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Sojourner TruthN e w s l e t t e r

THE BLACK AESTHETICS

January-May 2011

A Publication of the Center For Africana Studies At Central Connecticut State University

The

A LEGACY OF LOVE AND EMPOWERMENTPART ONE

WelcomeeveryonetoourspecialeditionoftheSojournerTruthforthefall2011semester.Forthis

edition,wepresentPartOneofTheBlackAesthetics:ALegacyofLoveandEmpowermentthatshowcases

thebestofthehumanspiritthroughthelives,talents,andcontributionsofourculturalancestors.Their

livingmemoriesarepowerfulextensionsofourexistence,anexistencethatweareprivilegetoexperience.

WhatisthedefinitionoftheBlackAestheticsonemightask?Althoughtherearevariations,forthisissueit

willbedefinedasthecombinationofbothbeautyandstrengththatinspiresandupliftsratherthanmargin-

alizesanddenigratesourlivesandtheimagesreflectedaboutourlives.Inaddition,thephraseexpresses

theessenceofwhoweareandwhatwetrulystandforasamainstayofclaritythatkeepsusmoving

forwardtowardsafuturefilledwithoptimism,despitethecurrentstressesthatmaytemporarilycloudour

visionorourabilitytoprogress.

Webelievethisissueisrathertimelyinencouragingustoreflectseriouslyuponnumerousindivid-

ualswhocollectiveworksestablishedvaryingformsofanaestheticforpeopleofcolor,particularly,during

thelatter19thandearly20thcenturiesandwellbeforethemorenotableBlackArtsEraofthe1960s.

Whetherornotweareeffectivelybuildinguponthelegacyoftheiraccomplishmentsisaconversation

worthhavingtoday.Strengthenedbytheworksofsomanyartists,writers,andmusiciansaswellassocial

andpoliticalactivists,historically,theconceptcontinuestoillustrateabroadandversatilemeaningforso

manyofusthroughitssubtleshapingofourcollectivelivesasvibrant,beautiful,andremarkable.Wehope

thatthefocusupontheseselectmemoriesintimeinthisissuewillpromotefurtherdiscussionsaboutThe

BlackAestheticsduringthistimeframeandbeyond,especially,thevalueofthisconceptintheearly21st

century.

AspecialthankstoallwhohavemadePartOneofthisspecialeditionpossibleandwhowillwork

onPartTwoofthisspecialeditionthatwillfocusonTheBlackAesthetics:1960sandBeyond.

Dr.BeverlyA.Johnson

Features in this Issue

Page 4……………………............................................... The Black Aestheti cs’ Legacy: Part One

Page 6……………………..................................................... Refl ecti ons: Legacies Remembered

Page 8………………………................................................LAMP: Literature, Art, Music, Politi cs

Page 10……………………............................................................... News from the Motherland

T h e S o j o u r n e r T r u t h N e w s l e t t e r

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Message from the Editor in Chief

Averyinformativearticlewascoveredentitled“TheValueofSharingLifeExperiences:Women

inBusinessPanelatCCSU”intheJanuary-May2011issueoftheSojournerTruthnewsletter.Thearticle

exposedtheunavoidablesacrificeswomenmustmakewhileattemptingtoachievetheirgoals.Ireallyliked

readingabouttheimpactthesewomenaremakingintheircommunities.Havingacareerthatissuitableto

ones’qualitiesandpersonalitywasastrongmessagewithinthearticle.Also,the“noexcuse”policyex-

pressedcanaidwomenofcolor,especially,tosurpassalloddsthataredeemedunreachable.Asamale,I

foundthesefourwomenofcolorhadgoodapproachestolifethathelpedthemovercomechallengesin

ordertoreachtheirdreamsandaspirationsascareerwomen.

Kentrale Evans, CCSU Junior, Politi cal Science Major

IliketheBlackHistoryMonthFeaturearticleinthespringissue.Thisarticleaddressedaveryim-

portanttopicthatremainsrelevanttoday.TherearenumerousracesthesocietydeemtobeBlack,butthe

peopletheyarereferringtomaynotconsiderthemselvesasBlackpeople.Forinstance,aJamaicanperson

maysayheorsheisn’tblack,yettomanypeopleinthissociety,aJamaicanisperceivedasaBlackperson.

