January 2013
n a i l l i v e z n o r B e th Why the Supplement? Welcome to the Bronzevillian Supplement, the electronic version of the Community Extension Center’s newsletter. As you know, The Bronzevillian has been published annually since it was founded in 2010. The paper is not only comprised of news regarding events, programming and activities that occur at the Community Extension Center; it also raises awareness about issues citywide, regionally as well as nationally that may be of interest to Africandescended peoples specifically and citizens of the world generally. While we would like to publish The Bronzevillian on a regular basis, doing so would be cost prohibitive. Hence, the reason for The Bronzevillian Supplement, a handsome and sorely needed addition to The Bronzevillian; and one that will enable the CEC’s staff to inform the populace not only about the goings-on at the CEC, but about matters that merit both timely exposure and discussion.
nt Suppleme A newsletter from the
An electronic newsletter from the Department of African African American American and and African African Studies Studies Community Community Extension Extension Center Center
A New Addition to the Team
Dr. Kevin L. Brooks is a Program Coordinator for the Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center. Brooks comes to the Community Extension Center from Paine College in Augusta, Georgia where he was an Assistant Professor in the College of Education for two years. Brooks earned his doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Purdue University; a master’s degree in Health and Kinesiology at the same institution and a B.A. in journalism from Florida A&M University. Brooks began his collegiate studies at the University of Cincinnati where he was a member of the football team. Upon realizing that the NFL was not in his future Brooks transferred to a more hospitable learning environment and committed himself to his studies. Brooks boasts a variety of administrative
Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43203-1413
experiences in higher education, especially in the areas of recruitment and retention, youth programming, experiential education, and organizing multicultural and intercultural programming and events. A native of Cincinnati, Brooks is happy to be close to home and overjoyed about having the opportunity “to implement programs that will have such a tremendous impact on people’s lives.” Brooks’ research areas include curriculum studies, cultural studies in education, health/wellness studies, and Black/Africana Studies. His scholarly interests examine curriculum theory, critical social theory, and cultural pedagogy in relation to holistic wellness development, socio-cultural aspects of play, media representations of the human body, the education of African American students, and the relationship between African American athletes and the sports industry. Phone: (614) 292-3922 Fax: (614) 292-3892 http://aaascec.osu.edu aaascec@osu.edu
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About Bronzeville
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 the Tuskegee Airmen (2006), Vietnam War veterans (2007), Korean War veterans (2008), African-American servicewomen (2009), World War II veterans (2010), Gulf War Era veterans (2011) and Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans (2012).
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: “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), and “Hip Hop Literacies” (2008). 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 third year and is focused on celebrating African descended peoples from all over the world. Last year, documentaries about the following four influential Black historical figures were shown: Toussaint L’ouverture, Julius Nyerere, Ella Baker, and Marcus Garvey.
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 Us Organization (2012), The Black Panther Party (2011) and the Young Lords Organization (2010) were invited to speak.
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 70,000 residents. In 1936, 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. *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.
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Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Award Luncheon By: Kevin L. Brooks, PhD n October 4, 2012 the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center held the first Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Award Luncheon at the Gateway Health and Wellness Center. Mr. Jason Frazer of 10TV News was the emcee for the event and Dr. Michael R. Bean, Senior Pastor, St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church gave the invocation. One of the program’s seminal moments came when two students, both of whom graduated from the CEC’s Summer Enrichment and Summer Residential Programs talked about the impact that the programs had on their lives. More than 100 people attended the event; some of whom travelled as far as Atlanta and Memphis, Tennessee. A fundraiser for the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center, the luncheon highlighted the work, both on campus as well as in the community done of Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. who retired from The Ohio State University in 2009 as professor emeritus, an honor bestowed upon only those professors that have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.
