Civil Rights, Hip-hop, and Hope (4)

Earlier this week Dr. Alton B. Pollard III touched on Civil Rights, Hip Hop, and hope. He described how young people have always been the initiators of revolutions and how they have always deeply impacted the world. The 1948 Wichita Kansas sit in was brought up in which a small group of young black students sat in at a Wichita diner, but were ignored everyday they came because of the color of their skin. So they came twice a week and were ignored every time until the diner’s owner changed the policy of discriminating by gender, age, or skin color. This led to the NAACP’s support of sit- ins and the 1960, Greensboro, Northern Carolina sit in. This historic reminder provided an example of innovative young people that made a change. During the presentation various Hip-hop artists were shown, because they are the new civil rights activists of their time. They are the expression, passion, and the voice of their people. Dr. Pollard let it be known that Hip Hop and rap are not the same. Hip-hop is not only just the music created by these Hip-hop artists, but it was explained that Hip Hop was its own culture. Through Common, KRS-one, LL Cool J, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Chuck D., Nas, Talib Kweli, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Dead Prez, and many other Hip-hop artists that this culture of Hip Hop was created. As young people we are the hope of this young nation, but more so the world. Our generation has high expectations and losing is not an option.

The speaker was Dr. Alton B. Pollard III. He was a very influential and motivational speaker who spoke on youth advocacy. His speech was focused on how the youth of today are the civil rights activist of this generation and we pave the way for the future. He touched on a couple key hip hop artists who are activist through their words through hip hop and music. Some of which included: Nas, Erykah Badu,Bob Marley,Shakur,Tupac,Jadakiss,Notorious B.I.G and many others. He spoke on how these many artists are advocates through their words of Hip Hop and various other genres. I agreed with his point of views because the youth of today are the activist of this generation. We might not be as radical in our ways but through our actions we do fight for the rights of this nation,whether right or wrong. Dr Alton was a very emotional speaker. He did a great job of keeping the attention of everyone by alluding to our interest in today's society. He touched on today's hip hop artist and alluded to how they are activist as well. In conclusion, his closing was the best segment of the whole presentation. As he played the song "why" by jadakiss, I listened to the words very closely and thought of the different flawed situations and happenings in our generation that happen every single day without a word being said

Freshman Seminar, 4th Lecture (The Power Of Young People Civil Rights, Hip-Hop, Hope)

Today's speaker was Dr. Alton B. Pollard III, an impassioned individual with an ecstatic presentation on the evolutionary cycle for young people and the world around them, starting with Civil Rights, sliding through Hip-Hop, and then resting in Hope for the future. Alton's main message was that the youth of today are advocates of change for the future, as technically, they always have been. When new, fresh minds group together and agree on one ideal to make the world a better place, even when they only start with a small area, things happen and change occurs, whether minor or major. There is no failed attempt when it comes to a hard effort, for at the very least people have seen your deeds, and someone will follow your message if it is for the better good. He briefly touched on student led protests in the Gaza strip for the war, and student uprisings in Teron, meant to show that from the past, to recent times that there is still a struggle going on, that there are still many things that have yet to be done, and that someone has to take a stand to fix. In 1960, the Greensboro sit ins inspired a whole group of kids from another state (Kentucky) to have their own sit ins. He talked about a group known as the "shock troopers" a group of young minds banded together throughout the south looking to desegregate jobs and schools all across the nation. Then he went to Hip-Hop, which started with young poets of the age. Jazz music evolving, poets transforming their words into lyrics, it all spurred the idea that freedom is not just about individual rights, but that freedom is about a community responsibility.

