1999 and is designed to provide students with both an appreciation for and an understanding of African-American and African culture and history. The SRP also helps students strengthen their computer literacy skills. Past themes include: “Entrepreneurship in the Black Community and Economic Freedom” (2013), “The Underground Railroad” (2012), “All Eyez On Me: Deconstructing Images of African-American Women in Hip Hop” (2011), “letz b down: Social Justice Advocacy for Blacks During the American Revolutionary War Era” (2010), “The Low Country: Black Culture, Literacy and History in Charleston, South Carolina” (2009). The program is held every June and is for rising 11th and 12th graders. Students live on OSU’s campus.
8 African Affairs Symposium This one-day symposium brings members of the African American and African communities together to discuss issues of particular interest to Africa. The inaugural symposium in 2007 examined the life of South African civil rights activist Steve Biko. “Africa in the Age of Globalization” was the theme of the 2008 symposium. The 2009 symposium examined the life of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, West Africa. In 2010, the focus was on Pan-Africanism and the Diaspora. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the theme of the 2011 symposium.
9 Summer Enrichment Program This week-long, non-residential day program is designed to help rising 9th and 10th graders improve their reading and writing skills. The program, which was founded in 2009, is hosted annually in June and accepts approximately 15 students.
10 History of Black Columbus Conference This one-day conference celebrates the rich history of African Americans in Columbus and increases awareness of the significant contributions African Americans have made in all areas of city life. This annual conference is held in the spring.
11 Black History Month Forum The forum is in its fourth year and is focused on celebrating African descended peoples from all over the world. This year, documentaries about the following influential Black historical figures were shown: John Henrik Clarke, Kwame Nkrumah, Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, Minister Elijah Muhummad.
12 Enemies of the State The annual event features activists from America’s most notorious radical organizations, people who pressured America to live up to its highest ideals. In past years, activists from The Revolutionary Action Movement (2013), The Us Organization (2012), and the Black Panther Party (2011) were invited to speak.
About Bronzeville During the 1930s, African-American leaders in Columbus named the predominately African-American neighborhood between the boundaries of Woodland Avenue (East), Cleveland Avenue (West), Broad Street (South) and the railroad tracks (North) “Bronzeville.” The population was approximately 40,000 residents. In 1937, the same African-American leaders elected a mayor of Bronzeville and created an eight member Cabinet to address social, political and economic issues in the neighborhood. Now, as a result of the establishment of several Neighborhood Civic Associations such as the Woodland Civic Association (East) and the Discovery District (West), Bronzeville was reduced to its current boundaries: Taylor Avenue (East), Jefferson Avenue (West), Broad Street (South), and I-670 (North). The Bronzevillian is inspired by this rich history.
CEC Advisory Board Paul Cook Wanda Dillard Francisca Figueroa-Jackson Mark S. Froehlich Ray Miller, former State Senator Lupenga Mphande, Ph.D. William E. Nelson, Jr., Ph.D. (Deceased) *Ike Newsum, Ph.D. and Chair Rick Pfeiffer, City Attorney Thomas Simpson, Ph.D. Reita Smith Charleta Tavares, State Senator Nana Watson
CEC Director *Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D.
CEC Staff Sarah Twitty Senior Program Coordinator & Fiscal Officer Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D. Program Coordinator Alecia Shipe Technology Program Coordinator
Address Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43203-1413 *Ex officio members.
