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MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ATLANTA, GA NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 5, 2012 VOLUME LXXXVII, ISSUE 11 x I illlllllllllBIHIIliiilliiil I III!II—<—I— liilBlllllllillJHWBBmirWiM—— WHAT'S INSIDE W ONLY CHAIRS COULD TALK page2 IS CHINA GROWING TO FAST? PW3 THE DARKEST FRIDAY OF THE YEAR PW4 MPAGE: THE ULTIMATE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE page 7 RAGG BOUTIQUE FRESHMAN ENTREPRENUER SETS NEW TRENDS pageio LsSWT- QLO^Y SAFESPACE, SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OFFERS NEW LGBT COURSE Moriba Cummings Staff Writer moribacummings@yahoo.com Morehouse College, though dominantly consisting of a homogenous demographic, regularly boasts an aura of diversity that is often ignored from the outside looking in. Most recently, this sense of diversity has taken new form as the gay/straight alliance and student advocacy group, SafeSpace, through the hard work of Dr. Michael Hodge of the sociology department, has officially received the green light to launch a special topics elective on Rlack lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history and culture to be of fered for credit Spring 2015. The idea came to fruition when SafeSpace’s Special Project and Events Coordinator Marcus Lee partnered with Yale University professor Dr. Jafari S. Allen to pitch the project. Allen focuses on the intersections of queer sexual ity, gender and blackness. “He’s very interested in gender non-conformity among colored people, and I’m interested in that as well,” Lee said. “I told him that I don’t have much direction here at Morehouse because many of the professors whose focus is on sexuality often focus on diseases and not really cul tural critique. So he recommended that he teach a class via Skype.” Roth well versed and experienced in the field of sexu ality and gender expression, Dr. Allen currently teaches courses on the cultural politics of race, sexuality and gen der among Rlack diasporas, and has authored various pub lications, including “Crucial Palimpsest: Re-Reading Broth- er Rrother” and most currently “Rlack Queer Here and There: The Social Poesis of Diaspora” (tentatively titled). Fixed to extend his expertise to the students of More house College, Allen is sure to make a mark and set quite a high standard of excellence through his course. “What you call ‘human rights advocacy’ is for me just trying to be a responsible person in the world-to point out and perhaps, in some cases, also to attempt to help to fix injustices,” Allen said. “While this may be controversial in some academic settings where there is the pretension of a kind of non-political educational project, this has never been the case for Morehouse or for any historically Rlack institution. So, it is essential for Morehouse students, facul ty, administrators and alumni to engage [in] this conversa tion.” The fruition of this course is due to Hodge, the Chair of the Morehouse College sociology department. Academic departments often offer special elective courses, such as this, to “allow the department to trial-run a course to strengthen the learning outcomes, judge student interest and clean up any loose ends before submitting it to the of ficial committee for curriculum.” Rased on Allen’s syllabus and learning outcomes, the course was approved by the division Dean Dr. Clarissa Myrick-Harris and faculty of the department. The class has also been cross listed by the African American studies department. The course is expected to outline various key concepts in Rlack feminism and critical cultural theory and methodolo gy. Described as “an interdisciplinary survey of Rlack lesbi an, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGRTQ) culture and politics” in the course’s syllabus, the class will serve as an in-depth look into critical, social and cultural theory that will vastly benefit the Morehouse community. SafeSpace’s Public Relations Director Ja’Mal Lewis believes that this course will finally shine light on the LGRT figures that have been overlooked throughout history. “Many influential LGRT leaders have gone unrecord ed due to their sexuality, and they made many of the move ments that changed and shaped our history,” Lewis said. SafeSpace’s President, Kenneth Pass, has one ulti mate goal in mind for the course. “We’re not here to make people feel comfortable, we’re here to make people think and this course will fos ter a much needed discussion about the Rlack experience through an LGRT lens here within Morehouse’s walls,” Pass commented. Dr. Allen is working to make this not just a worth while educational experience, but also, more broadly, one that will perpetuate growth and expressional, educated freedom. “I want students to be open and