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Luncheon Attendees: Mrs. Carol Hector Harris and Mrs. Ann Boston Walker
Ani Mwalimu, former Summer Residential Program attendee
Dr. Nelson is renowned in Africana Studies as well as political science, the field in which he earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois. He has served as president of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists as well as the National Council for Black Studies and was instrumental in building the (then) Department of Black Studies at The Ohio State University. Few scholars in the country of any race has been as widely recognized in the community as they have been on a college campus as Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. His students have gone on to lead successful lives in academia, politics, secondary education and a variety of other fields. On the day of the luncheon three Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Awards were given out to individuals whose work has left an indelible imprint on the lives of African descended peoples. Awards were given for exemplary work in the areas of business, education and community organizing. The awardees were Mr. Steve Davis, CEO and Chairman of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., Mrs. Martha Hal, longtime teacher and administrator in the Columbus Public Schools who currently serves as the Vice-Principal at Columbus Africentric Early College High School and Mr. Willis E. Brown, president of the Bronzeville Neighborhood Association and teacher at Bexley Middle School. Rev. Joel King closed out the luncheon with a benediction. The Dr. William E. Nelson Jr. Community Warrior Award Luncheon is part of a larger effort to take the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center and by extension, the Dept. of African American and African Studies to the next level.
Bottom (L-R) Parents of Dr. William E. Nelson Jr., Dr. William E. Nelson Jr., Mrs. Della Nelson Top (L-R) Steve Davis, chairman and CEO, Bob Evans Farms, Inc., Martha Hal, Assistant Principal, Columbus Africentric School, Willis Brown, president, Bronzeville Neighborhood Association
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ESPN’s Rob Parker on RG III By: Judson L. Jeffries, PhD
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ecently ESPN declined to renew Rob Parker’s contract because of comments he made on the show First Take about Washington Redskins Quarterback Robert Griffin III (aka RG III). Regarding RG III Parker asked, is Griffin a Brother or is he a Cornball Brother? Cornball Brother I blurted out; what in the world is a Cornball Brother I called out to no one in particular--sounds like something one might find at the Ohio State Fair I shouted throughout the house. I can actually visualize them I laughed, positioned right alongside the ever-popular elephant ears. May I have a Cornball Brother please? No, not the one with the white powdered sugar, but the one to the left, yeah that one--the one with the Red, Black and Green sprinkles. Cari Champion, the host of First Take asked Parker to explain what he meant by Cornball Brother. Parker went on to disclose that RG III has a white girlfriend and it was rumored that he may be a Republican, leading Parker to wonder if Griffin is “down for the cause” as he put it. Skip Bayless then chimed in and posed an equally comical question, prompting more laughter from me: “what do RG III’s braids mean to you?” The fact that RG III wears locks and not braids made Bayless’ question all the more humorous. (Flashback: for those of you who attended college in the mid to late 1980s; remember when some students strolled around campus in a t-shirt that read “It’s a Black thing you wouldn’t understand?” Well, that’s what I thought of upon hearing Bayless’ un-insightful question.) Parker’s response to Bayless was equally silly: “if a Black guy wears braids I would say he’s a Brother.” By now, I’m on the floor, laughing uncontrollably, as perhaps the most dynamic and innovative sports news show of my generation has descended into something resembling a slap-stick comedy. The idea that one’s hairstyle is perhaps an indication of one’s level of social consciousness is well . . . fallacious. At any rate, here is what I believe Parker was trying to say. RG III is an African American who plays arguably the most important position in pro football. Not too long ago African Americans were precluded from playing quarterback in the National Football League. Why, because of wholesale
racism, nothing more. Despite the fact that scores of African Americans successfully played the position in high school as well as college, most NFL executives were not open to the idea of having their team led by an African American quarterback. Indeed it wasn’t until 1978 that an African American quarterback was selected in the first round of the NFL draft; that was Doug Williams. More than twenty years passed before another African American quarterback (Daunte Culpepper) was taken in the first round of the draft. While the numbers of African American quarterbacks have increased over the years, there has been no avalanche. Warren Moon, the only African American quarterback to be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame was forced to play in the Canadian Football League upon graduating from the University of Washington in the late 1970s. Only after playing six years in the CFL and winning multiple Grey Cups was he deemed NFL worthy. What Parker was trying to say, I believe, is that there is a trail blazed by people like Williams, Moon, James Harris, Joe “Jefferson Street” Gilliam, Marlon Briscoe and others from which Griffin has benefitted greatly. Parker wants to know if Griffin understands the historical trials and tribulations incurred by the Black quarterback. In Doug Williams’ cleverly titled 1990 autobiography QuarterBlack he makes clear that he understood the importance of performing well, not just for himself, but for those who would follow in later years. In other words, he understood that his failure would give NFL executives a convenient excuse to dismiss the idea of drafting a Black quarterback, let alone playing one. Parker wants to know if this history is something of which Griffin is aware; a reasonable question. Parker, like many students of history recognizes that, with knowing this history, comes an obligation. Some African Americans who have benefited from the struggles of others not only are unaware of the history, but are seemingly disinterested; and it crudely manifests in their behavior. Conversely those who study the pioneering contributions made by their predecessors are more likely to honor that legacy by doing for their successors what was done for them. Rob Parker wants to know which of these descriptions best characterizes RG III; a reasonable question, but one that could have been crafted with more care.