Thearticledoesagoodjobshowinghowthedefinitionofthetermvariesamongindividualsandgroups.

Antoinett e Kinard, CCSU Sophomore, Sociology Major

Thearticle“TargetingRaceandGender”spoketomepersonally,especiallyProfessorNunnally’s

keyquestions:“WhoisconsideredBlack?’and“WhatdoesitmeanstobeBlackintheUnitedStates?These

questionscontinuetobedebatedinBlackculture.Forotherethnicgroups,thisarticlewillhelpthemun-

derstandwhataBlackpersonintheUnitedStatesthinksaboutdailylifelivinginthiscountry.

Christi na Carpenter, CCSU Junior, Business Management Major

Ididnotknowthiseventexisted,andIwasreallyimpressedreadingabouttheInternationalFes-

tival:“TheWorldwithinYourReach”article.Itisgreatthattheschoolandcommunitycometogetherand

acknowledgethediversityofpeople.Ienjoyedreadingabouttheproductionthatallowedtheaudience

tolearnaboutdifferentcultures.Ididnotrealizetheuniversityandcommunityhaveactivitiessuchasthis

onethatinvolvesomanydifferentcultures.Ilikethefactthatpeoplearewillingtoteachothersabouttheir

cultures,andpeopleareinterestedinlearningaboutculturesthataredifferentfromtheirown.

Monee Lee, CCSU Junior, Accounti ng Major

Reading“TheLegacyoftheAmistadRevolution:Lessonsforthe21stCentury,”mademedesiretoknow

moreabouttheAmistadRevolt.IalsohaddoubtsasDr.Osagiedidabouthowmuchknowledgepeople

haveaboutthisrevolt.Thisarticlereinforceshowimportantitistoappreciateourhistoricallegacies.

Kristen Rogers, CCSU Sophomore, Sociology Major

READERS’ COMMENTS

September—December 2011

3

TherearesomanywaysthatBlackpeoplewhorepresenttheAfricanDiasporahaveexperienced

ameasureofprogressionpersonallyandprofessionallythroughouttheworld,andtherearesomany

reasonswhythosewhohaveneedtorethinktheircurrenteffortsofcontinuingaprogressivejourneythat

hasbeenrestrictedorstalledfornumerouspeopleofcolorintoday’stime.Weareallintricatelylinked

tooneanother,andourabilitytoencourageandtoassistothers,onceweareabletodoso,shouldnot

beunderestimated.Furthermore,wehaveconcreteexamplesofstrongregionalandnationalleadersas

wellasinfluentialsocietalfiguresinpolitics,business,academics,arts,etc.,whosecollectivevoiceshelpto

maximizeourpotentialtobeempoweredbytheiraccomplishments.Wenotonlyrespecttheimportant

rolesselectleadersandhighprofileindividualsofcolorplayinoursociety,butwealsorespectourrolein

supportingthembecausewebelievetheypossessdistinctqualities(displayedglobally)thathelptodefine

usasadignifiedandproudpeople.Whetherweintendtoornot,somanyofuspromoteaspectsofthe

BlackAestheticsinourdailylives,andweallshareapartindisplayingthisaestheticstotheworldinsome

majororminorcontext.YethowwedisplayaBlackAesthetic,currently,canbebetterunderstoodthrough

theprismofourhistoricalandculturalroots,especiallythosepriortothesixties.Bothaverageandpromi-

nentpersonsofcolorwholivedbeforeandduringtheearlytomid-Twentiethcentury,pavedthewayfor

ustohaveasubstantiveratherthansurfaceconsciousnesstoexpressauthenticimagesofourselves.These

imagesreflecttheessenceofwhoweareasBlackpeoplehereandabroad.

