Convocation

Before attending convocation, i wasn't sure what to expect. i was expecting a speech about why we need to stay in school and why Howard is the best school to attend. What i received from convocstiion was not what i expexted. Dr. Michale Lomax was our speaker for this years convocation. when he said that only 11 % of howard alum gives back i was shocked. Howard may be the top HBCu but when I walk around campus but we still need help. You spent four years of your life at Howard and can't take a minute out to say "thank you" ? Howard is not perfect but there are many people that dreamed of coming to Howard but never made it. we are the lucky few and i feel that we should support our school. Dr. Lomax also spoke about the need to further your education past the college level. i believe convocation served its purpose to reiterate why we are here. we all have a common goal and that is to graduate and better ourselves.

Beneath The Surface

Professor Mack's presentation is one of the most enlightening presentations thus far in seminar. he really allowed us to feel the emotions that were going on when the remains were discovered in 1991. we have learned about slavery over the years but we never really learned about their lives in the different places they were brought to for New York to be so close and  to know that so many remains were found there is chilling. Professor Mack's lecture made me think about the identities of the people buried at the African burial ground. Those could be my ancestors remains that are buried there. Through out the lecture i couldn't help but wonder what must have been going through the minds of the men and woman that were forced to bury family and friends everyday. one of the many things i found interesting from this lecture was the reluctance of taking slaves from the Caribbean due to rebellion. Another interesting point from the lecture was that even through all the pain and suffering that the Africans endured, they never abandoned their customs. in one of the photos that were taken at the burial ground, one of the women buried was wearing a waist chain at the time of her death. the kind of shells she was wearing was native to Africa. Professor Mack's presentation allowed me to understand the importance of the history after slavery. just because it is believed to be over does not mean that's the case.

PERSEVERANCE

This week’s lecture on New York’s African Burial Ground was an extremely insightful one. Professor Mark E. Mac put together an intriguing PowerPoint which displayed the African burial site under investigation and its many findings. Professor Mac gave us some background information on the site, which included; there were at least 10,000 Africans buried here and only 4000 were taken out. The fact that the remains were being dug up upset many African people throughout the area. I feel that Howard University stepped in and insisted that they get a chance to study the remains so that the disturbance of the remains would not be in vain but instead the African people would get something meaningful out of it.

Professor Mac together with the Howard University team set out to answer several research questions such as; What was the origin of these people (which part of Africa did our ancestors come from), what was their quality of life, did they undergo a bicultural transformation and did they maintain their humanity? Some of their findings included Africans with sharpened or filled teeth. Professor Mac explained to us that this was for both cosmetic beauty and also a way for them to distinguish what tribes they were originally from. Many of the remains were found with jewelry that was not made in North America and/or European objects for example a man was found in a British coat and another with coins on his eyes. This implied that there was a trade going on amongst the people. The physical quality of life could also be determined from the remains. 65% of the women were found with muscle tear in the upper arm and legs. This meant that they were hauling things that were too heavy for their bodies to handle. Also the women were found with cranial fractures which resulted from them carrying large and heavy things on their head. Many new born babies and young children were found. The remains of the young children showed that they were under a lot of stress. Many had skull problems, were malnourished and/or had rickets. As for the question, “Did Africans maintain their humanity?” The answer is clear to me that the African people did maintain their humanity. 91% of the remains were buried in coffins wrapped in white cloth and as Professor Mac stated, “We would not be here if our ancestors did not take care of us in life and death.” This Burial ground represents the fact that our ancestors came from all over Africa and through pain and sorrow they banned together and made us, and now it is our job to culturally enrich ourselves and pass what we know on to other to ensure the perseverance of our culture.

“Ancestral Rites of Return”

After a decade of research the 4000 remains were finally going to be reburied. After a set of four remains were through tour 6 cities they were placed in a coffin and then into 1 of the 7 sarcophagus. They were then carried by horse to the burial ground and finally laid to rest. This was extremely touching, for I wonder if my ancestors knew that their people would one day rise and be able to celebrate them for their strength, humanity and perseverance. As a people this burial site brings us back to the beginning and together once again. I know that when I go to visit the monument in October that it will be a very touching experience.