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
3
James Evans Sr., the principled and no nonsense father whose legendary whippings according to J.J. could be grouped into three categories—the regular, the super and the BIG MAC. J.J. the couple’s oldest child who also happened to be an artistic genius provided many of the show’s light hearted moments. Then there was the smart and effervescent Thelma, who was also television’s most beautiful woman at the time, and last, but not least Michael, the Militant Midget as his father affectionately called him. In the Evans household God, family and values were omnipresent. Critics of the show point to the of-times clownish antics of J.J aka Kid Dyn-O-mite! but no show tackled more aggressively the hot button topics of the day than Good Times. Teenage pregnancy, religion, education, healthcare, drug addiction, corruption, gang violence and electoral politics were just some of the issues that the Evans family addressed. And while, it seemed that, the Evans family was constantly the victim of hard-luck no television episode of that era was more uplifting than the show’s finale in 1979 when everyone including Willona (an extended family member) finally got the break for which he or she had worked so hard. No American situation comedy was more powerful in its message than Good Times. While we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Good Times below is our list of the top fifteen Black television shows of all time. Only those shows that appeared during prime time and lasted three years or more qualify for inclusion. In no particular order they are:
1)
Julia
2)
Sanford and Son
3)
Good Times
4)
The Jeffersons
5)
What’s Happening
6)
The Cosby Show
7)
A Different World
8)
Roc
9)
The Bernie Mac Show
10)
227
11)
The Flip Wilson Show
12)
Girlfriends
13)
Living Single
14)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
15)
The first Arsenio Hall Show
As our list is subjective, it is sure to provoke some disagreement. We look forward to your comments and seeing lists of your own.
4 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
Girls GO Techbridge
Monday, February 10, 2014, 5:30pm– 7pm Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland has partnered with the OSU African American and African Studies Community Extension Center to offer a four–part programming series entitled Girls GO Techbridge. This programming series will offer registrants an opportunity to participate in a sample of our various Girls GO Techbridge Engineering programs. The Girls GO Techbridge program series encourages participants to have fun while developing the content knowledge, communication and teamwork experience related to careers in science and engineering. The $20 fee covers all supplies for the programming series, and all participants will become members of Girl Scouts. If you would like to decline membership, please indicate in the space provided on the registration form. Financial Assistance is available for those in need. Design Time Work through the engineering design process and get your creative juices flowing with four playful design scenarios. Power it Up Master electricity and circuits through a series of hands-on investigations, with the option to use a soldering iron. Engineers to the Rescue Apply engineering know-how, problem solving skills, and design savvy to navigate your way out of a camping trip gone wrong. Thrillbuilders Explore simple machines all around you in a crazy carnival of your own creation. Women are largely underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, and with exposure to quality programming, encouragement, and role models, the girls we work with may change this trend. Only 30% of students exposed to computer science will pursue STEM careers, 4.6 million girls will need to be exposed to computer science education to fill half of the 1.4 million STEM jobs that will exist in 2020. For additional information including financial assistance please contact Jodi Spencer, Community Development Manager Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council | 1700 WaterMark Drive | Columbus, OH 43215 | 614-487-8101 | gsoh.org
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
FREE HEALTH CLINIC! FREE HEALTH CLINIC!!!! Nursing students and faculty from The Ohio State University, College of Nursing will provide a FREE health CLINIC to community members. Screenings include BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS and BLOOD SUGAR CHECKS. Location: African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, OH 43203 Date:
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Time:
11 am to 2 pm
5
6 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
Salt of the Earth: Georgia Boy By: Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D.