DuringthetimesoftheReconstructionPeriodandtheHarlemRenaissanceintheUnitedStates

(aswellasthePanAfricanmovementoftheearlyTwentiethcentury,representingAfrican,theCaribbean

andtheAmericas)manypeopleofcolorbecamevitalculturalancestorstotheBlackArtsMovement,

whichembeddedasacoretenet,theBlackAestheticsduringthesixtiesandseventies.Theseculturalan-

cestorsdeserve,therefore,ourrenewedattentionandourrenewedpraisebecausetheyleftuswithtime-

lessgiftsthatcanenhanceourselfdevelopmentandculturalawarenessintheseveralways.Forinstance,

someculturalancestorsunderscoredaspeciallovewhichisimminentinarighteousfightforanygroup’s

dignityandself-preservation.Thisunifyinglovehasshapedourculturalconsciousnessandhasmotivatedus

tofightinbothsubtleanddirectways.Ourculturalancestorsfoughtwithloveasthecoredriveforcefor

theachievementsgainedinthelatterTwentiethcenturythatdistinguishusashavingarelevantplacewithin

thisworldandtheyunitedustospecificcausesthatdemandedourattention.Culturalancestorssuchas

HarrietTubman,SojournerTruth,FrederickDouglassandDavidWalkerweretheancestralfighterswho

passedthislegacyoflovetoculturalancestorsoftheReconstructionerasuchasBookerT.Washington,

W.E.B.DuBois,IdaB.WellsBarnett,andAnnaJuliaCooper.


TherearesomanywaysthatBlackpeoplewhorepresenttheAfricanDiasporahaveexperienced

The Black Aesthetics: A Legacy of Love and Empowerment

Part One

4

Wehavealsoinheritedamoralcompassthatservesasaninternalprotectivemeasure.Thismoral

compassguidesustoinstinctivelyconnecttothewiderAfricanDiasporaandtoprioritizeourcollectivism

asameanstopromotecourageandresolutenesswhenfacingchallengesthatseemin-surmountablefor

temporaryperiodsoftime.Religiousandpoliticalleadersunderstoodthevalueofthismoralcompassbe-

causeitwasnotsteepedinambiguityorambivalence,butrather,steepedwithclarityofvisionandintegrity

basedprinciples.FromtheemergenceofthePan-Africanmovementtotheredistributionofancestralland

fromcolonialhands,wehonorourculturalancestorswhosemoralfightforfreedomisaconstantremind-

erthatweareapeoplewhoultimatelyprevailwhenweworktogetherasaunifiedpeople.

Anequallysignificantgifttousisaformidableworkethicthatevokespowerandgraceinorder

todisplayhowourordinarylivescanproduceextraordinaryresults.Onemajorwaythisishighlightedfor

usisthroughthosewhobreathedlifeintotheHarlemRenaissance.Manywritersandartistsofthistime

understoodthevalueofprojectingtheauthenticvoicesandimagesofapeoplewhoseworkgavethem

asenseofpurposeandtheabilitytopassontheirskillsandtalentstoanothergeneration.Selectartists

understoodthattheinheritedworkethicdefinedusasapeopleandshapedouridentitiesasmuchasthe

actualworkdefinedorshapedouridentitiesduringthistime.Throughinspiringpoetry,empoweringshort

storiesandnovels,andbeautifulartistry,wehavealegacyoftalentthatremindsustobediligentinpre-

servingthegraceanddignityourworkethicrepresentsonmultiplelevelsthroughouttheworld.

Weareempowered,therefore,withastrongsenseofselfandculturalawarenessthroughthese

giftsofafightingspirit,amoralcompass,andaworkethicthatshouldupliftustonewheights,yetkeepus

groundedinourrealityatthesametime.TheresolutenessofourculturalancestorsiscentraltoaBlack

Aestheticsthatevolvedpriortothesixties.Theirresolutenesstoremainundeterredbytheindignitiesand

insultsfacedbeforeandduringtheearlyTwentiethcenturyisatestamenttoanindomitablespiritthatwe

haveinheritedasaspeciallegacy.Ascaretakersofthesegifts,weareobligatedtopassonthelove,knowl-

edge,andpowerthatwillensureourprogressioninthislifewillbeparamountbeyondwhatwerealizeor

imagineisevenpossibleforustoday.

Johnson,B.

References:

Gates,HenryJr.andN.Mckayeds.TheNortonAnthologyofAfricanAmericanLiterature.NewYork:Norton,

1997.Print.

Worley,DemetriceA.andJ.PerryJr.eds.AfricanAmericanLiterature:AnAnthology.2ndedition.Lincolnwood:

NTCPublishingGroup,1998.