“The Memorial and its Symbols”

The five symbols that I learned about were; 1) Mate Masie which means Wisdom and Prudence and is from the Akan tribe. This symbol symbolizes four ears linked together and represents the importance of cultural perseverance, 2) Akoma Ntoso which means understanding and is also from the Akan tribe. The symbol symbolized four hearts linked together and represented shared affection, 3) Nsibidi which is the symbol for progress or a journey. This symbolized the journey of the African Diaspora, not only to the Americas but to the whole world. 4) Ankh is the Egyptian symbol for eternal life (wisdom and power), although I have seen this symbol before this is the first time I’m learning what it means, and 5) Gye Nyame, which symbolizes the supremacy of God. All of these symbols connected not only with each other but also with the whole meaning of the African Burial Ground. After learning about all these symbols I feel inspired to learn more about them and their origin and to be able to pass my knowledge on to others like my little sister for I think that it is important for her and others to know and understand just how sophisticated our people really were. Also I hope that Howard again gets an opportunity to embark on something so culturally significant and that I will be able to participate or help in one way or another and if the opportunity does not directly present itself through Howard I will just have to go out and find it!

Burial Ground National Monument by Glenn Gladney

Professor Mack's lecture expanded my knowledge on the life of early African slaves within colonial America. His talk touched upon the fact that the captive African slaves still practiced traditions and customs from their homeland. One important aspect still continued was African burial rites. The unearthing of graves within New York's African Burial Ground showed various relics and items buried with the dead. Also Professor Mack pointed out that examination of the teeth and bones of the dead gave clues to their daily lives. The pattern of teeth filing revealed the tribe, age, and origin of the many buried. The professor pointed out that young women were typically assigned to hard labor that damaged their muscle tissue and skeleton. The routine lifting of a hundred pounds took a toll on many and made me appreciate the fact that I do not work in hard labor. Overall his presentation introduced me to a depth of early African slaves that is not usually discussed. One instance is that many Africans did not view themselves as slaves or as "property" but as being held captive in a new land. This shows the resilience and mental state that the early Africans arrived with to the colonies.


My overall impression of the project is positive. I believe the involvement of Howard University was essential in leading the research on the New York African Burial Ground. I believe this institution was chosen because of its vast resources and knowledgeable staff that could properly examine the remains. I do not believe other institutions could have taken the quality time and safety in analyzing our ancestors' remains. Though it is an unfortunate situation surrounding the African Burial Ground, it is encouraging to know that care was taken to preserve the dignity of the dead. The symbolism of unity that the monument stands for inspires to me to continue the University's legacy in pursuing and transforming academic knowledge that will benefit the community.

Convocation Lecture by Glenn Gladney

On September 23, Michael L. Lomax was the guest speaker for Howard University's 144th Opening Convocation. As President of UNCF (United Negro College Fund) he stressed his goal to make college an affordable experience for minorities seeking higher education. Dr. Lomax expressed his concern for the number of bright minorities seeking options outside of HBCUs. He asserted that institutions such as Howard University need to make themselves more attractive and competitive for a better quality of student. In addition he believes Howard University should seek to acquire the best faculty and staff in order to improve its quality of education.

Dr. Lomax also challenged alumni and students to give back to their alma mater. He believes that investment from past generations is essential if HBCUs are to progress forward. According to the orator, only 11 percent of past graduates donate funds to Howard University. I find this to be a surprising statistic. I agree that HBCUs need to be come more attractive to students if they are to compete with other schools. One approach could be to offer greater scholarships. However this relates back to Dr. Lomax's point that alumni do not give back which hinders the amount of funding available. Overall I believed his presentation to be insightful on the current state of HBCUs.

Convocation

I enjoyed convocation very much. Doctor Lomax mad some very interesting and valid facts and points. When he said that HBCU's have the highest graduation percentage of African Americans more than any other college, I found that to be very interesting and I loved hearing that being that I am in an HBCU, it made me very proud. The fact that Alumni don't contribute to their school's as much as they should disappoints me because college is one of the major points of your life, in some cases it makes you who you are today, so for you to graduate and not show your appreciation by not giving back is selfish and unappreciative. "Howard was there for you, now Howard needs you"- Dr. Lomax. Dr. Lomax was very pro-student which i really liked. He said a student should be treated as a "customer", meaning we should be given the best service possible or we will just take our business elsewhere. I don't think there was a better way to say that. I also enjoyed when he spoke about education with minorities specifically blacks and latinos. He said "latinos and blacks are seen as the muscle and not the brain of education", and this is very true. We are looked down a lot when it comes to education, and Caucasians are seen as the brain, the one's with all the "knowledge". I personally think latinos and blacks just need more support, then this high percentage of graduates in American will increase.