S
alt of the Earth, the autobiography of one of Columbus’ most accomplished African American physicians, is a riveting story of hardship, perseverance, family, triumph, regret, and redemption. A native of Hiram, Georgia; a small town thirty miles outside of Atlanta, Wilburn H. Weddington, Sr., was born during the period known as the roaring twenties on September 21, 1924, right around the time that jazz was sweeping across America and being hailed as “society’s contemporary music.” That year, “Everybody Loves My Baby” and “King Porter Stomp” by Jelly Roll Morton and Ira and George Gershwin’s “The Man I Love” were three of the year’s most popular recordings and dances such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom were all the rage. The book chronicles Weddington’s boyhood years when he, like generations of Blacks before him, worked the land to make ends meet, all the while being short-changed by the towns’ White landowners who set up a wage system that deliberately kept Blacks in debt; to Weddington’s matriculation to Morehouse College; to Howard University Medical School during World War II; and finally to his trek to Columbus, Ohio courtesy of Uncle Sam Weddington’s career has been marked by many firsts, including being the first Black admitted to the Cobb County Medical Society in 1952 to being the first Black faculty member to be promoted to full professor at The Ohio State University School of Medicine in 1991. His list of achievements is extensive and inspiring to anyone who endeavors to excel in his or her field of expertise. One might conclude that Salt of the Earth is the classic Horatio Alger story where a poor little boy, against all odds, pulls himself up by his bootstraps. nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, Weddington infers that without hard work the good fortune that he has enjoyed over the years would not have materialized, yet he makes clear that he was the beneficiary of tremendous mentorship by many, without whom there would have been no Wilburn H. Weddington, MD. He is well aware on whose shoulders he stands. I recommend Salt of the Earth to anyone who is interested in local Columbus history, African American history, and Americana. The photos contained therein add to the lively prose and enable the reader to not only put names to faces, but to get a sense of those whose impact on Weddington’s life was immeasurable. In Salt of the Earth, readers are not only treated to a firsthand account of Black people’s experiences with the peonage system of the Jim Crow South, but ways in which Blacks survived the vitriolic environs of small town Georgia, determined to make a way of out no way. Weddington’s recollections of his and other Black family’s tribulations should not be glossed over, as according to archives at Tuskegee University no state, with the exception of Mississippi, was the site of more lynchings from 1882 to 1968 than Georgia. Indeed the year Weddington was born Walter White published a book in which that subject was featured prominently; The Fire in the Flint, which focused on the career and heinous lynching of an uppity and politically conscious Black physician and veteran of World War I.
Weddington quotes Paul Laurence Dunbar when he says that Blacks wore “a mask” that grinned and lied in order to survive. Weddington’s stories about his days at Morehouse College and Howard University are more light-hearted, but equally compelling as he recalled carrying Dr. W. E. B. DuBois’s attaché case about the AU center and his encounters with Drs. Charles R. Drew and William Montaque Cobb, the renowned physician and physical anthropologist, respectively. Later in the book, Weddington gives readers insight into his personal life as a father, husband, and Christian. These passages are especially poignant and instructive to anyone for whom maintaining a balance between career and family remains a constant struggle.
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
7
Like most books Salt of the Earth is not without its shortcomings. First, Weddington’s brother, Eddie Hugh, is given short shrift; hence the reader does not get a good sense of who he is. I would have liked to have learned more about Hugh and his relationship with his big brother, aside from the fact that, like many other big brothers, Weddington often took up for the younger Hugh, who sometimes may have been the object of an older kids’ harassment. Second, there is a huge gap after the untimely death of Weddington’s first wife. In other words, readers are not afforded the same window into Weddington’s home life after he elects remarry out of which his fourth biological child was born. Up to that point the authors provided painstaking and insightful details of Weddington’s life as husband to Patsy and father to his three children. For whatever reason, Weddington’s life with Carline, his second wide is not accorded the same in-depth treatment. Unless the authors plan to write a second volume that aspect of Weddington’s life will go unchronicled. Third, the co-authors could have offered more on Weddington’s years as a captain at Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus. African Americans who held the rank of captain during the 1950s in any of the four major branches of the U.S. armed forces were, comparatively speaking, few and far between. Therefore, more on that aspect of his life would have been welcomed. Fourth, the book could have benefitted from an index. Fifth, Weddington’s story is one that deserves a broad hearing—something that may or may not be attainable given the publisher’s small reach and lack of notoriety. Tate Publishing, a small, Christian-based publishing house in Mustang, Oklahoma, has neither the name recognition nor the cache as a Simon and Schuster, Basic Books, or Random House for instance—publishers whose circulation are in the thousands and millions. Sixth, autobiographies that are the result of a collaboration, typically list the subject’s name first and the collaborator’s name second. Why this text deviates from that practice is unclear. Despite these shortcomings, readers will find Salt of the Earth an easy and enlightening read about one of the area’s most prominent African American physicians.