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Honoring Our Own: The 7th Annual Black Veterans Day Salute By: John B. Williams udos to The Ohio State University Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center for putting together the 7th Annual Black Veterans Day Salute honoring African American Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom on Saturday, November 10, 2012. Easily the most uplifting and moving veterans day event I’ve ever had the pleasure of partaking, the Black Veterans Day Salute is a can’t miss affair. I know of no other event like this in Ohio; more than ninety people were in attendance including family members and friends of the honorees. The program appears so popular and highly thought of that the King Arts Complex has even recently begun honoring African American Veterans. You know what they say . . . the greatest form of flattery is imitation.
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Mr. Sam Gresham, a former Marine and former CEO and President of the Urban League for twenty years, was the moderator for the panel. His insightful and penetrating questions sparked a great deal of lively discussion, on the part of both the panelists and members of the audience. The panel consisted of: MSGT Redd R. J. Branner, U.S. Air Force; CPT Tiffany A. Cullens, U.S. Army; SSGT Andrea Denise Fitzgerald, U.S. Marine Corps; MSG Cornelius McGrady III, Army Reserve; Airman Ruth Nzimiro, U.S. Navy and SGT Nykita L. Riley, Ohio National Guard & U.S. Army. The panelists spoke of how far blacks have advanced in the military, but still taking special care to note the ever presence of racism in the U.S. military. Each panelist extolled military branches as career-options for persons not having college or career-aspirations already... which might be good advice given the supposed fiscal cliff in this country. At the conclusion of the panel the audience was invited to ask questions. After the 20 minute question and answer session, it was time for the presentation of certificates. In a scene reminiscent of the movie An Officer and a Gentleman all of the honorees, including those who served on the panel as well as those sitting in the audience approached the dais when their names were barked out by Dr. Jeffries; at which point they were handed a certificate of appreciation by Senator Tavares as members of the audience snapped pictures with cameras, cell phones and digital cameras. The afternoon concluded with a robust buffet lunch and a tremendous amount of fellowship. The Black Veterans Day Salute is one of many programs offered at the Community Extension Center under the directorship of Dr. Judson L. Jeffries, but it is without a doubt the program I like best.
Honorees of the 7th Annual Black Veterans Day Salute Over the past six years the Community Extension Center has honored a different group of veterans: in 2011, service men and women of the Gulf war Era were honored; 2010 were World War II Veterans (including me, an old Buffalo Solider); Korean War veterans in 2009; Black servicewomen in 2008, Vietnam Veterans were honored in 2007, and the Tuskegee Airmen, which also happened to be the sixty fifth anniversary of the unit’s founding were honored in 2006. State Senator Charleta Tavares, 15th District, gave the opening remarks. Tavares’ stirring comments spoke of the contributions and sacrifices made by Black servicemen and women: and the importance of preserving and documenting this local history. Dr. Bruce Tyler, an Associate Professor of History at the University of Louisville was the event’s keynote speaker. In Tyler’s thirty five minute power point presentation he touched on several historical facts that many in the audience presumably did not know such as the numbers of Black women who served in the Gulf War as well as the number of high ranking Black officers who occupied important leadership posts regarding the war effort. Following the keynote speech several veterans, both male and female, were invited to take their place on the panel where each spent the next five or so minutes talking about their experience in their respective branches.
John B. Williams and COL. Jonathan Bailey Sr., US Army John B. Williams is a member of the Council of Elders and a regular contributor to the Call and Post newspaper. Williams served in the U.S. Army as a member of the famed Buffalo soldiers. After leaving the Army, Mr. Williams earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from The Ohio State University. He also worked for the United States Postal Service for nearly forty years.