Afican Burial Ground: Never Forgetting Those Before Us

Dr. Mack’s presentation on the African Burial Ground was something I had never seen or heard of before. Although I am from NY I never knew this existed. It’s sad that this isn’t better known to everyone but I’m glad I had a chance to learn about it and will get to see it live.  I feel that it is important for us to learn about our history and take pride in knowing all that we can.  I still don’t know how I feel about this burial ground being dug up in the first place because it seems disrespectful. They wouldn’t go into any cemetery and just start digging out the bodies so why would you do it to this site?

Professor Mack’s presentation was pretty good but I felt that he could have given us more than just pictures to look at. He didn’t have much depth to the presentation although it was nice that he took things slower than other speakers have before. Overall the lecture was interesting and taught me many new things. I feel that Howard was chosen to participate because of our reputation and the level of scholars we have working here. People know that we would be respectful and very interested in learning more about the burial site and would want to contribute all that we can to help. The skills professors and others on campus possess are incredible and are the exact reasons we are among the top HBCUs.

Nsibidi- love and unity and ancient idiographic writing system

Gye Nyame- this is the most widely recognized and powerful symbol used by the Ugon? people. It means “except God.”

Tanit- represents the early African Muslims who have been here since the early 1600s and the faith they brought to our world.

Hye Won Hye- imperishability and endurance. It means “burn? You will not burn.”

Legba- guardian of the crossroads. It is one of the gods of the system.

Digging up the past

Before Professor Mack even began this lecture, I was a little disappointed in myself because I am from New York, Brooklyn to be exact, and I knew nothing about this African Burial ground so I was excited that we were going to be taking a trip there. When he talked about people protesting about the digging of the burial ground, I understood their frustration because these people are digging up the past, a sacred ground, but I also understood why they were digging it up. When you go into the past, it provides a lot of unknown information for the present that we never even known so I appreciated this project more than rebelling against it. If i were to visit this exhibit in october, which I will, I'm sure I will learn a lot about our ancestors and the way they were treated just by exhibiting their remains. Looking at someone's skeletel structure tells us a lot about that person and time period than a lot may realize. When we looked at the women's skeleton, we saw that their skull was cracked and this indicated that they carried a lot of heavy things on their head. Their teeth are filed which also gives us more valid information. The fact that these people were buried with their babies and others as well, shows that they were probably buried with their families or just random people. This lecture gave me a lot of information I didn't have before and I can't wait to go to New York and find out even more.

Convocation....Celebrating 144 Years of Success

Dr. Michael Lomax’s speech during Convocation showed how passionate he was about his position as President of the United Negro College Fund. He made very relevant and eye opening points through his use of statistics and facts about African Americans schooling. My favorite point was when he said “Students should be treated as customers because they matter and they can easily take their business elsewhere.” This is so correct and he used this to explain how some schools are losing focus on what is truly important and why they exist in the first place. They must remember that students hold a larger amount of power than they think so they should strive to make things suitable for us and keep things equal and professional at all times. There is nothing worse than going off to college where you should experience “the best four years of your life” and end up being treated unfairly due to ethnicity, religion, gender, etc., and wanting nothing more than to leave that institution.

Dr. Lomax mentioned many statistics about African Americans and our low rates of males at graduations but yet the high rates of unemployment. Only 30-35% of the graduating classes at many HBCUs are comprised of males. He expressed how crucial it is for people to start making an effort to help black males get in and stay in school. Too many schools are focused on what they have done in the past and how many people they started with but don’t worry about how many they lose. Dr. Lomax said “it’s not about what you use to do; it’s about what you are doing now and for the future.” There is nothing further from the truth; you cannot stay stuck in the past and talk about how good you use to be. That is not relevant to what you are doing now and it will not help keep people interested in your institution for too long.

Overall I felt proud to attend the Convocation and celebrate 144 years of Howard University. I hold this school to such a high standard and I love hearing about its accomplishments and what we are doing to help others. I wouldn’t trade Howard for anything.

More Than Dirt & Bones: A People Unearthed

I found this lecture both informative and interesting. I think that I may have liked this lecture more than the previous ones because this was a lecture about than just concepts. The site and the bones/artifacts are tangible. I can go see them so this lecture was easier to wrap my head around. Although I live in NYC, I had never even heard of this burial site until the first week of freshman seminar. Initially I thought that it would be just several skeletons a few feet apart. I did not realize that this would include the skeletons of babies or such things as shells worn by people. I also never realized just how much it is possible to find out from bones. I was really fascinated when Dr.Mack spoke of the woman who's muscles had torn and the woman who was shot and took some time to die. This reminds me of when people speak of the thousands that lost their lives on 9/11. One may feel sadness but it is not until faces and individual tales are put to the story that one understands the full magnitude of the circumstance. As silly as it may sound, I always thought of working in the fields as unbelievably hard work but I never thought of it as physically breaking the body down one muscle and limb at a time.