8 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
Black History Month Challenge
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
The Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Awards Luncheon
The Department of African American and African Studies and The AAAS Community Extension Center Invite you to attend The Dr. William E. Nelson, Jr. Community Awards Luncheon Wednesday, March 19, 2014 11:30 am – 1:00 pm The Ohio Union Performance Hall 1739 N. High Street Columbus, OH 43210 Individual Tickets: $50 each Register by Friday, March 14, 2014 For questions, please contact Tareya Jefferies at Jefferies.23@osu.edu or 614-688-1837
9
10 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
Reciprocity, Maat and the Ultimate Purpose of Heritage By: Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D. Greetings! In the faithful and dedicated spirit of Carter G. Woodson’s founding of Negro History Week (now Black History Month), we seek to celebrate the educational efforts to advance the legacies of African history, heritage and culture accomplished all over the Diaspora throughout the calendar year, not just in February. To do so requires an applicable method of analysis. And that process calls for reflection; it is a transformative instrument used to examine and evaluate actions performed during past events, situations, and relationships. The purpose of reflection is to identify and select methods carried out during previous experiences that are beneficial to enhancing friendliness, fostering positive social interactions, as well as eliminating practices that stymie individuals from reaching their full potential (including self) for present and future use. This sort of goodwill is needed to facilitate peaceful relations with other people. And, therefore, to do good for others is to do good for oneself. This is called reciprocity. An experience with reciprocity A little more than a year ago, there was an experience with reciprocity that expanded my understanding of heritage and its significance. It was a freezing January afternoon. The temperature was suspended in the high teens, and the forecast indicated that a snowstorm was on its way. At that moment, my concern was that inclement weather would affect the attendance for our scheduled program that evening. The storm started out severe, but waned as nightfall approached. By the time the program began, the storm had changed course, but not without leaving its intemperate flurry on the city. Following the program, audience members departed immediately. To ensure the safety of our patrons, a colleague and I went outside and eventually brushed the snow from our cars. I proceeded to brush the snow from the vehicle of one of the Elders. I informed my colleague of my kind act, and he smiled broadly saying, “That’s not the Elder’s vehicle. This (pointing) is the Elder’s vehicle, which I already brushed off the snow.” I smiled noticing that the two vehicles looked identical and reveled in the delight of helping a stranger in such harsh weather conditions. The following morning, I went outside to start and warm my vehicle as well as brush off the snow before my morning commute to work. To my surprise, I noticed that someone had brushed off the snow from my car. I expressed my gratitude for the kindness and consideration to anyone who was within an earshot. I got into my car, traveled to the office excited about the work I had to accomplish and reflected on the entire experience. Maat and the preservation of life The holidays are behind us now. Whether spiritual, cultural, or religious, they gave us pause from the daily hustle and bustle of the rigorous, and at times, the precarious work-life balancing act. More indispensably, the holidays provided a moment to fellowship with family and friends, as well as reflect on life events, relationships of the past year, and our commitment to improving a more holistic sense of self. With this in mind, the holidays offer us the opportunity to re-examine our spiritual, cultural, religious, or social values and beliefs. For example, a good many people across the globe celebrate Kwanzaa to close out the calendar year and to bring in a new one encircling the Seven Principles of Nguzo Saba: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith). While Kwanzaa is a Pan-African holiday to promote, practice and celebrate individual empowerment and group solidarity, the Nguzo Saba is an African communitarian value systems used to establish and strengthen community development efforts using the seven cultural practices above. Together, they are manifestations of the Kawaida philosophy, which offers a cultural re-education curriculum designed to produce social change. Drawing from historical and contemporary African traditions, Kwanzaa commemorates and observes the fertility of family, community and culture. At the foundation of this cultural holiday is Maat: the spiritual force that guides moral and ethical behaviors. Egyptian scholars such as the late Jacob H. Carruthers, former founder and director of the Kemetic Institute in Chicago, and Maulana Karenga, founder of the Us Organization and chair of the Department of Africana Studies at California State University-Long Beach have written extensively on the subject. Maat, a Kemetic (Egyptian) concept meaning righteousness, encompasses seven fundamental precepts: truth, justice, propriety, harmony, balance, reciprocity and order. Maat is performed on three levels: personal, natural and spiritual. And they are interconnected. Improving oneself strengthens the natural and the spiritual.