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Film Review Mugabe: Villain or Hero? By: Ama Biney, PhD orn to Ghanaian parents in Britain, Roy Agyemang, director of a new film on Robert Gabriel Mugabe, entitled ‘Mugabe: Villain or Hero?’ intended to make this film in three months but instead took three years making it (from 2007-2010). Its debut was at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London on 15 December 2012. The end product is much welcomed as it has been necessary to counter the demonization that has surrounded Mugabe who has fallen from grace in western eyes. Agyemang shows how Mugabe was lauded and feted by Western leaders until 2000. Accolades and numerous honorary degrees were bestowed on Uncle Bob. Even a knighthood from the British Queen was awarded in 1994. SETTING THE HISTORICAL RECORD STRAIGHT Yet in 2000 European leaders and America turned against Mugabe when he sought to resolve land issue by introducing a land democratisation programme. In their imperial role as a former British colony, the British were most vitriolic in their attacks and dictates and they sided with the 4000 white Zimbabweans in the country who had control of 80% of the best land. Perennially duplicitous, the British renegaded on the Lancaster House Agreement of 1980 which clearly stated that for a period of ten years the ZANU government would postpone the land reform programme and Britain would provide millions of pounds to assist in the land reform process. As the film points out, Mugabe honoured the Lancaster House Agreement not to touch land reform for ten years. It was under the Labour government of Tony Blair that matters escalated. This was a government that some grossly mis-perceived at the time to be Left wing and were optimistic that domestic and foreign policies would be of a Left wing orientation. That the film points to the letter of Clare Short, then Secretary of State for International Development, in an attempt to set the historical record straight, is laudable as it is a powerful indictment of the amnesia of British imperialism. BRITISH ARROGANCE It should be pointed out this letter came in the wake of the volcanic eruption in the Overseas Dependent Territory of Montserrat in July 1997 and Short not only refused to visit the island but in response from pleas for aid, Short said ‘they will be wanting golden elephants next.’ On 5 November 1997, Short audaciously and patronisingly proclaimed in a letter to the ZANU government: .
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‘I should make it clear that we do not accept that Britain has a special responsibility to meet the costs of land purchase in Zimbabwe. We are a new
Government from diverse backgrounds without links to former colonial interests. My own origins are Irish and as you know we were colonised not coloniers.’ [emphasis mine] Furthermore, in her letter, she stated: ‘We do, however, recognise the very real issues you face over land reform. We believe that land reform could be an important component of a Zimbabwean programme designed to eliminate poverty. We would be prepared to support a programme of land reform that was part of a poverty eradication strategy but not on any other basis.’[emphasis mine] In short, the Blair government, and subsequent British governments as well as other European governments have imposed sanctions on Mugabe despite the British government failing to honour the Lancaster House Agreement. Yet it was the British who lauded themselves for ‘gentlemen’s agreements’. British governments have also continued to impose sanctions even though the opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have entered into a power sharing government with the ZANU-PF since the 2008 elections. The double standards of the British government and the West in general is the strongest point made in the film as well as the point that land reform has involved 350,000 rural families. However, a stronger case and details of the time span of this reform could have been made. It would also have been interesting to have exposed how many white Zimbabweans remain in the country and continue to possess land, and how much land remains in their hands since the entire controversy over the ‘land question’ arose since 2000. MUGABE’S NATIONALISM WINS APPLAUSE A positive of the film is that it was financed by Neville Hendricks, who runs a production company called UTR Films. If it had not been for Hendricks perhaps the film may never have been made or the efforts to do so would have been greater. Therefore, more people of African descent and continental African businessmen such as Hendricks are to be commended for putting their money into films about our history and issues, even when we disagree about how that history is selectively presented or mis-represented. For ‘only when lions have historians will hunters cease being heroes’. Another positive, is that the film is an entry point as a film for a younger generation of Africans both in the Diaspora and on the continent seeking to understand the vilification of Mugabe. This point was made by young Africans in the audience in the question and answer discussion after the film. Equally strong in the film is Mugabe’s nationalism. That ZANU-PF has ensured that 51% of shareholding in all Zimbabwean companies remains in Continued on page 7
