Kwame's concerns are very serious and sensitive. A century-and-half after
Emancipation and the country has not found a way to increase the enrollment
of the children of our African-American brothers and sisters into the
nation's elite universities. I do not know the numbers but I guess that
children of Black African immigrants ( who are all African- Americans now)
constitute the majority of the freshman classes of the predominantly white
institutions. I personally know 4 kids of some of my friend who are in MIT
and Harvard. Three out of these four had perfect scores and will be accepted
into any top school in any Western country. The reason, from my point of
view, is partly because immigrants place a higher value on education than
natives of any color. The immigrants know that education is their only
ticket to prosperity. So, when you look at the top PWI and see many Black
faces you should not assume that children of African- Americans ( Native
African-Americans, for lack of a proper description) are also well
integrated into these schools. They are not, and this is creating some
resentment towards we the naturalized African-Americans. A couple of years
ago certain African American professors in Harvard picked up this issue and
almost suggested that the enrollment of our children, born here, and
therefore non-naturalized or real or native African Americans, should be
curtailed, making room for the children of native African- Americans. But
if enrollment is based on test scores this strategy will not address the
problem of chronic absence of African -Americans on these campuses.
You've got to start by making honest investments in Head Start programs,
not the type that is used to stereotype and shame poor children
This is pathetic as it is personal. The many times the Chicago police have
roughed up my teenage son on the streets of Chicago demonstrate to me that,
when they see Kwesi, all they see is a Black kid, 18 years old, and an
endangered species, who does not belong on the streets. ( I used to
contribute to a fund for the policemen and women who die in action every
year until I had a teenage son. Sadly, I discontinued).
It seems to me that we naturalized Africans in America, or
American-Africans ( I have been told many times by my friends that I am NOT
a genuine African- American; sad) are not raising our voices forcefully
enough in support of the African-American scholars and activists in
addressing this inequity of absence of native African- Americans in higher
institutions. Somehow, we do not get along that much, I mean
American-Africans and African-Americans. Imagine America without the
successes of the Civil Rights Movement . Such a country will have no room
for me, even with my many advanced degrees . It is precisely the lack of
communication between elites of all the Black groups in America that makes
us too sensitive to statements concerning the lack of diversity on college
campuses.
My hunch is that, my generation has dropped the ball and I count on the Rap
Generation to get along better.
Regards
Kwaku Mensah
University of Illinois at Chicago
and I -----Original Message-----
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
[mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Akurang-Parry,
Kwabena
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 9:44 AM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: FW: Police Brutality at
Delaware State University Dover Cops BeatAssociate Professor at Non-violent
rally 3/1/2012
Barima Kwame,
Opps! I just saw your response below. Let me quickly say that I have
corresponded with you before and need no introduction to your pan-Africanist
credentials. Please, allow me to add my voice to what Adesuahene Bangura
said: when I am on the street no one sees me as a "Continental" African and
hence treats me as such. In other words, we are all constructed as BLACK,
and we as scholar-activists should provide a template of unifying force so
that we can stand against systemic inequalities that affect us all. Thanks.
Kwabena.
-----Original Message-----
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
[mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of kwame zulu shabazz
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2012 10:52 PM
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: FW: Police Brutality at
Delaware State University Dover Cops BeatAssociate Professor at Non-violent
rally 3/1/2012
Peace to you brother Kwabena,
First let me preface my comments by noting that I am African American, a
pan-Africanist, and I have an intimate relationship with Ghana going back to
1997. When I say the protesters at Delaware State have a legitimate concern
my basic point is that DSU is a HBCU and African Americans, by virtually any
metric we can dream up (prisons, unemployment, health, education, downward
mobility, etc.), are still marginalized in US society. I don't think I have
to run down the stats here, but I think we will all agree that the status of
African Americans--or at least a large subset of said group--is quite bleak
and getting worse.
Take Education.
All over the US, African American students are disappearing from
predominantly white institutions (PWIs) and African American faculty still
face lots of barriers at PWIs. For this reason HBCUs remain a vital lifeline
for African Americans. Given these circumstances, I think HBCUs should be
aggressively finding ways recruit more African American students and
faculty. By all means immigrants of all color should also be welcome. After
all, HBCUs have a long-standing tradition of educating Haitians, Jamaicans,
Trinidadians and so forth.
Thousands of Africans have passed through HBCU corridors--Kwame Nkrumah
(Ghana), Hastings Banda (Malawi) and Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) being two
notable examples. And Native Americans were attending HBCUs over 100 years
ago. However, for the reasons I have outlined above, I still maintain that
there has to be a primary push to recruit African American students and
faculty.