engaged in reading closely, generously, and with what Gramci called something like ‘pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will,”’ Allen said. “That is, to relentlessly question and never settle for a just-so story or interpretation that suggests, for example, that any knowledge is innocent of the author’s own motives, background or the times in which s/he lived ... This is my general commitment as a pedagogue.” The course (History and Culture of Black LGBT, HSOC 300, CRN: 45022) is open for registration under the sociology department on Tigernet. It will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:50 P.M. to 5:05 P.M. MOREHOUSE MEETS THEIR NEW PRESIDENT Kayla Nelson Campus News Editor knelsoll@scmail.spelman.edu “I am pleased to be returning to my alma mater,” President-elect Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr. ’79 said. As the students began filing into the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Dean Kevin Booker could be heard from the center doors com manding, “First ten rows fellas; first ten rows.” It was a usual Tuesday morning but November 27, 2012 was about to mark something special. The presen tation read, “Report of the Morehouse College Presidential Search Commit tee, Robert C. Davidson Jr., Chairman, Morehouse College Board of Trustees.” As students continued trickling down the aisles in 12 second intervals, men dressed in suits, no less, were con vening at the right ends of the stage. Clapping began at 11:05 A.M. and a man appeared at the transparent podium located center stage. After a swift introduction, Dr. Robert Michael Franklin ‘75 took his place. He spoke few words and quickly made reference to the new President-elect, Dr. Wilson. The students instinctively rose to their feet to welcome him. Before he was set to speak, Dr. John Williams, Dean over the division of Business and Economics, began with an explanation of the subject at hand. He started outlining the steps that went into finding the new president who would be serving as the college’s 11th president in the school’s 145-year history. By 11:11 A.M. two-thirds of the chapel was already filled and students were still pooling in through the adja cent doors. At the 25 minute mark, Dean Williams wrapped up his talk and in troduced Dr. Wilson. “Good morning everyone,” Wilson greeted to the large gathering of students. “The last time I stood here was when I was delivering a com mencement speech to classmates.” Wilson then touched on his more than 25 years in higher educa tion which consisted of his work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his former position as the executive director of President Barack Obama’s White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Univer sities. Wilson quickly jumped into sharing his time at Morehouse College. “I had every intention of attend ing Lincoln University,” he began. “I had the name of my roommate and the key to my dorm room.” Wilson then shared how it must have been divine intervention; “Some thing happened and I decided I wanted to go to Morehouse.” He then crept into some very honest territory. “I loved Morehouse but I didn’t always like it,” he bellowed as voices from the crowd spoke in agreement. “I didn’t like how it was being ran.” The crowd continued to clap and cheer. There was a unanimous energy flowing throughout the chapel. The tone then changed to one of action. “We need a surge in capital,” Wilson explained, “so that we are in the pa pers for the right reasons and not the wrong ones.” Wilson then began sharing the significance of 2015, which will mark his official arrival at the institution. In 1915, 100 years prior, the school was renamed Morehouse College from Atlanta Baptist College. He went on to say that 2013 would be the 50th an niversary of the “articulation of King’s dream and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Wilson summed up by saying, “We need a new kind of freedom.” While sharing his hopes for the college, Wilson touched on his friend ship and alliance with fellow alumnus Shelton “Spike” Lee ‘79. “We met during freshman week and have stayed [friends] ever since,” he smiled. Wilson’s experience and net work will be a welcomed boost that Morehouse will undoubtedly benefit from. The college appears that it will continue to be in good hands and can look forward to an increase in funding, student retention and a rising gradua tion rate. Though Dr. Robert M. Franklin will be missed, it can be said with as surance that Morehouse College will be safely left in fully capable hands of Dr. Wilson. Interim Provost Sheftall will serve as Interim President until Wilson takes over the school’s presidency in February. NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 5, 2012 Recycle The Maroon Tiger WWW.THEMAROONTIGER.COM