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Film Review Mugabe: Villain or Hero? cont. the hands of Zimbabweans is staunchly supported by not only Zimbabweans but many other Africans. As Mugabe says in the film, ‘Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans. It cannot be for the British, it cannot be for the Americans, if you want to be friends with us, fine. You stand there and I stand here, we shake hands but remember, the gold in my country is mine.’ In response to Mugabe’s economic nationalism the audience gave a rousing applause. Agyemang and his Zimbabwean ‘fixer’ and colleague by the name of Gari, show in the film that they acquired their accreditation to film and follow Mugabe around the country and on his international engagements. However, despite this accreditation Mugabe’s lieutenants remained wary of the two and play a game of keeping them at arm’s length from the President. When they did finally get to interview Mugabe, a fuller range of critical questions failed to be asked. LACKING IN NUANCES ‘Mugabe: Villain or Hero?’ is a film very much lacking in nuances, complexities and critical questions other than ‘the land question’. Among the criticisms is a simplistic dichotomous representation of an African leader as either villain on hero. In fact, in the film Agyemang poses rhetorically ‘what will Mugabe’s future legacy be?’ The reality is that his legacy will be a highly contested one (very much like that of Kwame Nkrumah and other continental leaders). Yet, my disquiet concerns the failure to ask some uncomfortable questions to Mugabe when the hour struck. Among them would have been: after 32 years why has a successor not been anointed and a handover taken place? Surely a ‘revolutionary party’ and government committed to the longevity of a revolution should have groomed a successor by now? To what extent should we judge political leaders and parties by not only their economic programmes but their ability to conduct a smooth transition of leadership of the top man (or woman, as rare at it is for a woman to become head of state among 54 African states)? Surely in a country of 12.7 million a competent political leader can be found to replace an incumbent? In short, in my view, Robert Mugabe has made a significant contribution to the national liberation struggle up to a particular historical juncture and should have stepped down much earlier in the footsteps of his counterparts Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and Nelson Mandela in South Africa. His place in the revolutionary pantheon of African leaders is tarnished by his commitment to ‘stayism’ i.e. staying in power to the ripe age of 88 alongside his ruthlessness in dealing with his opponents during the 19811987 Gurkurahundi suppression of dissidents in the Ndebele regions of the country and towards other oppositional forces. It is interesting that the film fleetingly revealed that elements both within the military and ZANU-PF want Mugabe to step down, yet did not explore this further. During the question and answer session chaired by ebullient director and presenter of Colourful Radio, Henry Bonsu, I asked why the filmmaker did not address the problematic longevity of Mugabe’s rule. A perfunctory response was that the people of Zimbabwe had voted for Mugabe. Baffour Ankomah, editor of New African magazine who has interviewed Mugabe on numerous occasions, said that he could reveal a ‘secret’ that Mugabe was being pressured to stay by elements within ZANU-PF. My minority opinion on the unjustifiable 32 years of a single leader were unpopular and were quickly dismissed in the adulation of the film with only one further criticism coming
from the audience. Back in 2008 when the Zimbabwe elections took place amidst Western mudslinging against Mugabe, the late Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, formerly Deputy Director of the Millennium Development Campaign, was a critic of not only Mugabe but other long-distance runner leaders in Africa such as Muammar Gadhafi, Yoweri Museveni, Paul Biya, Meles Zenawi and many others. Abdul-Raheem succinctly addressed why Mugabe has been uncritically defended by Africans living in the beast of the belly. He wrote in relation to Zimbabwe and Mugabe: ‘Unfortunately for Africa when one of us fails it is blamed on all of us. No one will blame Americans and other westerners for all the atrocities of George Bush. No one will even blame Brown for Blair’s evil fraternity with Bush, and other Europeans will quickly wash their hands clean of him. Yet these same people use Zimbabwe and Mugabe to beat our heads all the time. Consequently many Africans, whether presidents or peasants, have become defensive about the situation… It is high time we are more proactive in saying to the old man: thanks for the land but enough is enough of your personal rule’. In addition, Africans in the Diaspora need to rid themselves of the conditioned unconscious knee-jerk reaction of embracing in blind and unquestioning solidarity anyone attacked by the West and thereafter catapulted into an African nationalist and anti-imperialist hero or heroine. It is analogous to the syndrome of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’. Such reactions were particularly acute during the time Gordon Brown was in office and Brown maintained the bullish stance of his predecessor. As Abdul-Raheem contends: ‘There is nothing revolutionary in perpetuating personal rule in the name of liberation.’ INVISIBILITY OF FEMALE COMMENTATORS Another glaring omission in the film was the gender narrative. One political commentator in the film crudely commented that the land question in Zimbabwe emerged when Europeans came to Zimbabwe without visas and passports and occupied the land on the premise that Africans were not using the land. To paraphrase the commentator who conceded he was going to be vulgar, he said: imagine if you have a beautiful wife and I came to you as a man and say you don’t know how to screw her and ‘I will screw her for you’ – what would be your reaction? Whilst Africa is often referred to in popular culture as ‘mother Africa’; and the land is symbolically associated with fertility, as well as considered a legal possession (whether communal or individual), on an ideological level, a woman is also accepted as a male possession in patriarchal African societies. This offensive sexual analogy legitimises phallocratic indulgence. When this analogy is made in seeming jest to make an argument, such depictions of women legitimise patriarchal attitudes towards women i.e. that they are pos sessions of men; that they lack a voice, agency and rights. Continued on page 10