I am not completely certain that I understand the podcasts but what I think they are trying to emphasize is the importance of the burial ground to not just Africans. Several faiths and cultures are connected by way of the site. In my opinion, Howard University was chosen because it is an HBCU with scholars who have the capacity,tools,connections, and legacy to carry out the necessary research. Being that Howard is an HBCU, taking part in this project would mean that the importance and appreciation for the African burial ground would not be lost; it would be magnified. I am proud of HU's contributions.

Abandonment

This week's post spoke about the lack of knowledge that fills our lives when it comes to African culture.  Dr.Beatty spoke about the similarities in the American culture that was ultimately derived from the Africans. Dr. Beatty spoke about many aspects of the middle passage but his presentation lost me. There was nothing that captured my attention, except the similarities between Christianity and the religious African culture. before this lecture, i never thought about the westernized culture deriving religious aspects from the African culture. so far, i feel that freshman seminar is not a "freshman" class. every week we hear lectures about the African culture. while this is necessary and interesting, the topics in this seminar should consist of more than power points about the oppression of black people. when i came to Howard, i became a part of a legacy that improved with each generation. learning about Howard and the legacy of the school is a topic i feel should be addressed n freshman seminar

The Loss of a Sacred Culture

Dr. Mano Beatty’s lecture on the loss of the African culture through the process of the Middle Passage was interesting. I didn’t prefer his method of delivering this lecture because it was a little confusing but his attempted message was nice. He brought up topics that I’ve never stopped twice to think about. His main point was “when you are conceptualized as empty you are filled with anything surrounding you.” This is a very valid point when you look back at our ancestors and the many traditions we no longer follow or even know about.

 When our people were brought over from their native country they were left broken and lost, confused about what to do next or how to feel. So in order to fill this void they began adopting the customs of the white people and forgetting about their own ways. They lost language, names, heritage, and much more which resulted in them losing themselves completely. Our type of speech was different until we were moved out of our country where that way of speaking was not acceptable. I never stopped to think about many of the subtle things we do differently than whites and how much more noticeable it must have been back before we adapted to life here.

            For as much as they lost along the way, they also brought a lot to the U.S. such as science and technology, instruments, music, Agricultural cultivation, dance, storytelling, and more. White people and people of other races too don’t realize how much black people contributed to many of the things they enjoy today. It is difficult to further explain what I learned from this lecture because I honestly didn’t understand what he was trying to say most of the time but I think I understood the general idea.

Enlightened

The African Diaspora was created in the New World by the 16 million Africans who survived the Middle Passage, a 1-3 month dreadful journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Once in the New World the question was asked, “Did Africans lose everything?” After listening to Dr. Mario Beatty’s lecture the answer is clear, Africans did not lose everything, instead they combined what they knew and created a new way of life which is directly linked to their past.

When Dr. Beatty first asked the question, “Did Africans lose everything when they were taken from Africa and brought to the New World?” Many students believed that they did lose everything and they weren’t alone for Dr. Beatty let us know that many scholars also believed that Africans had lost everything. These scholars wrote books that had a narrative of lost and they believed that everything that Africans believed in came from the white man or the master, including Christianity. However Dr. Beatty was quick to counter their belief by explaining to us how the African people did not lose everything. He did this by asking those students who did not believe that Africans lost everything, what aspects of our lives are influenced by African culture. The students answered by saying that African culture influenced our; “music, food, dance, art, pride, intellect, faith, dialect, moral value and our innate sense of togetherness and survival.” By asking these questions, Dr. Beatty opened our eyes and allowed us to identify and recognize our culture, which was not an exact replica of Africa but is directly linked to Africa, “Something Torn and New.”

After he explained to us that Africa was alive and flourishing in our culture he began to go in to depth, by giving us specific examples of where you could still strongly see Africa’s influence, his prime example was the Maroon Societies. Maroon Societies are, “Self governing African society that recreates a sense of Africa.” They are located in Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti and even in the USA. I had known about the Maroon societies in Brazil, Jamaica and Haiti but I was not aware that there were also these societies in America but when I began to think about it, it is more than likely that Maroon societies do exist here it is just another aspect of our culture that we have failed to recognize... until now.