Eloquence of The Scribes

     A scribe is a person whose chiefly responsible for recording documents in a society. In ancient Egypt scribes held different statuses, they ranged from as a high as the royal scribes to as low as the scribes of livestock. Dr. Benjamin touched on scribes and scholars when she presented before our class. She also noted that scribes lost their importance after the advent of printing. Then she went on to teach who the extarordinary African American scribes and scholars were of Howard University and what buildings they were named after. General Howard invisioned a purpose to educate and open up an institution of higher learning to train African American doctors, lawyers, and writers. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Howard University's first president, and remained president for 34 years after uplifting the school's standards, requirements, and various graduate programs. Inabel Burns Lindsay worked to establish the school of social work and became its first dean in 1945. Alain Leroy Locke was an author and the first African American road scholar. Ira Aldridge was the first black actor to achieve fame in the theatre industry and was well known around the world. Prudence Crandall opened the first school for African American girls and Philis Wheatley was the first american poet to have their poems published. Charles R. Drew was the first director of the Red Cross and the founder of blood banks. George Washington Carver was an agricultural chemist that discovered 300 uses for peanuts. Earnest Everett Just was a pure scientist, who served as a professer of the medical school here at Howard, and head of the Department of Physiology until his death in 1941.

Scribes

Today was a very interesting day. I woke up this morning with a feeling that freshman seminar might be interesting and it just might hold my attention. To my suprise, it did hold my attention. Our speaker was Dr. Benjamin who touched on scribes. A scribe is defined as a person who writes books or documents and helps keep track of the records. Dr. Benjamin spoke about different scribes in ancient culture and the ones in our modern culture today. She also spoke on the origin of Howard and how it is the place that it is today. Also, she spoke on General Howard's vision to educate those who were of African descent. Mainly, the topic of discussion included the different building in which we circulate daily. For example, she spoke of the different buildings in the Harriet Tubman quadrangle, The Bethune Annex, George washington Carver Hall, Charles R. Drew Hall, Lucy Diggs Slowe Hall, Louis Crampton Auditorium and many more. She spoke of the significance of these people not only to Howard University or the black community, but also to America itself. Howard University is full of tradition but it is the people that it represents that makes it that more amazing. Today made me even more proud to be a Howard Bison.

Freshman Seminar, 3rd Lecture (The Eloquence of the Scribes)

Today the speaker Dr. Tochobia Mayes Benjamin spoke about the different functions of scribes in ancient days and now in modern culture. She talked about the origin of Howard University, General Oliver Otis Howard and his goal of educating people who were not white, specifically those of colored backgrounds. She also noted the origins of some the other buildings. For example, founded by an important scribe, the "A" building is named after Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, who was the first African American President of Howard University. Dr. Benjamin touched on the Harlem Renaissance, a period of significant African American cultural advancements that spanned across New York and Chicago and the entire United States. Dr. Benjamin remarked on the major COAS buildings with a particular fondness as she told the stories of Alain Locke and Frederick Douglass, who also were very important scribes from the past. If we stay on task and stick to our purpose, we will be able to join the ranks as important scribes of this day and time as well. Additionally, this lesson paid close attention to past and present day leaders who had a little bit of scribe going for them. As a scribe is an intellectual person who often documents important information for the day and age in which he or she is alive, I feel that scribes should come from not only jotting down history, but numbers and arithmetic, sciences and people who wrote down information from all kinds of subjects. I also feel that scribes had to master their art form, since an ordinary person cannot accurately and acutely keep track of so much data, and have the courage to reproduce it and add to it as well.

2nd lecture

Dr. Dunston spoke last week about the black human genome. She spoke about how no one can be who we are but ourselves, and no one is responsible for what we do but ourselves as well.

There are approximately 20,000 genes in the human body and the same one cannot be found in two different people,not even identical twins. Dr. Dunstons's lecture touched on many interesting points and was very informative in all aspects. Dr. Dunston is a very well renowned researcher and teacher. She spoke on many different aspects of the human genome without even surpassing the first slide of her presentation. I am excited to hear her speak on another topic in the near future

1st lecture

I was very skeptical about what our first lecture would consist of. Honestly, I thought it would be boring and pointless. Boy was I wrong! Little did i know, I was about to hear one of the best lectures of my life.The first lecture consisted of information about our African ancestors. Dr Carr touched on our egyptian ancestry and others who have dwelled throughout the years. The lecture was very moving and it put me in touch with information about our forefathers. I learned that when we recieve education we must not only hold it for our use, but we must make sure that it passes down from generation to generation so that we all can benefit from it. Sharing information is more beneficial than keeping it to yourself. Dr. Carr is the type of individual that makes you eager to learn about our History as African Americans and to spread it to everyone around. Every time he speaks, I am moved and I am encouraged to do better by myself and also to my African American race.