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What’s all This Malarkey About Obama Owing Bill Clinton? By: Judson L. Jeffries, PhD ince Obama was re-elected, much has been written about Bill Clinton rescuing his presidency. One commentator submitted “Obama owes Clinton, Big Time.” It’s true that Clinton delivered a whale of a speech at the Democratic National Convention, passionately and eloquently making the case for a second term. The speech appealed to a wide swath of the
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electorate: from laypersons to intellectuals, welloff voters to working class voters, straight voters to gay voters, and young to old voters. There was something for everyone. If his address had been a movie, it would have been rated G. Some have reasoned that Clinton’s speech jump-started Obama’s re-election campaign, and in the process seamlessly handed over to his Democratic successor what political pundits have long dubbed Clinton Democrats. Analysts claim that Clinton Democrats have anguished over an America that has become increasingly rightwing since the election of George W. Bush, prompting some to wash their hands of the Party, preferring instead to self-identify as Independents. Clinton’s treatise supposedly brought Clinton Democrats back into the fold. Prior to his remarks, it was reported that some Clinton Democrats were reticent about the prospect of backing Obama a second time, because his first term left them wanting. At the Convention, however, the erudite, yet folksy Clinton convinced his loyalists to throw the full weight of their support behind Obama. Despite Clinton’s foibles, he is still widely considered the Democratic Party’s shrewdest operator and the face of the franchise (to use a sports metaphor). Clinton’s name is frequently cited as one of the most admired Americans of the last half century. Not many American presidents
have a huge statue of their likeness erected in a foreign country as does he, in the capital city of Pristina; for his role in bringing an end to the war in Kosovo years ago. Clinton’s importance in the American body politic is not in question. It should be understood though, that his willingness to help Obama secure a second term was not entirely altruistic. It is widely known that Clinton and Obama are not friends, more like acquaintances. Any potential friendship between the two was negated in 2008 when Obama bested Hillary in the South Carolina primary. Said Clinton, “even Jesse Jackson won South Carolina”; and if that wasn’t enough, Clinton referred to Obama’s candidacy as a “fairy tale” (implying that whites would never elect him president). Once elected, however, Obama did what many in his position would not have done; tap the rival Hillary for the plum job of Secretary of State. Clinton’s campaign assistance was in the main driven by two factors. First, the idea of handing the White House over to the Republicans was too repulsive to bear. Second, despite her protestations to the contrary, Hillary intends to make a run at the presidency in four years. By now many are aware of Hillary’s decision to step down as Secretary of State. Her willingness to vacate this highly coveted post suggests she is thinking ahead to 2016. Not true, say those close to her; “she vowed to step away regardless of the outcome of the presidential election”. No argument there, but one could make the case that Hillary hedged her bets. Stepping down was a win-win. If Obama is re-elected Hillary can step aside, ride the wave of his popularity and use the next four years to muster her own presidential campaign, something that would have been made impossible while serving as Secretary of State. Had Obama lost, the likelihood that Mitt Romney would have retained Hillary is nil, hence by announcing her intention to step down early on, Hillary’s move was both preemptive and genius. Few party stalwarts, media personnel or donors would have taken seriously the presidential candidacy of a former Secretary of State who was ousted by the opposing party. By stepping down Hillary also reserves
the right to distance herself from the Obama Administration, if doing so in the future, proves politically expedient. Simply put, if Obama’s second term is anything but a success, she will surely run independent of his administration; taking special care to keep any and everything Obama related as far away from her campaign as possible. Romney did the same with Bush and Gore with Clinton, but for different reasons. Was Clinton helpful to Obama? Yes. The idea, however, that Obama owes Bill, and owes him “big time,” is Malarkey. Clinton’s role in the Obama campaign was not one of benevolence, but one based on Realpolitik. Moreover, Clinton’s assistance was the least he could offer Obama, given how well the President has positioned Hillary for 2016. The notion that Obama owes Bill, and owes him “big time”, raises the following question: does every Black success story require a White savior?