To ensure that we truly understood that African culture was our culture, just innovated but still directly linked to Africa, Dr. Beatty gave us more examples of where African culture can be seen in our everyday lives. His first example was aspects of the African social structure which were transferred to America, for example; “The Powerful Mother, and the role of the Chief, King and Minister” all these things have truly come from Africa and I feel like this lecture has been an eye opener for us all to really recognize who we are, where we come from and what an huge influence Africa, and our ancestors have had on this world. His second example was Science and Technology. He spoke about African Remedies and how people such as Sharla Fett who wrote “Working Cures” has transferred her knowledge into a book and by doing so has helped to enlighten those who were ignorant to things that Africans have known for centuries. His third example was music dance and language, which are in my opinion the easiest to recognize in our culture. Although society tries to undermine things such as Ebonics, I think it is time for us to embrace it in order to ensure the survival of our culture which has survived for over 400 years.

Dr. Carr taught us that Africa is the origin of all human knowledge and that Africans have not lost their culture, we just fail to recognize it in our everyday life. Dr. Gbadegesin taught us about some fundamental principles, the principles of Ma’at, which were created by Egyptians, which was an example of how Africa is the origin of all human knowledge. This week Dr. Beatty taught us just how this knowledge, our culture and these principles made it to the New World and the fact that they are still alive and flourishing today. He stated, “African culture has continued in a very complex way and we need a different view that makes the connection.” Dr. Beatty encourages us to really think about our culture and to make knowledgeable connections and when we do so to share what we believe, so that we can help to teach and enlighten other.

Every week we learn something new about the culture of the African people and how it relates to our American culture. This week Dr. Beatty talked about African culture impacting American culture. I thought that to be really interesting because a lot of Americans don't realize that Africa really does have a huge impact on American culture. It impacts our behaviors, music, beliefs etc. He also discussed social structure and the role of the household, which is discussed a lot in today's culture. These things are very informal and really open up your eyes to a new perspective of life

Sigh*

This week's lecture was about when Africans were brought to America and whether or not their culture was lost. Apparently, we have contributed a whole lot to every aspect of American culture.When America was first established, the amount of Africans was far more numerous than that of whites. Because of this, African culture in America was inevitable. I hated this lecture. I did not hate the lecture so much as I hated the presentation. The speaker reminded me of a muslim poet standing on a street corner. I was very confused throughout the lecture and it was just difficult to understand how one point connected to another and where he was trying to go with his points.

In addition, I thought this course was supposed to help with the transition from high school into college ... still waiting for the moment that this course does that. Every lecture is basically a rant about how white people are wrong about blacks and black people are great because of this and that ...I do not understand why this course is needed. It makes me wonder if students that do not go to HBCU's are actually learning in their 'Freshman Seminar'. I GET IT ALREADY !!!! ACTUALLY TEACH ME SOMETHING .

THE CHILDREN OF IWA

1. Last week Dr. Carr taught us about Africa, he let us know that Africa was the origin of all human knowledge. This week Dr. Gbadegesin elaborated on this concept by introducing us to the Principles of Ma’at. The principles of Ma’at originated in ancient Egypt before any other principles or laws, including the Ten Commandments. The principles of Ma’at, “taught Egyptians the importance of truth and justice, and how to maintain order, balance, and harmony.” Another topic of discussion was the importance of homage, which is like paying respect. Dr. Gbadegesin gave us a few examples of paying homage which included paying homage to, “the flatness of the foot.” Some people were confused as to why it was important to do this but I understood this concept, for our feet, whether big or small or odd looking, take us everywhere and without them life would be extremely difficult thus they deserve to be paid homage. This also showed me how important the little things in life are and how being respectful is an extremely important characteristic to have.

2. The ancient Egyptians also had their own philosophy, one of them being the importance of Iwa, or good character. Dr. Carr touched slightly on the topic of good character, but exclaimed on how he was excited to hear Dr. Gbadegesin elaborate on the topic. Dr. Gbadegesin did just this by telling us the story of Iwa and Orunmila. In this story, which I found to be extremely interesting, Orunmila mistreats Iwa, causing Iwa to leave, and when Iwa left, Orunmila lost everything. Therefore Orunmila in order to restore his life searched for Iwa. This story lead us to Dr. Gbadegesin’s key points about Iwa, which were;

a. Iwa is the good of existence

b. Iwa is beauty

c. Iwa leads to wealth

d. Iwa is the essence of religion.

