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December 4,1990
Clark A tlanta University Panther
(African American HistoryTo Be Offered!
By PAULETTE V. WALKER
Editor-in-Chief
Many students who attend historically Black
colleges and universities do so to learn more
about their culture and heritage.
“1 came to Clark because 1 thought I would
learn so much about my rich African heritage,”
said Natasha Sims, a sophomore at Clark. “1
was a little disappointed at how few African
history courses offered.”
For all of those students who share Sims’
discontent, there is a pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow — the history rainbow that is.
With the support of Dr. Alma Williams, chair
of the History Department, Dr. William Scott,
dean of the School of Arts and Sciences,
President Thomas W. Cole Jr. and the Board of
Trustees, the CAU History Department has
developed an African History Department.
The newly appointed African history
professor. Dr. Africkadzatu Deku sees this as a
unique opportunity to develop, expand and
enrich the lives of all students in and outside
CAU.
“The teaching of African history will
reconnect us all to our lost, forgotten and stolen
African world, African people, African history,
African root, African identity, African values
and African power,” said Dr. Deku.
According to Dr. Deku, 95 percent of African
Americans suffer from the chronic deseases of
self-negation, self-rejection, self-hatred, low
self-esteem, low self-image, division,
dependency, powerlessness and frustration
because they don’t know their African history.
Dr. Deku challenges students to ask
themselves the following questions:
Did you know:
African History is the history of all children of
Mother Africa in Continental Africa and
Diaspora Africa?
“Black” people’s history in and outside Africa
did not start from slavery or colonialism?
Before slavery and colonialism, “Black”
people were proud independent people with the
power and dignity to solve their daily problems
Africa is the cradle of humanity and Mother
of today’s world civilizations?
Without Africa, there would be not Arabs,
Jews, nor “White” or Asiatic peoples as we know
them today?
The people we call “Black” are not Black, nor
the people we call “White” White?
Slavery, racism, apartheied, colonialism and
neo-colonialism are brothers and sisters of the
same “White” Power Supremacy World?
“To know the answers to all and more of these
questions, you are invited to experience our
African History Department,” says Dr. Deku.
"To learn African history is to know ourselves
as Africans,” says Dr. Deku. “Our glorious
African past alone can get us free from the prison
walls of slavery, racism, apartheid, colinialism
and neo-colonialism that exists to keep children
of Mother Africa divided, separated from one
anoter, dependent, powerless, hopeless, helpless,
suffering and need in the midst of so much
abundance.”
African History graduate and undergraduate
courses are available for all students interested in
“...raising, living, understanding and benefitting
from their African consciousness.”
All students interested in registering for
African History courses and seminars should see
Dr. Deku in his office, room 23, McPheeters-
Dennis Hall.
Greeks Hold Meeting
Continued From Page 1
added, this is the reason for this new process. Willis
emphasized how this new intake process will have more
graduate chapter supervison, unlike in the past.
One student brought up the fact that all of the things
considered hazing for Black fraternities and sororities, such as
the boots and the lines, have been adopted by White Greek
organizations. This brought the question of discrimination to
the surface. He then asked why is it hazing for African
Americans and not hazing for Whites. Willis simply stated that
its hazing for Alpha because their hazing policy says its hazing.
Another student asked the panel how can this new procedure .
ensure that the Greek organizations will receive true, qualified
members. Conrad Norman, Omega Psi Phi, answered that the
old method did not ensure this request because there are a lot of
members who aren’t active after their college years. He said, “If
all of these people so dearly beloved all of their cultural
experiences, then why did they not continue those efforts if it
meant so much to them?” He added that he’s not saying
everything on the old end was wrong and he’s not saying that
everything on this end will work, but he said that he does see
this as a learning process.
A Georgia State Phi Beta Sigma member reminded the irate
students that “how hard a punch a guy can take does not make
him a man; how loud someone can sing does not make him a
better member; how straight someone can walk in line does not
test a person’s loyalty.” He added that none of these acts can
measure what is in a person’s heart.
Waters said , “The basic difference between the new method
and the old method is that the process we call education, which
we use to call pledge period, is now post initiation rather than
pre-initiation.”
Author Teaches
Creative Writing
By STEPHANIE F.
JACKSON
Contributing Writer
Tina McElroy Ansa, author
of “Baby of The Family,” has
come back to the Atlanta
University Center to help her
students find their creativity.