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
11
According to Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa, the Maat tradition calls for the pursuit of unity in every aspect of one’s life and moral fiber. In other words, one seeks to establish holistic agreement and connection with other people spiritually, psychologically, socially, culturally and politically in ways that cultivate healthy and prosperous living. In the Introduction of Black Studies, Karenga writes “The Maatian person will strive for rightness in her/his life and relations through right thought, right emotion, right speech and right conduct.” He continues, “And she/he will likewise in this way, constantly work to repair and heal the world, always making it more beautiful and beneficial than it was before. Karenga maintains that Maat imparts a methodology that is instructive and practical. For those who practice Maat, he emphasizes that there is a “moral obligation to raise up and restore that which is in ruins, to repair that which is damaged; to rejoin that which is severed; to replenish that which is lacking; to strengthen that which is weakened; to set right that which is wrong and to make flourish that which is fragile and undeveloped.” Karenga is not only referring to treating each other as we would treat ourselves, he is also articulating clearly the need to preserve and protect African history and heritage as a life form of its own; and this requires critical reflection. Heritage as an instrument for social change Black History Month presents countless occasions to reflect and build on African achievements and contributions made across the Diaspora in particular and world history in general, which occur throughout the calendar year. In February, the presentations and celebrations enlarge the heritage that African descendants are born into and raise awareness of the historical record of their contributions in world history. It affords learners many opportunities to take satisfaction in being true to their identities as individuals and as group, as well as allows them to use the similarities that they have in common with others to increase positive relationships. People are born with an “inherent worthiness” that should be acknowledged, valued, appreciated and respected, despite any differences. And their contributions to mankind deserve the same recognition. Historian John Henrik Clarke articulated appropriately “The ultimate purpose of heritage, and heritage teaching, is to use a people’s talent to develop awareness and a pride in themselves so that they can become a better instrument for living together with other people.” These triumphs, accomplishments and noteworthy attempts to advance African culture demonstrate the value that understanding heritage adds to transformative learning and emancipatory education. It was Sociologist Jack Mezirow who proclaimed in his essay How Critical Reflection Triggers Transformative Learning that we create meaning from our previous experiences and begin shaping interpretations of those same experiences. In turn, we use these interpretations to inform the decisions and actions we make at a given time and situation. Mezirow suggests that “Reflection enables us to correct distortions in our beliefs and errors in problem solving. Critical reflection involves a critique of the presuppositions on which our beliefs have been built.” Engaging this process allows us to analyze past experiences and work toward improving our decision-making and problem-solving in manners leading to actions that enhance social relations. An age old adage contends that learning is not completely achieved until one is able to apply the knowledge and skills that were taught. In Acts 7:22 it is written, “And Moses became learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.” This means that Moses, under the tutelage of the Egyptians, acquired from his instruction both learning to understand and learning to act. Hence, the purpose of any type of education, formal or informal, is not for the sole use of the individual receiving it; instead it is to be shared and exchanged with others. Learning, therefore, empowers and enriches the individual and, by extension, improves the existence of family, community and culture. It is also a tool to assist others to achieve their purpose, to connect with others and to be used for the benefit of improving society. These practices are guided by moral and ethical behavior--the principles of Maat. In the words of Dr. Carruthers, “The social formula for Maat is reciprocity. The creator gives life. Human beings in turn must give that which sustains life, both mental and physical.” And this includes heritage as well. It is our responsibility to nurture and care for heritage like it is our own progeny. It is no wonder that Dr. Clarke declared emphatically “A people’s relationship to heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its mother.” We are obligated to nurture, provide for, protect, and serve as models of inspirations for our heritage in word and action. Happy Black History Month!
12 the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014 Carter G. Woodson, The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and the Making of Black History Month By: Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D. Of Black historians Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the second African American to earn a PhD at Harvard University, is perhaps the most widely recognized name among this generation of young Black college and non-college goers. His book The Mis-Education of the Negro is as popular today, perhaps even more so, that it was eighty years ago when it was initially published. I submit that no text written by a Black scholar over the past one hundred years (save for Cornel West’s Race Matters) has been made more accessible to the wider Black community than this particular polemic. On occasion artists, athletes, educators and other commentators will reference it when describing modern day affairs both here and abroad. Lauryn Hill was so taken with the work that a modified version of its title is emblazoned across her 1998 debut solo album. The prose in which The Mis-Education of the Negro is written; to say nothing of the message contained therein is devoid of the jargon commonly associated with academic authors. From 1915 to 1942 Woodson published twenty two books, nearly all of which were more intellectually rigorous than The Mis-Education of the Negro, but none more incisive and poignant. Having said that, his 1916 journal article The Beginnings of the Miscegenation of the Whites and Blacks is also a must read. As celebrated as Woodson has become over the years, his standing as an institution builder and human rights activist sometimes goes under-acknowledged. He founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (later the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History), which included an annual academic convention as well as the Journal of Negro History. These creations afforded Black scholars, academics and activists a venue in which to present their papers and publish their scholarly articles that may have otherwise lay in obscurity. Few of the White academic associations such as the American Historical Association or the American Political Science Association was likely to extend an invitation to Black scholars whose work documented the accomplishments of Black people throughout the world. No African American is more responsible for the promotion of Black history, then or now, than Woodson. His no-nonsense demeanor, willingness to mentor, relentless work ethic and high expectations are well-documented. In 1984, in honor of the scholar-activist, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Woodson stamp as part of its Black Heritage Series. In 2001, the Carter G. Woodson House was placed on the National Trust for Historical Preservation list of Most Endangered Places in the U.S. Woodson is considered the Father of Black History and is credited with being the founder of Negro History Week, which later became Black History Month. In Dusk of Dawn, published in 1940, Dr. W.E.B. DuBois proclaimed Negro History Week as the greatest single accomplishment to emerge from the Black artistic movement of the 1920s. Historian Rayford Logan commented that Negro History Week helped Blacks overcome their inferiority complex and instilled in them tremendous racial pride. The accolades that Woodson received from his contemporaries over the years, have to some extent, overshadowed the true history of Negro History Week and may have inadvertently resulted in a bit of revisionist history. Woodson is the Father of Black History, but he is not the “founder” of Negro History Week per se. That distinction, technically, belongs to The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc (see Herman Dreer, The History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, 1911 to 1939. Washington, DC, 1940). Early in the fraternity’s history a meeting was convened to discuss the Fraternity’s “field of emphasis” as it were. At this meeting sat several Omega luminaries including the revered Colonel Charles Young, a West Point graduate, Garnet C. Wilkinson , Woodson and John H. Burnell who actually suggested a program that stressed Negro history. Burnell admitted that the idea came to him upon hearing a stirring address delivered by Woodson, at the Fraternity’s Ninth Annual Conclave held in 1920 in an auditorium at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Woodson was at the time, Dean of West Virginia Institute. In his remarks Woodson “urged the college man to give less attention to social affairs and devote more time to the study of Negro life . . . such knowledge he maintained, would produce an increase in the number of competent Negro leaders and would inspire race pride in the masses as a whole.” Suffice to say Burnell’s recommendation was “instantly approved”; hence in 1921 The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. initiated a program called Negro History and Literature Week to be held in April of every year. The program was hugely popular on Black college campuses across America. When Woodson completed his deanship at West Virginia Institute the Fraternity placed the program under his guidance. As its director, Woodson believed he could capitalize on the intellectual and artistic furor that surrounded the Harlem Renaissance. In 1925, with the fraternity’s blessing, Woodson modified the name from Negro History and Literature Week to Negro History Week. He then switched the
the Bronzevillian Supplement February 2014
13
celebratory month from April to February to commemorate the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Today, Black History Month (as it has grown into since the late 1970s) is celebrated by millions of people around the world. To be sure, Woodson deserves credit for taking what began as Negro History and Literature Week; and under the purview of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc transformed it into an internationally recognized phenomenon. This is a history--that while may not be widely known-- is nevertheless well chronicled in the annals of Omega lore.