3. We the students of Howard University are all, “Omoluabi, or a child begotten of the chief (or source) of Iwa.”(Omoluabi Power Point). Because of this we shall not only be internally motivated but also externally motivated, which entails us to be;

a. Responsible for the self

i. Remake self through good education

ii. Beware of miseducation

iii. Be appreciative of our University education

b. Responsible to the community

i. Serve community well with education

As children of Iwa we know the importance of wisdom and the difference between wisdom and knowledge which is, a wise man knows what to do with his knowledge. Also a wise man searches for a good a character and once that is obtained he has it all including immortality. as children of Iwa we shall do just this!

Future Pharaohs

Dr.Gbadegesin's lecture allowed me to take into consideration how lucky i am to be in college. Knowledge and education are truly important if you want to be successful. although success may mean different things to different people, i view success as life without struggle.one main point of Dr.Gbadegesin's lecture was the importance of education and wisdom. if educate yourself, nobody can ever lead you down the wrong path because you have armed your self with the most important weapon;knowledge. Another point of the lecture was Dr.Gbadegesin's words on miseducation. since i have been at Howard, i have realized that when you think for yourself and you have your on ideas you open your self up to new opportunities. although it was apart of a poem, the line from A Yoruba Poem,"cosmetic beauty may fade" is a very powerful statement which leads to my third point. in today's society. outer beauty seems to overshadow the personality, mind, and intelligence of an individual. Long hair, light skin tone, and slim body equate perfection. After hearing Dr.Gbadegesin's lecture, i realized that yo can be robbed of your looks, but not of your mind. when looks fade and the body falls by the wayside, your mind will still be young and firm.

Character is Everything

Dr. G’s lecture definitely hit many interesting and enlightening points. He opened my eyes to new concepts and made me reflect on what more I could do to transform and develop more knowledge on particular subjects. I really enjoyed hearing him speak on how to transform and advance old, misconstrued knowledge, build your character, and give Ijuba to those in the past. He proved that concepts people hold such as, “Africans have no history” or “There is no Black philosophy” are completely incorrect because we have history of philosophy that dates even before the Bible and Christ. The Goddess Ma’at and the Principles of Ma’at are just two examples of the beliefs and structure the Ancient Egyptians held as a form of detailed philosophy. It’s sad to know so many people go through life ignorant to the fact that they hold false knowledge of our history whether by choice or due to circumstances. I loved when Dr. G explained the difference between knowledge, to be able to acquire information, and wisdom, to have the knowledge and apply it to life. Wisdom is what we should all strive for as he stated that knowledge alone is not enough.

Having wisdom in life would also help to build your character which is the most important asset to being a human being. Dr. G spoke a lot about how essential it is to have good character; to lose your character is to lose yourself. Omoluabi is a term which refers to “A person of character, disciplined, and self-improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community…” This term is also related to Iwa, the general idea of good existence and character. “Honor may vanish from your house, Cosmetic beauty may fade, Iwa is what endures even into the grave, Take care of your iwa.” This quote stresses the importance of good character and I think it is one to remember always.

A final point he made was in relation to paying Ijuba, homage, to those who came before us and for all that we have. It is another way of giving thanks for everything we have been given and acknowledging that we are here on this earth because of ancestors so we should also acknowledge that. We should also give homage to ourselves and those surrounding us who may help in everyday life. Overall I found Dr. G’s lecture to be very enlightening and I enjoyed getting further knowledge on subjects that are rarely ever touched in history books and in classrooms.

Omoluabi

Going into this freshman seminar I didn't know what to expect, actually going into any freshman seminar i never know what I'm about to learn. I knew we had a guest speaker from Africa coming to do a lecture but I didn't know what about. When he started to lecture I was a little confused because I didn't really understand him too clearly but there were a few things that stood out to me as he went on. "Omoluabi", meaning a person of character who is self improving. When we learned more about what this phrase meant, it reminded me of a college student. It goes on to say it means, gaining the respect of others and putting your education and knowledge to service the community, and this is exactly what you're trying to do in a college setting. Dr. G went on to talk about academic knowledge. He said there is a motive which leads to advancement and finally transformation. These steps describe the very steps we take through college, at the end we will transform into a completely different person. Something else that stood out to me were "The Instructions of Ptahhotep". This stated that a man of character is a man of wealth, and as I read this, it meant to me that you don't need to have money in order to be wealthy. Your character, the way you treat others, the way you contribute to society, they love you receive from your family and peers, defines your wealth, not money.