5

Itisgoodtobementallyactivebyreflectinguponpastlegacies,especiallythelegaciesofBlackpeoplethathavecreatedtheplatformforourcurrentsuccess.Onewaytopromotesuchactionisthroughaskingthetypesofquestionsthatwillcauseonetostatewithpridetheanswersthatspeakofaqualitativeaestheticsandtheempowermentinherentinourcollectivevoices.Thus,belowareinterviewswithCo-DirectoroftheCenterforAfricanaStudiesandArtProfessoratCCSU,SheriFafunwa-Ndibe;CCSUDeanofEngi-neeringandTechnology,OlusegunOdesinaandSociologyMajoratCCSU,KristenRodgers.TheyofferustheirreflectionsonculturallegaciesrepresentativeoftheBlackAestheticswithintheirlives.

Sheri Fufunwa-Ndibe

Whoinspiresyoufromthelatter19thandearly20thcenturyasaBlackAestheticsproponent?

Educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune: Throughout her life, she exemplifi ed the Black Aesthetics.

Shareastrongmessage,creed,orsloganthatisfromaleader,artist,writeretc.thatrepresentswhattheBlackAestheticsmeanstoyou.

Mary McLeod Bethune’s quote, “Invest in the soul. Who knows it might be a diamond in the rough”. Also, Langston Hughes’ quote, “An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose”.

NameacoupleofkeyattributesorcharacteristicsthathelptoshapeortodefinetheBlackAestheticsforyou.

Growing up in Nigeria, my aesthetics has been informed by Yoruba art and culture. Yoruba mythology is one of the most elaborate and complex mythic world views. In Yoruba art aesthetics, for example, the artist must pos-sess oju-inu, an “inner eye,” in order to understand the specifi c nature and essence of his subject matter, and to communicate the inner reality of that image. Artists provide access to an invisible world inhabited by the divini-ties or spirits. Art work is not intended to mirror real forms but the essence of what they stand for. Much of my work is informed by this.

Olusegun Odesina

Whoinspiresyoufromthelatter19thandearly20thcenturyasaBlackAestheticsproponent?

Obafemi Awolowo, a Nigerian (Yoruba) Political leader and founder of the Political Party Action Group.


In accordance with O. Awolowo and the Action Group, the message/slogan is “Life More Abundant”.

NameacoupleofkeyattributesorcharacteristicsthathelptoshapeortodefinetheBlackAestheticsfor


Refl ections: Legacies Remembered

6

you.Awolowo believed the states in Nigeria should channel their resources into education, and he introduced free and mandatory health and primary education into the then Western region of Nigeria. He also built of the first television station and skyscraper in Africa.

Kirsten Rodgers

Whoinspiresyoufromthelatter19thandearly20thcenturyasaBlackAestheticspro-ponent?

W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey are inspirational proponents of the Black Aesthetics, especially their instrumental roles as leaders; W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the founders of the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Marcus Garvey was the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). These organizations helped with educational and employment opportunities for African Americans, and they encouraged a togetherness and positive expression of our African and African American heritage.


“Black is Beautiful” is a slogan by Langston Hughes that I believe stood out the most in regards to the Black Aesthetics. This slogan is meant to empower African Americans and to make them feel just as important as any other group of people feel in this country. African Americans should feel that their heritage is beautiful and worth keeping alive because it will continue to promote the belief that beauty is within us in a way that no other group can effectively promote.

NameacoupleofkeyattributesorcharacteristicsthathelptoshapeortodefinetheBlackAestheticsforyou.

The writings of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright shape, in part, what I deem to be beautiful. They reinforce and I reinforce for myself that beauty is within and not just what is on the outside. This beauty within comes from a cultural attitude rooted in strong moralistic beliefs. What I may believe is beautiful will be different from others because of my upbringing and my understanding to truly know how Black is beautiful.

