RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Restoring Black History

Brother Segun:

I must admit that I was startled, this morning, when I saw in your post, a statement I had made in a short email to a faculty colleague who teaches our undergraduate courses on "Introduction to the Black Experience", here at USF. I had forwarded to her Henry Louis Gates' piece which I had received from the Dialogue. She sent me an email acknowledging receipt and thanking me for sharing the article with her. It was in response to her email that I offered my thoughts on Jefferson and Hegel which included the statement you quoted as a prelude to your post. I thought I had sent my thoughts, privately, to a colleague, but they actually went elsewhere. I am comforted that I did not write something outrageous and share it in the public square.

A good lesson to all to pause, look again, read over, cross-check the recipient before hitting SEND. We live in a new age!

Edward Kissi

Still on a long Sabbatical from the Dialogue. I shall return!!!


-----Original Message-----
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Segun Ogungbemi
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2016 10:15 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Restoring Black History

"We have often made the mistake of celebrating their words as monuments of wisdom." Kissi Edward I used to respect Hegel and Toynbee until when we were made to read certain portions of their works. I was a graduate student at Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas USA then. So I went to the main Library which used to close at 2 a.m to get the works of the two great scholars. I was delighted to get the assigned works. As I settled to read each one and their comments on Black people, I closed the books and never to read them again. I was so disturbed by their denigration of Black race.
I wish African leaders should read them because it could be a turning point in their lives.
Yes both scholars were ignorant, racially bias and stupid. They don't deserve any celebration in my view.
Prof. Segun Ogungbemi.


Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 26, 2016, at 2:37 PM, Kissi, Edward <ekissi@usf.edu> wrote:
>
> We have often made the mistake of celebrating their words as monuments of wisdom.

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