Values

Three points in Dr.G's lecture were Ijuba, achievements of Ancient Egyptians, and the importance of character. Ijuba means homage. We should pay homage to those who came before us and those who are around us. We also should pay homage to ourselves.We have to recognize others around us. Some people would say that africans have no history and no philosophy but Dr.G gave specific examples as to why this is wrong. BEFORE Christianity and even Socrates existed Antef, a philosopher in Kemet. He was also talking about how important character is in a person's life. Without good character, you will lose everything and you will not be successful or happy. As I was listening to this lecture I could not help but think that it was similar to Dr.Carr's lecture. Dr.Carr also spoke about achievements during the time of Ancient Egyptians and the importance of recognizing african american's legacy that started a very long time ago. What Dr.G said about character was very true. If a person has good character then they will be given opportunities that a person with bad character would not receive. I did not like the presentation of the lecture but there were some valid points.

~WORD~

Mbongi- “A house without a room; The Mbongi is a space where public investigation and discussion of concerns are held.” When Dr. Greg Carr began to speak about Mbongi he stated that when participating in an Mbongi, “One must be very clear honest and engaging.” He also taught us that we participate in Mbongi more often than we realize. For example this weekend my floor mate and I had an Mbongi. As I styled her hair we spoke about everything; school, relationships and family, we advised each other and when it was all said in done I realized how much closer we had become and how good I felt after being able to open up, speak honestly and engage her in things that were important to me. Dr. Carr then spoke of terms that were related to Mbongi these terms were; Boko, Yemba, Lusanga, and Kioto. When I think about it these terms are all affiliated with my most memorable Mbongi. For example the Mbongi always seemed to be in a place where I felt free to be myself (Yemba), amongst a group of diverse people, who gathered together (Lusanga) to discuss different opinions and view points (Boko) and together shared a sense of relief (Kioto) when the Mbongi was over. An Mbongi was Dr Carr’s prime example of how African Americans still have their heritage but sometimes fail to realize it, he states, “Let’s be clear! Black people have not lost our culture we use it every day but what we don’t often do is connect our learning to our wisdom and are experience then gets diminished by folks who have no idea who we are, sometimes we don’t know.”

Africa- The start of human knowledge; another main topic of discussion was Africa, the mother land. Dr. Carr let us know that Africans created, “Writing, counting, sciences, arts, spiritual systems and formal teachings.” He spoke about amen, an Egyptian word, one of the oldest words in the human language. He spoke about hieroglyphs, “Howard has two of the only African Americans in the world who can read and write Egyptian language,” which was something I was shocked to here but very proud of. Djehuty and Ma’at, the creators of letters and scribes, which is the foundation of all human knowledge, were also a topic of discussion. I really enjoyed this part of the lecture because I find it intriguing how the world makes sure to make Africa’s down falls known but they find it hard to give us credit where it is due. Also I think it’s important for African Americans to understand just how great of a people we are, and it’s time to set are standards and expectations higher. Howard is such a special school and I see it as a privilege to go here for it’s a place where we can learn and grow as a people without boundaries and without losing site of who we really are.

America the Great- It ain’t so great anymore. I love that Dr. Carr emphasized the fact that we are world citizens. He stated that, “Howard’s bigger than America, America ain’t gonna be here much longer anyway. Let’s be clear we live in the world and were citizens of the world.” I really like this quote because I really do feel like a citizen of the world and I think that it’s important for people to travel and to become well rounded human beings for there is so much to learn from other cultures. America will not be around forever and we will eventually have to move on to bigger and better things. When that day comes maybe then things will be peaceful, when everyone is the minority somewhere, when were not able to judge anyone by the color of their skin but instead their character; I’m looking forward to that day!

The Depth Beyond Our Skin

Since I have stepped foot on campus I have heard nothing but good things about Dr. Carr. People speak to the enthusiasm he exudes in his lectures which display his love for the African culture and the subjects in which he teaches. I am so glad I was able to experience this teaching for myself during our Freshman Seminar class this past week. The knowledge he instilled in us that day was something a majority of us never had the opportunity to hear. Dr. Carr was correct when he said we spend time in school learning more of our history in terms of slavery rather than the contributions our people have made.