InterviewsconductedDecember8th2011


7


8

Introduction

ThereareseveralmediumsthatevoketheBlackAestheticsinourpublicandprivatelives,andformostpeopleofcolor,thesefourareasofliterature,art,musicandpoliticswouldcertainlybepartofthegeneralconceptoranybroaddefinitionofthephrase.Thesefieldsofstudyseparately(andcollectively)shinetheirhistoricalspotlightonusthroughthedisplayofourjoysandheartbreaksaswellasourfailuresandtriumphs.LAMPgivesvoicetohowweunderstandthisworldandhowwedetermineoursenseofidentityandplacewithinit.Inaddition,LAMPcanserveasacollectivetorchhighlightingacompetitivespiritthatwepassonthroughtangibleandintangiblemeans.Weareandcancontinuetobeempoweredbywords,images,lyrics,andactionthatenableustoexpresswhoweareinavarietyofways.Ultimately,selectmomentsintimethatareilluminatedbytheartistsandpersonalities(whoshouldinspireustobedaringandboldorattheveryleastreflectiveandcriticalaboutourpastandcurrentconditions)willserveasthemeasureofourremarkableevolvementasauniqueandunifiedpeople.Inthisvein,wegiveourap-preciationoftheseinfluences,historically,inthelivesofourculturalancestors.

Literature

WhetheritisthepoetryofPaulLaurenceDunbar,JamesWeldonJohnsonorAimeCesaire,ashortstorybyZoraNealeHurstonorAnnPetry,anovelbyChinaAchebeoranessaybyW.E.B.DuBois,thelitera-turepriortothesixties,gaveusaplethoraofliteraryaestheticsthatestablishedcorestandardsfordiffer-entgenres.Itgavedirectionsforwriterstobuilduponortoblatantlychallengestandardsandprovidedreaderswithboththeharshrealismandtheendlessdreamsthatsolidifiedourworthontheworldstageasgreatauthors,storytellersandcritics.WritersduringtheearlyTwentiethcentury,inparticular,under-stoodtheinfluenceandlegacytheywishedtoleavebehind.Whethertheystoodfirmintheirbelieftobenonpoliticalordeliberatelyproducedworksthatexploredracialidentitypoliticsandmoralityissues,theseauthors(andsomanyotherslikethem)elevatedustogreatheightsaswesawourselvesreflectedwithimagesofloveandstrengthbywriterswhosemessageswereinformative,expressive,and,ultimately,aresoundingcalltoactionforAfricans,AfricanAmericansandtheculturalancestorsrepresentingthewiderAfricanDiaspora.

Art

Inasimilarcontextasliterature,arthastheabilitytoinspirepeopletobetransformativehumanbe-ingsthroughanyoneoranycollectionofsculptures,drawingsorpaintings.Forpeopleofcolor,especially,arthasbecomeapowerfulvehiclethatgoeswellbeyondacknowledgingthecreativedepthsoftheartists’talentortogiveaestheticpleasuretoviewers.Forinstance,artistsandsculptorssuchasJacobLawrence,MaryEdmoniaLewis,MalvinGrayJohnsonwerenaturallyexpressive,andattimes,subtleinproducingthetypeofartthatcentralizedaBlackconsciousness.Theirworkspromptedworthwhilequestionsaboutiden-tityandplace,andasothernotedartists,demonstratedwitheffectivenessvaryingpointsofviewsaboutBlacklife.WearebetterinformedastowhataestheticvaluetrulymeansinourlivesbecauseBlackart-workteachesustobeselectivelykeen,toengageinlayeredanalysisandtoparticipateinameaningfulpro-cessofmakingtoughevaluationsabouttheaestheticsthatenhanceourlivesonmultiplelevels.Further-more,artformsthatspecificallyreflecttheBlackDiasporafillavacuumusefulinreshapingandredefiningthemeaningofdisplacementandlosswithdelicateyetpowerfulsymbolsofhistoricalmemoryandidentity.Overall,artasanaestheticlegacyforpeopleofcolorisprofoundinitsroleaspresenting“creativeambas-sadors”whoproudlyusedtheirheightenedsenseofvisionandtouchtospeakwithaspecialeloquenceinordertofurtherbuildupontheestablishedrecordsofourexistenceandourprominencethroughouttheworld.