The Human Genome

     Last week Dr. Dunston, the Founding Director of the National Genome Research Center, gave a moving and riveting speech in my wednesday 12:10 freshman seminar class. She has played an essential role in an array of research including genome-wide studies of diseases.  The genome in our cells makes up who we are individually, and even twins do not contain the same human genome. The genome contains all the genetic makeup and info needed for us to have and sustain life. Over 30,000 cells are contained within our genomes and our genetic make up. Today researchers are using their new technological resources to figure out why certain races are more susceptible to certain diseases while other races are not. Here at Howard University genomic research is conducted upon African Americans and other African diaspora populations. The mission of NGHC is to educate others on matters of DNA sequence variation and areas of interaction in the environment in the causality, prevention, and treatment of diseases common in African American and other African Diaspora populations.

     The Genome is rooted all the way back to Egypt, Africa. In Egyptian culture a person's beauty was determined by the way in which they spoke or articualted. Dr. Dunston said that energy is released through words, whether it be negative or positive. The only way you may be able to control or contort this energy is by first controlling your thoughts, then you may control your thoughts, words, feelings, and emotions.

Freshman Seminar, 2nd Lecture (Abandonment, Dismemberment, and Reawakening)

From the second lecture, I learned a lot about energy not focused on the body, purpose, and genome stories. I learned that at the root of every genome story is Africa, whether it is Asiatic or Occidental. Each race with their own stories all have their root in the original genome, where the original humans originated and spread out--Africa. I also learned that because of separation from our African roots, history and culture, that we as a race have forgotten how to use our wisdom to help others. We have started to follow the trend of self-gain, and thus are leaving valuable brothers and sisters behind, halting any efforts that could be contributions that our minds can only imagine. I learned about purpose, and that here at Howard we focus on those roots, and giving back to the community, so that we have wisdom, and know how to use it. The speaker for today was Dr. Dunsten the founding director of the National Human Genome Research Center, also an impassioned speaker whose personal experience showed excellently through her method of speaking. Some of Dunsten's in depth studies include the genome as it relates directly to the African Diaspora, organ transplant research, and immunogenetics. Dr. Dunsten also talked to us about what it means to possess certain genetic traits, for example, that because of the specific pattern of our genome, we, as modern day African Americans are immune to specific diseases that many of our ancestors also built up and permanently established immunity for.

Freshman Seminar, 1st Lecture (Learning, Wisdom, and The African World Experience)

What I took from the first lesson revolved around taking knowledge from our African ancestors. From learning that basic skills involving collection of and interpretation of knowledge come from out Egyptian ancestry, as well as our brothers who survived throughout the ages, who became stronger not only physically but mentally as well. I learned that you must not collect knowledge only for yourself, but for the betterment of a brother, sister, community, or even the entire planet. You were not put here for your own gain, but to reach back and help someone along the way who may need you. I learned to face general challenges with integrity and confidence, to always look forward, yet always reach back. I learned that the African experience in relation to education is always about educating the next generation, about spreading the knowledge, so that those after you may better the entire planet. I learned that there are certain personality traits, or even just modern ‘slang’ that originates deep within our African blood, and though we may take  something like ‘what’s up’ lightly and throw it into Ebonics, the truth is that it comes from our African descent and that isn’t a joke. Even today, we are collecting and sharing knowledge with unknown help coming from past experiences and struggles by those before us, African leaders as well as African American leaders have fought so that we can be here today, and so that we can graduate from here at the end of four years.