Midd celebrates Black History Month Visiting speakers shed light on issues of social inequality

Author: Angela Towne

Without effort and planning, Black History Month may be nothing more than plain-old February with a couple of Martin Luther King Jr. pictures. The month may come only with faint whispers of popular names like Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson. This year, however, in an effort to up awareness about black history and African-American issues, the Middlebury College African-American Alliance (AAA) presented a series of three lectures on various aspects of Black Culture to bring the lessons of black history to the table of today's student activists.

Each lecturer used the history of black activism to challenge the College community to work for a better future. "When we chose the lectures," said Alexis Zain '05, president of the AAA, "we wanted to emphasize that Black History Month is about more than African-Americans - it's about political and social movements across the board." Zain stressed her opinion that Black History Month should inspire any group who feels they are the victim of social inequality, and therefore "needs to be an institutional celebration with more community and faculty involvement."

The first event presented was on black professionalism and attempted to build bridges between minority students and minority faculty. Panel members Professor of History Don Wyatt, Associate Dean of Student Affairs Marichal Gentry and Twilight Artist-in-Residence François Clemmons expounded on their experiences as minorities in a predominately white environment. Each professional shared personal stories of their journey to success at Middlebury College. They cited numerous examples of opportunities available despite the reality of continued prejudice and discrimination.

"By the end, I really felt like I knew these amazingly successful men," said Brian Willis '07, treasurer of AAA. "The whole room was laughing and sharing. I never thought I could be so inspired by someone I see almost every day."

The second lecturer, Robin Hayes, an activist and filmmaker pursuing a doctorate in African-American Studies at Yale University, urged the entire Middlebury community to consolidate behind its common interests. Her message to Middlebury was simple - "Organize!" She said, "Often, people think of Black activism as a phenomenon that climaxed in the Civil Rights movement and has since died out. But, this is only true if we let it be true." Hayes maintained that the civil rights leaders were not demigods, but people with a true commitment to the cause of social change. These past leaders embodied what she called the three essentials to being an effective leader - sincerity, solidarity and sacrifice.

Kolbe Franklin '08 said of the lecture, "Her message was universally applicable. Malcolm X was willing to risk everything for the cause he believed in, the least I can do is get involved."

Kevin Tierney '08, was particularly inspired by the way Hayes emphasized the importance of protests and how commitment to small battles can truly affect progress. He admitted, "In high school, I spent so much time bettering my own cause that I was totally unaware of other people's causes. Being a white guy in a black culture group, I felt I needed to show my support and appreciation for a history so intimately intertwined with my own. And I don't just do it 28 days out of the year!"

The final lecture of the series, delivered by Rosa Clemente, one of the most sought after speakers in New England, also addressed this topic of unmitigated commitment. Clemente, a black Puerto Rican grassroots organizer, journalist and entrepreneur explained her theory of scholar-activism - activism with a deep understanding of black history, world politics and liberal values. On a campus with purposefully politically neutral professors, Clemente's "balance of the extremely political and professional" was applauded by audience members.

Clemente also asserted that Black History Month should be used to not only celebrate black leaders, but also to celebrate the international hip-hop generation. She spoke of the capabilities that individuals (even at Middlebury College) have to work together through hip-hop to find the solutions to our own problems. She questioned with a laugh, "Who would have ever guessed that middle-America would fall in love with a character like Puff Daddy?" She passionately continued, "Hip-hop is a phenomenal, unifying force that can be utilized to solve the problems of our increasingly criminalized, increasingly misled and increasingly politically complacent generation. We have to become participatory in our nation's want for democracy!"

She suggested, for instance, that Middlebury College participate in the newly formed National Hip-hop Political Convention. AAA member Charzetta Nixon '06 reflected, "I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who feels Hip-hop should go back to its roots of a social and political voice. It's so much more than club music and Eminem." Secretary of AAA, Christine Etienne '07, echoed this enthusiasm, stating, "I feel motivated as a political poet to do what I can! Rosa was truly a muse."

As the speakers demonstrated, Black History Month is not just a time allocated for the rehashing of the crimes of a nation or for the dry repetition of the same heroes' names. It is a time to celebrate the past and apply it to our present and future. So, if at the very least, the Black History Month lectures only succeeded in adding the names Assata Shakur, James Baldwin and Benjamin Bannecker to the list of known African-American heroes, that's still a great feat.