LAMP: Literature, Art, Music and Politics


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Music

Therearecountlessmusicalartistswhohavegivenpeopleofcolorsucharichlegacyofexperiencesthroughtheirmusic,andwhopavedthewayforfuturemusicianstoexpressthemselvesfully,andtoover-comethechallengesoffinancialdistresswhenearningalivingthroughthismedium.Thevaryinggenresdenotemusicallegendswhodefinedorredefinedartisticstylesforsomanyartistsofthesixties.Severalartistsfromthesixtiesandbeyondunderstoodthatcareerdevelopmentwouldbeafavorableresultofin-corporatingthegiftsofselectlegendsontoanationalorglobalstage.NamessuchasEllaFitzgerald,BessieSmith,DukeEllington,DizzyGillespie,MaRainey,OtisRedding,SamCooke,andCharlieParkerareperma-nentlyetchedinaBlackAestheticconsciousnessthatwillremaintimelessforsomanyofus.Themusicandlyricstheycreatedaretestamentsofouraffectionforoneanotherandourexpressionofloveonavarietyoflevels.

Becauseofsucharichheritageofmusic,weareextremelyeffectiveinpresentingtotheworldvaryinginterpretationsoftheBlackAesthetics.Formany,itisthedefinitiveaestheticformthatpromotesauni-fiedBlackDiasporathroughimagesofconfidence,style,andinnovationthatmostculturesthroughouttheworldadmireandidentifywithinmanyways.Theupliftingmessages,theresoundingdrumbeats,thebassguitar,and,ofcourse,theperformancesthatcaptivateaudiencesofallages,reinforcesuchatimelesslegacythatreflectsthefightingspiritwithinusthroughacelebrationofrawtalentandaconsciousworkethic-definingusascomplexandbeautifulpeople.

Politics

AThree-DimensionalPath

TheimagesofaBlackAestheticsthroughapoliticallensarequiteremarkablegivenwherewestartedandwherewehavearrived.Anyprogressiveformsofpoliticsthathaveadvanced,aesthetically,thelivesofpeopleofcolorbypeopleofcolor,isindebtedtotheBlackconsciousnessthathasevolvedinthreepartsoverthecourseofmanydecades.

PriortoandduringtheearlyTwentiethcentury,amorefearbasedsentimentalconsciousnesswasre-flectedthroughthelivesofmillionsofpeopleofcolor.ManyleadersinAfricaandthebroaderDiasporaunderstoodthatminorityregimesfearswerebasedonpretenseandillusionsofouridentityandgenerallackofknowledgeaboutAfricanpeople;thus,manyprojectionsofaBlackpoliticalconsciousnessandBlackaestheticsweredone,eventually,throughnegotiationsofdifferenceswhichfurtheralarmedustochangetheseverepowerimbalances.Astimeprogressed,ourculturalancestorsevokedastrongaestheticsofidentitythatpromotedtheintellectualcomponentofrepresentingAfricanandAfricanbasedpeopleinauthenticways.Forexample,thenotedintellectualCheikhAntaDiopwasextremelyinfluentialinvoic-ingthemessageofawarenessthatembodiesaBlackconsciousness.Blackintellectualshereandabroadwereattheforefrontofapoliticalconsciousnessandaesthetics,andtheyhadasignificantimpactontheBlackempowermentmovementthatcharacterizedthesixtiesandbeyond.Inpoliticalrealms,AfricansandthoseofthewiderDiasporaareinextricablyconnectedtotheeffortsoftheancestorswhocarvedoutapathtowardconsistentpoliticalfreedom.ThiswasdoneprimarilythroughnegotiationsandawarenessofculturalidentitythathelpformaBlackAesthetics.Ouraccomplishmentsthroughtheiraestheticvoicesofempowerment,politically,couldhavebeenvastlydifferentandrelativelyprolongedwithoutthesepatternsofprogression.


News from the Motherland

10

ItiswithextremepleasurethatwepresentforthisthirdversionofourstandingtopicthenewsthatemanatefromonepartoftheAfricancontinentyetispositivelyinspirationaltothelivesofmillionsofpeopleinLiberia,Africa,andotherpartsoftheworld.AswinnersoftheNobelPeacePrizefor2011,EllenJohnsonSirleafandLeymanGboweejoinadistinguishedgroupofprominentpeoplewhoactivelyrepresentthedynamicchangesthataretakingplacethroughouttheMotherland.TheircontributionsarebothatestamenttotheBlackAestheticsandunifyingpresenceofaBlackDiasporaconsciousness. EditorinChiefPerspectiveOne:InspirationalWomen

