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4 - DECEMBER 2000/JANUARY 2001 MBCWO - 63 Years Of Communications - HBCUs Making The Connection In The 21st Century.
Morris Brown Players Premiere Masterful
Convergence Of The African-American
Experience In Tracing Roots
by Dashanaba King
PROFESSOR - HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT
ATLANTA - In a stunning
two-show, standing room only
performance, the new 10 mem
ber cast of The Morris Brown
Players premiered the Fall
2000 season with an original
work TRACING ROOTS. The
work was conceived and direc
ted by producer, professor,
actor and poet laureate E.
Lloyd Napier, and present
ed by the Humanities Depart
ment of Morris Brown College.
The production was a medley
of poems, essays, scenes and
dramatic monologues intri
cately woven into a humorous
and colorful mix of memories,
metaphors and lowdown par
ticulars of Black life.
From the casts’ opening
rendition of “The Creation” by
James Weldon Johnson to the
ending act of Kephra Burns’
soliloquy “Essence” brilliantly
played by Janelle Henderson,
The Players elicited a range of
emotions to a full house of
responsive student viewers.
While the show was devoid
of lighting and a theatrical
set, the cast seemed to glide
right along in character,
using all manner of makeshift
sets and stage props. In addi
tion to noted works by artists
Nikki Giovanni, “This Has
Nothing To Do With You”,
Ntozake Shange “Eli”, and
Saul Williams “Blind”, the
audience was exposed to some
original pieces written by
Napier himself. The pieces
“Strange Fruit” and “Dust
Tracks”, written by A. ‘Afro-
pick’ McDowell, were also
included.
“Lady In Blue” unmasked
by Bih Fobi, was a master
stroke of irony, depicting a
relationship gone bad—where
one woman wants no more
‘stories’, and will accept no
more being sorry and apolo
gies from her man. The songs
and moans in “Go Down
Death” as part of the riveting
‘Hallelujah To God Be The
Glory’ church scene, was
quite revealing as many in
the audience, through gesture
and sound, divulged signs of
their roots tracing back to the
Black Church.
Perhaps the most emotional
performances of all came with
the believable blind man’s
dramatization captured by
Donnell Morgan, and the all-'
too-familiar reality of the
scene from “A Song For My
Mothers”, played by George
Yeomans, where candles were
lit and names called in memo
ry of all people who have suc
cumbed to the insidious
disease, AIDS.
Serious and realistic, yet
full of humor and laughter,
the theatrical collage TRAC
ING ROOTS, portrays vivid
messages on life, love, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.
Viewers were moved to reflect
on their obvious connections
to aspects of African Ameri
can concepts.
Cast members included
Charmaine Smith, Shenika
Gaines, A. “Afropick”
McDowell, George Yeomans,
Toni Hicks, Donnell Morgan,
Janelle Henderson, Myra
Fobi, Marquitta Bradley and
Destiny Middlebrooks.
by Natasha Marshall
STAFF WRITER
Welcome
Reception
Held in the
Legal Studies
Department
The 2000-2001 Legal Studies Bar Association here at Morris
Brown College held their first event for the year. On Wednes
day, November 8, 2000, the Bar Association held a Welcome
Reception for new arid returning students in the Legal Studies
Department. Throughout the program the Bar Association
officers were, announced along with other programs that will
be held in the Legal Studies Department. The Welcome Recep
tion also gave students the chance to relax and socialize with
each other.
AsaHilliard Conducts Staff
Development Workshop for
MBC Trio Programs!
by Shawnna Hayes-Tavares
STAFF WRITER
Renowned Egyptologist, Author and Calloway Professor of Ur
ban Studies at Georgia State University conducted a workshop
for the TRIO Programs’ employees on “Effective Strategies and
Techniques for Teaching and Counseling.” Dr. Asa Hilliard who
has spent 20 plus years linking the motherland with people of
color in the United States exchanged dialogue, gave a presenta
tion and lectured on the importance of connecting tft.,pur youth
through “Expressions of Love”.
During Dr. Hilliard’s presentation, he showed evidence that
children from African descent can learn even when their environ
ment is surrounded with poverty and degradation, if those child
ren are taught with Africentric values. Dr. Hilliard shared valu
able methods to enhance TRIO employees’ knowledge and under
standing that will be beneficial when dealing with our partici
pants. He said that if we build character, create bonds and know
how to connect education to spirituality as some of our African
counterparts do, it will help to create an environment that will be
conducive for learning. He also said that by concentrating on the
relationship with our students rather than the teaching, we will
allow our students to express themselves and to develop naturally.
Dr. Hilliard also shared some African traditions on teaching, he
gave examples of nations in Africa that trained teachers for 30
years. By doing this those teachers are able to be trained in several
aspects of not only teaching, but culture and history as well.
They were taught love of self, love of student and patience that
helps build bonds and the nation. He said by doing this we create
“Expressions of Love”, these expressions consist of listening,
sharing, questioning, feedback and modeling.
Dr. Hilliard was later joined by Morris Brown’s illustrious
president Dr. Delores Cross. Dr. Cross’ presentation spoke to
having a base and determining our own destiny. Dr. Cross read
exerts from her book, she shared her story about her need to con
tinue the race. She said that she saw herself as a runaway slave
charged with the responsibility as a black woman to continue the
race and that running a marathon was a way of life for her.
