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Divided but not conquered
Mathematician determined to add positives to negative situation
Photo by Melvin Jackson
To Sir With Love: A faculty favorite, Dr. Abdulalim
Shabazz
By Kimathi Lewis
Staff Writer
There is something
extraordinary about the gray
haired man sitting behind the
desk with his chair sometimes
turned toward the blackboard
covered with signs and figures.
Something so extraordinary
that it is felt both locally and
nationwide.
Dr. Abdulalim Shabazz has
been cited, written about and
quoted in more than seven
publications across the United
States for his philosophy of and
his contributions to mathematics
education.
But it is for his contributions
and philosophy that many
believe he was dismissed as chair
from the Clark Atlanta
University Mathematics
Sciences Department.
Many, especially his students,
find this move very hard to
believe.
After all, Shabazz can take
much of the credit for producing
half of the estimated 200 Black
doctorates in mathematics in the
United States. Half of which can
be traced back to Atlanta
University’s alumni from 19$7
to 1963, during which time
Shabazz served as associate
professor and chairman.
“At that particular time, he
was the only known Black Ph.D.
in math in this country,” Wallace
Maryland, a former student was
quoted as saying in a 1993 issue
of The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution.
When Shabazz, 68, returned
to CAU in 1986—and became
chairman of the math department
in 1990—records indicate that
no students graduated. Butwithin
a course of five years, there were
23 students with bachelors
degrees in math.
Shabazz's philosophy was
simple: Have faith in the students
and they will have faith in
themselves.
“You can’t treat them like you
have no faith in them, they won’t
achieve,” he said. “You cannot
teach a person if you don’t
believe they can be taught.”
He said students placed into
remedial courses saw
themselves being treated like
dummies and they were insulted.
So, the first thing he did as chair
of CAU’s math department was
to get rid of the remedial courses.
Shabazz said all students can
achieve if they put their mind to
it and put forth the effort. It is
simply a question of one’s
perception.
And it was under his guidance
and philosophy that CAU’s math
department was ranked among
the top 10 in the nation in 1995,
according to the Math Horizons
that is published by the
Mathematical Association of
America.
But despite these
accomplishments, Shabazz was
removed as chair of the math
department.
According to Dr. Larry
Earvin, dean of the school of
arts and sciences, this move is
Continued on P 4
Inside
P2 Art department in
disrepair
P4 CAU's new chief
straight from NASA
P8 Steps to Success
in mustp
P10 Find Fishburne
in Features
CAU says farewell to Safety Inspector
Eric Rose
Staff Writer
Lives of great men all remind
us we can make our lives
sublime. And departing leave
behind us footprints on the
sands of time. - Henry
Longfellow
As the Georgia sun slowly
coaxed the dawn into becoming
Jan. 27, it brought light into a
day that would seem very dark
to many. That was the day when
John C. “Butch” Williams made
his way back home to the God he
loved.
Williams held his post as Clark
Atlanta University’s safety
inspector with the sense of quiet
pride and love that shone through
to all who met him. However,
few of the students knew about
the man behind the smile.
An Atlanta native, Williams
matriculated through the Atlanta
Public School System for his
primary education. He went on
to attend New Hampshire State
College and the University of
Georgia where he received
certification as an instructor in
Elementary Education and
radiological monitoring
respectively. From there he went
to the U.S. Fire Administration
National Fire Academy to
become an arson detector for
arson investigations. From 1964
to 1966, he carried a badge as a
police officer and later traded it
in for the badge of the first black
corrections officer in Atlanta.
From 1966 to 1992, he saved
lives and livelihoods as a fireman
in the Atlanta Fire Department.
The next year he joined the Public
Safety Department of CA U and
the rest is CAU history.
Throughout his career he
received many awards and was a
part of many Orders and
associations. However, one
cannot help but feel that one of
the most important was the
Society of CAU. This is nowhere
more evident than in the
comments of those who knew
him.
“He was a really nice man,”
said Eric Taylor, a Journalism
major. “He spoke to everyone in
a friendly manner. I had seen
him a short while back and he
greeted me with a ‘ Whatup, boy! ’
He will be missed.”
“Knowing him was an
enjoyable experience, especially
spiritually,” said Ms. Felecia
Bratton, a friend in his
department. “Mr. Wiliams loved
the Lord and it showed. He was
like a father figure to me.”
“Mr. Williams and I were
sparring partners ... he could
always get me to smile,”
remembered Ms. Pat
Kinnebrew, also a friend in his
department. “I just got my hair
cut the other day and I came to
work looking for him to say
something...”
Although Williams left this
world, it can be assured that he
lives in the hearts of those who
had the honor of meeting him
and gather together as one voice
in saying, “Death be not proud,
for you too shall die!”