I have an additional concern. A majority white faculty and a black faculty
that is majority African suggests to me that the faculty and administration
will be far less attentive to racial justice. I witnessed that first hand as
a graduate student at Harvard University where they boast relatively high
rates of black undergraduate enrollment, but what they avoid discussing is
that the majority of the black undergraduates are not African American.
Hence African Americans are benefitting the least from centuries of African
American struggle.
That is unacceptable, in my view. There must be a remedy for the social,
political and economic injustices suffered by African Americans. HBCUs and
Affirmative Action are imperfect remedies, but remedies nonetheless. We
should be thinking of HBCUs from the perspective of reparations instruments
no different from, say, comparable remedies for "blacks" in Brazil or South
Africa. kzs
On Mar 4, 10:16 am, "Akurang-Parry, Kwabena" <KAP...@ship.edu> wrote:
> Kwame:
>
> In response to Akwasi's intervention below, you wrote, "Delaware State has
a white majority faculty and much of the 'black' faculty is not African
American. The students have a legitimate concern."
>
> What exactly does your statement above mean?
>
> Kwabena
>
> ________________________________________
> From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
> [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of kwame zulu shabazz
> [kwameshab...@gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2012 10:28 PM
> To: USA Africa Dialogue Series
> Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: FW: Police Brutality at
> Delaware State University Dover Cops BeatAssociate Professor at
> Non-violent rally 3/1/2012
>
> Akwasi,
>
> Have you watched the video? The police are clearly abusive. Arresting
> a university professor exercising Free Speech is outrageous. Delaware
> State has a white majority faculty and much of the "black" faculty is
> not African American. The students have a legitimate concern.
>
> kzs
>
> On Mar 3, 11:27 am, Akwasi <aosei121...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi Abdul:
>
> > Someone called my attention to this, and I thought I should respond
> > as best as I could.
>
> > First, how are you? It has been a hile since we made contact. Hope
> > all is well.
>
> > As Chair of the History, Political Science and Philosophy department
> > at DSU, and as a long serving faculty member, I want you to know
> > that whatever infiormation you have on this topic is flawed, full of
> > innacuracies, half-truths and outright misrepresentations. Clearly,
> > I am unable to share what I know , but I can say this: there has
> > been no evidence of police brutality on this campus that anybody is
> > aware of. You do not want to be the carrier of rumors and
> > innacurate information.
>
> > I notice Dr. Nyang also was concerned. You can tell him that there
> > is no issue of police brutality on our campus.
>
> > Sinceley
>
> > Akwasi Osei
>
> > On Mar 2, 12:39 am, "Abdul Bangura" <th...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > > From Dr. Randy Short:
> > > For Immediate Release 3/2/2012
> > > Delaware State University Professor of History Brutally Treated
> > > and Arrested by Dover Police Officers Stop Police Brutality at
Delaware State University!
> > > Human Rights Activist and Professor of African American History at
Delaware State University (DSU), located in Dover, Delaware, Dr. Jahi Issa
had to be hospitalized prior to his arrest. Dr. Issa was part of a
student-organized protest concerning the unfair treatment of proactive
faculty at Delaware State. Recently, Dr. Issa had filed an EEOC complaint
regarding unfair and discriminatory treatment of African American faculty at
the university. Delaware State University has since the ultra-conservative
presidency of Dr. Allen L. Sessoms who had the Africana Studies library
materials destroyed in 2008. Sessoms ordered staff to leave Africana studies
books to be left on the lawn to be destroyed by rain. Dr. Harry L. Williams
replaced Sessoms as President of Delaware State in September 2008.
President Williams earned his Ed.D. from the conservative East Tennessee
State University.
> > > Dr. Issa who is very popular with students who have become
disenchanted with the plantation styled administration of their school.
Recently, Dr. Issa had written about the inner threat that reactionary
administrations pose to the future survival of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities in the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Black Agenda
Report ezine in late 2011. Friends to Dr. Issa were concerned when DSU
President made veiled threats to protect the image his university on a cable
program that aired Sunday, February 26, 2012. Media concerns interested in
learning more about the plight of minority colleges and universities or the
recent violence at DSU can contact Dr. Issa of the HBCU Initiative at 302
465-3787 or his email jahiiss...@gmail.com or his Washington, D.C.
representative Dr. Randy Short at wrandysh...@gmail.com. Presently, Dr. Issa
is under arrest in the custody of the Dover police (302) 736-7111. As of
10:00 p.m. 3/1/2012, the authorities have refused to release Dr. Issa or
explain the charges for his arrest nor given his family time for his
arraignment. President Harry L. Williams can be reached at 302 857-6001 or
hwilli...@desu.edu. What kind of university leadership uses police state
methods on non-violent students and faculty?
>
> --
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