Together Dr. Hilliard and Dr. Cross celebrate over 50 years of
experience educating children. The TRIO staff members were
able to benefit from their knowledge. The workshop concluded
with a question/answer portion, TRIO employees had concerns
about bridging the gap between generations to better help our
students. Both Dr. Cross and Dr. Hilliard gave valuable informa
tion to the staff. The TRIO Programs employees learned not only
from Dr. Hilliard and Dr. Cross, but from themselves as well.
MBC Upward Bound-Atlanta Program
Goes to Washington D.C.
and New York City
by Gregory W. Carter, MA
EDUCATIONAL COUNSELOR UB-A
uring the week of
July 16-21, 2000, the
Morris Brown College
Upward Bound-Atlanta Pro
gram took their Cultural Edu
cational Trip to New York
and Washington D.C. Excited
students and caring adults
met in Jordan Hall on Sunday
around 5:00 p.m. After check
ing everyone in and listening
to Mr. Kings’ farewell speech
we boarded the buses about
8:00 p.m. It took two buses,
we were separated by gender,
Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Wilson
were in charge of bus one
with the young ladies, and
Mr. Carter and Mr. Thigpen
were in charge of bus two
with the young men, then we
headed down the highway for
Washington D.C.
We arrived in D.C. about
7:00 a.m. Monday, stopping at
a truck-stop which had showers
and video games. We partook
upon some social hygiene,
some even used the public
showers. Thereafter we got
in line in the cafeteria to enjoy
the breakfast buffet which
consisted of scrambled eggs,
sausage, bacon, grits, hash
browns, french-toast, and
fresh fruit. At the conclusion
of the wonderful breakfast,
we boarded the bus to begin
our tour of the U.S. Capitol.
Our first stop was the
Smithsonian Institute, which
was very informative and
enlightening. Later we went
to the Capitol where we were
greeted by U.S. Congressman
of Georgia John Lewis, who
spoke to us about his involve
ment in the Civil Rights
struggle as well as his rise in
politics. We then proceeded
to the steps of the Capitol
where we took group pictures
with the Congressman.
At 1:00 p.m. we were sched
uled for lunch and a tour of
Howard University. We met
with a Graduate student at
the University who gave us
all the history of the HBCUs
(Historically Black Colleges
and Universities). After lunch
we toured the city and saw
the Department of Treasury,
the Department of Agricul
ture, and the Department
of Transportation. After din
ner we got back on the high
way and headed for the hotel
in New Jersey.
We stayed at the Crown
Plaza Hotel in Seacaucus -
once we got checked in and
everyone received their keys,
we all went to our rooms, and
rested from the long, yet
eventful day.
On Tuesday morning, July
18, we boarded the buses to
begin our tour of New York
City. Our first stop was the
Schomburg Center for Re
search in Black Culture—
which traces its origin to two
seminal events during the
Harlem Renaissance. We
were divided into our assign
ed groups and went to lunch
at Mama’s Soul Food in Har
lem where the food was excel
lent. After-lunch we went to
the Apollo Theatre - which
looks much smaller in real
life, than it does on T.V.
Several students participated
in a mock “Showtime” at the
Apollo and showed off their
impressive talents.
After the great time at
the Apollo Theatre, we went
down to the South Street Sea
Port, where everyone got a
chance to shop at the many
stores, walk around and tour
the area. Mr. Carter and Ms.
Griffin ordered 20 large New
York pizza’s for everyone’s
dinner. After we ate and
cleaned our area in the park
we headed back or the hotel.
Once at the hotel we met in a
large room and discussed the
events of the day. Around
11:00 p.m. we went to our
rooms to sleep and prepare
for the next day of adventure.
On Wednesday, July 19,
we boarded the buses around
8:00 a.m., had a fight Conti
nental Breakfast, then began
our day with a tour of Colum
bia University’s Campus.
Three students from Colum
bia were our tour guides and
the tour was very informative,
we also learned that they
have an Upward Bound Pro
gram on their campus.
Because of timing conflicts we
did not get a chance to see the
Abyssinian Baptist Church.
After a wonderful lunch we
toured the city of New York
(Central Park, Harlem, Man
hattan, Greenwich Village,
the Garment District, and
Broadway). The city is ex
tremely crowded and very
busy, the advertisements
(everything from toothpaste
to underwear) were so large it
made the city seem larger
than life.
After dinner we saw a mag
nificent Broadway play enti
tled “Swing” it was fabulous.
At the conclusion of the play
we returned to the hotel to
discuss the day and wrap up
the final night.
That Thursday morning,
July 20, we gathered our
belongings and checked out of
the hotel. We stopped at Roy
Rogers in New Jersey for
breakfast before heading to
Six Flags Great Adventure
Amusement Park.
We broke up into our
assigned groups and spent a
fun-filled day riding roller
coasters, eating funnel cakes,
pizza and ice cream. At 8:00
p.m. we presented the bus
drivers with a token of our
appreciation, then boarded
the buses for our journey
back to dear ole Morris
Brown College.
We arrived back at the
school four hours earlier than
we had anticipated, therefore
when we crossed the Georgia
state fine students called their
parents to pick them up at
2:00 p.m. instead of 6. The
parents were there to receive
their children and everyone
went home with wonderful
memories of the past week.
It was indeed a “Trip to
Remember”.