 Coming from a predominately white school I have never heard of an Mbongi but the concept was amazing to me. It was weird to think that we live through this concept everyday not knowing it. An Mbongi is literally “a physical and intellectual space, or “common shelter” which constitutes many traditional African functions: law and order, cultural education, maintenance of social and political life, conflict resolution, the council of elders.” This can be translated into daily life through barbershops, hair salons, cookouts, and other places African Americans get together to talk and gossip.  We have unspoken brotherly and sisterly bonds between one another simply through the fact that we carry the same pride in our race.

Another valid point Dr. Carr made was that although in school we were taught that our history began with slavery and we have come a long way since then, we cannot let that be the basis of our accomplishments. We are more than just a race who endured slavery and racism and managed to produce the first U.S. leader of our kind, Barack Obama. We have done so much more than that. We were the first to produce any people from our motherland, Africa; we created text through Egyptian writing and held many power positions in many countries before Obama was even born. We were leaders before the world decided to acknowledge our accomplishments and give us any credit. If they won’t be the ones to credit us with what we deserve then the least we could do is learn for ourselves where we come from and the depth of our race. I am honored to be part of such a rich culture of astonishing, intelligent, and powerful people. I only wish more was done earlier in life to make us more aware of everything Dr. Carr showed us. I truly enjoyed his lecture and am looking forward to hearing more from the various speakers we will have this semester.

My Legacy !

When I think of the word lecture, the first thing that immediately comes to my mind is being at home. I think of how my parents often lecture me and sometimes it almost feels as if they take pleasure in haranguing me. If my lectures at home were anything even close to “Learning, Wisdom, and the African World”, I would pay more attention. When Dr.Carr first began to speak, he was talking so fast that I did not think that I would be able to catch anything that he was saying but within a few minutes, my attention was so captured that I was going to make it a point to hear what he had to say. There were three key points that I walked away from the class period with. The first point was how great my people truly are. A light bulb went off in my head when Dr.Carr said something along the lines of, “If you think that our legacy begins with slavery then anything after that will seem like progress.” Those few simple words were so profound! Way too often when I think of our great thinkers and achievements, I focus on the time period during and after slavery. I think about the four hundred years of chains and the oppression that followed. I think of people such as Douglas and Dubois but it never occurred to me that slavery was just a sort of disruption in our history. Our time in America was just a short time period. We have had so many great philosophers, achievements, and accomplishments way before Columbus “discovered” America. Another point that ties into this one is, is that all throughout grade school, teachers speak about Egypt and Africa as if the two are of no relation. Egypt is in Africa and it is about time that teachers make it a point to point that out! The second point that Dr.Carr made clear was why Howard is the place to be. So many people are mesmerized by the number of celebrities that have called Howard there alma mater but it felt good to hear him speak of intellectuals that teach at or have matriculated at Howard University. I remember when he was talking about the Egyptian symbols and the two black men that had degrees certifying them as fluent in this language. When he pointed to one of them in the back of the room, my jaw dropped. A third point that Dr.Carr brought up was how this all affects me. This is MY legacy. Greatness is running through my veins because of the people  who have come before me. These are all points that I never realized or even hinted at. I have always been proud of my heritage and loved being black but these ideas made me take my thoughts a step further. I feel as if I am apart of an elitist group.  The saying ,“You are either in it or in the way”, is clearly appropriate. I do not feel as if other races or ethnicities are beneath  me but I am an African American student at Howard University so the world is my oyster. As long as I take full advantage of the opportunities given to me, there is nothing I can not do! HU-U KNOW ! ( AND IF YOU DON’T, YOU BETTER ASK SOMEBODY!)

Human Excellence

Before Dr.Carr started his lecture I didn't know  what to expect. I assumed that we would be discussing Africa in a broad aspect. I was completely blown away with this lecture. I learned many different things that altered my way of thinking. Dr. Carr pointed out one very important point during his lecture that really stuck. he said, " Barack Obama is a Black leader but he is not our FIRST black leader. I felt that this was very important because we often lose sight of the black people that made it possible for President Obama to be president. Another great point Dr.Carr made was the true creators of mathematics and the alphabet. When reading textbooks, we never read about the ancient Africans that were the true inventors of some of the most important innovations in the history of this world. Djehuty and Seshat have been covered up but the idea of the Greeks and Mayans being the "inventors" of aspects such as mathematics, the alphabet, and many other things. As a people we have yet to free ourselves of the negative mindset that society has beat into us since the slave trade. Knowledge and wisdom are the only  ways to better ourselves and our brothers and sisters. Leaving Dr.Carr's lecture i felt empowered.