Theaccomplishmentsofthesetwowomenwillhaveagreatimpactonthelivesofyounggirlswhoseethemasrolemodels.Theseyounggirlscanbeinspiredtoriseabovehatred,injustice,corruption,andabuse.TheseAfricanwomensetanexampleofgreatnessbyaccomplishingtheirgoalswiththeintenttobenefitsomanypeople.EllenJohnsonSirleafgavevoicetotheillsofthegovernmentandovercamemanychallengestobecomeLiberia’spresident.Gbowee’sstruggleswithpovertyandabuseshapedherconsciousnesstobeaspokespersonfightingagainsttheabuseofwomenandchildren.YounggirlsshouldtakethelifestoriesofthesetwoaccomplishedAfricanwomenandbedeterminednottodieinabuse,tospeakoutagainstinjustice,andtofindwaystoobtainhelpwhenneeded.JohnsonSirleafandGboweealsosendakeymessagethat,nomatterthecost,aneducationwillbeoneoftheirticketstofreedomandabetterqualityoflife. OlufunkeM.OdebayoPerspectiveTwo:BlessingYes,CurseNo! Thisyear’sNobelPeacePrizeawardisagamechanger.LiberiansLeymahGboweeandEllenJohnsonSirleafmayhavebeenundetectedbytheinternationalradarforsometime;however,theynowhavearrivedattheultimateglobalarenaofleadership.Thisaward’ssignificanceistwofoldbecauseitreshapestheimageofAfricanwomenfromapassivelytraditionalonetoapoliticallyboldandactiveimage,anditencouragesself-developmentregardlessofaperson’sgender.Ofequalimportanceisthewake-upcallcommunitypolicymakersarereceivingtonolongerignorewomenwho,inmanyAfricancountries,remainanuntappedresourceforsocialstabilityandeconomicadvancement.

Inacademicterms,itreinforcesforstudentsandotheraudiencesthatworkwelldonewillsoonerorlaterfindrecognition.Thus,itpaystobededicatedtoagoodcause!ThesewomenworkandhonorremindsusthatAfricaofferseveryAfricanaplatformforself-dedication;thereisroomforfreedomfighters,genderequityreformists,andsocialandculturaldevelopers.Hence,thisprestigioushonorgoestoJohnsonSirleafandGbowee,buttheactualwinnersoftheprizearethewomenofthisgreatcontinent. M.T.Assado

NobelPeacePrizeWinners:LeymahGbowee,EllenJohnsonSirleafandTawakkolKarman


11

You are Cordially Invited to the2012 ANNUAL AMISTAD LECTURE

“The Life and Times of the Amistad Returnees to Sierra Leone and Their Impact: A Pluridisciplinary Exploration”

Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura PhD Linguistics, Georgetown University; PhD Political Science, Howard University; PhD Development Economics, University of Maryland; PhD

Computer Science, and PhD Mathematics, Columbus University

Professor of Research Methodology and Political Science at Howard Uni-versity, Washington DC

&

Author of 65 books and more than 550 scholarly articles; former Presi-dent & United Nations Ambassador of the Association of Third World

Studies

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Place: Founders Hall, Davidson BuildingCentral Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT

Organizer: AMISTAD Committee - Center for Africana Studies, Central Connecticut State University

For more information, please contact Dr. Olusegun Sogunro at 860-832-2131 or Dr. Gloria Emeagwali at860- 832-2815

CO-DIRECTORS EDITOR IN CHIEF

SHERI FAFUNWA-NDIBE BEVERLY A. JOHNSON

WARREN PERRY

KEY CONTRIBUTORS KEY CONSULTANTS

M.T. ASSADO PETER KYEM

OLUFUNKE ODEBAYO OLUSEGUN SOGUNRO

OLUSEGUN ODESINA GEORGE RICHARDSON

SHERI FAFUNWA-NDIBE

KIRSTEN ROGERS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JERRY BUTLER

SPECIAL THANKS: CCSU STUDENT SUPPORTERS:

CHRISTINA CARPENTER

KENTRALE EVANS

ANTOINETTE KINARD

MONEE LEE

KIRSTEN ROGERS


THE SOJOURNER TRUTH NEWSLETTER

EXECUTIVE BOARD

THE SOJOURNER TRUTH NEWSLETTER

A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTER FOR AFRICANA STUDIES AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

the next step open prototyping

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