Ms. Ansa is teaching a
six-week long creative writing
class at Spelman College. The
class is small consisting of only
11 students. Ms. Ansa says she
is happy with the size the class
because it allows them to trust
each other with their writing.
Although Ms. Ansa has done
other workshops for writers
this is her first teaching
engagement in the Atlanta
University Center.
“I’m thrilled with the class
and the writing is good. As a
Spelmanite and a Black woman
I am so proud. I’m just touched
by being here,” she said.
Ms. Ansa’s students are very
excited about the class. Her
goal for each class member is to
publish a short story by the end
of the semester.
APEX Museum To Expand
BY STEPHANIE F. JACKSON
Contributing Writer
Susan J'aylor, editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, began
the official kick off of‘Friends Of The APEX’ with a speech at
Spelman College earlier this month..
The African American Panoramic Experience (APEX) is
launching a project referred to as Phase 2 which will be an
addition to the APEX Museum now located on Auburn
Avenue. “The Friends of The APEX" is a volunteer
organization responsible for raising funds for the museum.
Dan Moore, founder of APEX Museum said, “It is our firm
conviction that we as African Americans must be in charge of
our own history.” Moore said he hopes to empower the
African American community by using the APEX to tell
history from an African American point of view.
Ms. Taylor spoke to the students about the importance of
African American history and its preservation. “It is my
history that gives me the power, the strength to say I can do
this. I come from a people who lay in chains for three months
and survived.” Ms. Taylor praised her ancestors for all that
they suffered, giving her the opportunity to achieve today.
Phase 2 of the APEX Museum will allow visitors to walk
through the building and experience African American history.
The museum will display life size exhibits ranging from
African villages to the various accomplishments of African
Americans through out history.
Ms. Taylor said, “We need White folks to be able to step into
our history and understand what we've done for them.” She
insisted that people need to be able to walk into the museum
and have a feeling of all that African Americans have
accomplished.
Ms. Taylor encouraged the students to realize that the
construction of Phase 2 was partly their responsibility. She
said," We are that ‘talented tenth’ sent out to clear the path.
The most important thing we can do is give our people their
history.” Ms. Taylor mentioned The Schomberg library in
Harlem (New York City) which houses documented history of
African Americans. She said that the library intimidated many
of the residents of the area because several of them are unable
to read. Therefore, she said that there is a need to build a
museum where history can be accessible to everyone of the
race. “At the APEX folks will be able to see and touch and feel
and experience,” she said.
The class is very intense, it
meets twice a week for two and
a half hours. One student,
Christy Garrison, a senior
history major at Clark Atlanta
University said, “Ms. Ansa
makes writing accessible to the
nonwriter. She gives an
interested voice to the student
who has untapped potential.
She makes the student feel as
though she could make a
success of publishing.”
Ms. Ansa believes that it is
important for writers to share
their work. She encourages her
students to openly take critical
review of their works.
According to Pamela Lewis,
a senior psycology major at
Spelman, “She gives the art of
teaching an exciting twist.
She’s personal, caring, firm and
determined. She expects the
best from us and ultimately
that’s what we give her.”
Ms. Ansa encourages her
students to write everyday. She
says the only way a person will
be good at writing is by doing
it. Ms. Ansa completed her
first book, “Baby of The
Family,” in 1988. The book is
about a young girl in a small
town who has the gift of seeing
spirits. Ms. Ansa said she
wrote the book to show young
people that life didn’t have to
be scary. She added, “We have
a responsibility to tell the
children stories of our history.
That’s our strength.”
A UC Officials
Making Plans
For Olympics
By NANNETTE L. WILSON
Editorial Page Editor
There’s a lot going on in this
southern town of Georgia, but
only a little of it has to do with
the Atlanta University Center.
It's a chance of a lifetime for
the AUC to contribute and help
host the 1996 Olympic Summer
Games.
AUC officials are making
arrangements for the Olympic
field hockey competition which
will be held at the AU Complex
located within the Olympic
Centre. This complex is to be
constructed for the Games and
will serve the student popula
tion of the schools that make
up the Atlanta University
Center: Morehouse College,
Spelman College, Morris
Brown College, Clark Atlanta
University and the Interde
nominational Theological
Seminary. It will include two
major sports facilities dedi
cated to hockey competition.
The primary competition area
will be located at the existing
Alonzo F. Herndon Stadium,
and the secondary competition
will be held at the new AU
Stadium which will„be only 200
feet away.
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