10 the Bronzevillian Supplement January 2013
Film Review Mugabe: Villain or Hero? cont. Apart from the two Zimbabwean women at the end of the film, who briefly applauded ZANU-PF because they had become successful business women, there was invisibility of female political commentators or as participants in Zimbabwean society in the whole film. Agyemang, apologised for this, particularly as it was pointed out that the Zimbabwean Women’s League existed and a spokeswomen from this organisation could have been interviewed as well female government officials. Moreover, Zimbabwean women have played a critical role in the liberation of the country as female combatants and continue to play important roles. After the film there was a panel discussion followed by questions and answers. The panel was initially made up of four males two Ghanaians (including the filmmaker, a Zimbabwean and a Jamaican) until pressure from a tiny but vociferous element in the front audience forced the responsive chair to concede. Two Zimbabwean women from the audience joined the four males as a tokenistic concession to address the gender imbalance. The discussion was lively as was the packed audience’s reception of the film that drew not only sporadic laughter and applause during the film but both Agyemang who briefly introduced the film and Neville Hendricks were given warm applause. Agyemang spelled out the gruelling task of editing six hours of film down to three hours and finally to 117 minutes. Consequently, whilst recognising this tough undertaking, Zimbabwe’s role in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is another issue and set of questions that people and historians will need to reflect on as to whether Mugabe is indeed a villain or a hero. Questions such as: why did Mugabe provide arms, troops of up to 11,000 and money to the government of Laurent Kabila in 1998 against the rebel groups backed by both Rwanda and Uganda (and of course their imperialist backers in the governments of the US and UK)? To what extent are the motives of Mugabe and the other regional players (i.e. Angola, Namibia, Rwanda and Uganda) undermining genuine Pan-Africanism and resolution of the conflict in the eastern Congo? Overall, the question whether Mugabe is a villain or hero will continue to consume and divide ordinary Africans and African historians. His legacy like that of other African leaders will be a fiercely contested one for continental Africans and Africans born in the Diaspora. This article was first published in the Pan-African electronic newsletter, Pambazuka News http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/85853 Dr. Ama Biney is a scholar-activist who received her first degree in African Studies from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Subsequent to that, she earned a master's degree in Government & Politics in West and Southern Africa from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where she also completed her PhD in History. Biney is the author of a compelling biography of Kwame Nkrumah titled The Political and Social Thought of Kwame Nkrumah published by Palgrave Press in 2011. She is also co-author of: Speaking Truth to Power Selected Pan-African Postcards with Adebayo Olukoshi (published by Pambazuka Press 2010); author of The Political and Social Thought of Kwame Nrkumah (published by Palgrave-Macmillan, 2011). She is a regular contributor to newspapers that not only span Africa, but also the world.
The Bronzevillian Supplement Submission Guidelines For those interested in contributing to the Bronzevillian Supplement, we encourage submission of articles no more than 800 words. All works should be double-spaced. The CEC’s staff also encourages writers to submit relevant and appropriate photos with their work. No more than two photos per article. Articles about issues germane to the Columbus Metropolitan area, the region, the state of Ohio and indeed the entire African Diaspora are welcome. Works of creative expression will also be considered contingent upon available space. Articles should be clear in their focus and well-written. Since the Community Extension Center is not a publishing house, we are not equipped to devote significant time to editing one’s work and will not attempt to do so, therefore only works that are of the highest quality will be accepted for publication. Only those authors whose work has been accepted for publication will be notified. The Bronzevillian Supplement will be published quarterly. All submissions should be sent by email (word document) only to aaascec@osu.edu. There is no deadline for submission as works will be considered on a rolling basis.
History in Black and White