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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
2
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.
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
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.
September—December 2011
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.
Shareastrongmessage,creed,orsloganthatisfromaleader,artist,writeretc.thatrepresentswhattheBlackAestheticsmeanstoyou.
In accordance with O. Awolowo and the Action Group, the message/slogan is “Life More Abundant”.
NameacoupleofkeyattributesorcharacteristicsthathelptoshapeortodefinetheBlackAestheticsfor
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
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.
Shareastrongmessage,creed,orsloganthatisfromaleader,artist,writeretc.thatrepresentswhattheBlackAestheticsmeanstoyou.
“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
September—December 2011
7
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
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
September—December 2011
9
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.
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
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
September—December 2011
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
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
THE SOJOURNER TRUTH NEWSLETTER
EXECUTIVE BOARD
THE SOJOURNER TRUTH NEWSLETTER
A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTER FOR AFRICANA STUDIES AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY