Dr.Segun Gbadgesin's Lecture

Dr.Segun Gbadgesin lecture on the story OMOLUABI was phenomenal as well as reflective to the character of the people one surrounds themselves around each day. He was very effective as well as creative in his opening of the lecture through playing the drums, a form of communication that is used in African tribes that also was used in times of oppression.This was a great method to expose someone to a culture up close and personal.It is said that one understands what the drums is saying through focusing, which I found fascinating.The story was about self actualization and maintains one character by being true to one’s self.One word in particular that was stressed throughout the lecture was Iwa, character and existence.In everyday society one character is challenged through many events that inhibits one to make crucial decisions that can be of benefit to themselves or be for the greater good of a collective group of people.One also has to keep in mind that patience is key and with every endeavor patience and Iwa overcomes all.One moral in the story is never take things for granted.Something that may be common you and your community may be a need from another community.This made me reflect back to my trip to Soweto,the largest township in South Africa and the living conditions of the people that lived in this community.They lack many of the basic necessities such as water and a stable roof over their head.This was a humbling yet saddening experience because many of the things I would have complained about earlier was nothing of importance to these people. Dr.Gbadegsin then discussed the principles of Ma’at that consist of spiritual,physical,and philosophical which is the basis of morality.He concluded by implying that he wants us to achieve OMOLUABI,which is a person of character etc

Dr. Dunston

This was one of the roughest weeks I have had in many years and it made college for me a little bit tougher. This week I was very ill and my throat was closed up almost and I had to go to the hospital to get the proper care. My adventure began Tuesday morning to the Howard University clinic to see about my sore throat that was preventing me from eating. I waited in a long line to finally get service at the clinic finally a saw a doctor, but I felt as he did not know what he was talking about. He asked me if I had any allergies I told him that I did not have any allergies then he proceeded to check my throat it turned out that I did not have strep throat he could not figure what it was. So he prescribed me allergy medicine any ways. I felt weird about him giving the medication since I do not have allergies but I thought to myself that he is a doctor and he maybe might know what he was talking about. I went to the CVS to pick up my prescription and took the largely sized pill but it did not reduce the swelling or closing up. The next day I still felt the same so I decided to make a trip to the emergency room to get the proper attention there I received the right diagnosis and was given the right medication my throat is now opening up and I feel a lot better. I know I was unable to attend Dr. Dunstons lecture I am pretty sure that I would have found it pretty interesting especially if it was about the human genome center I have always wonder what exactly is it maybe in the near future I can ask her myself.

Dr. Pollard

This details in this post maybe completely different from the groups and that because i was unable to attend class that Tuesday due to medical reasons however I was able to attend one of Dr.Pollard’s Lecture on another day and with the topic covering Civil Rights hip hop and hope

I learned that one of the first sit-ins was in Wichita, Kansas. There were a bunch of teenagers doing a sit in at a restaurant or bar and they were standing up against discrimination. Then it leads to others to par- take in sit-ins as well. But the point is to show that teenagers have the power to make a change. Dr. Pollard was saying that we are the generation to make a change in the world. The great leaders of today were all kids/ teenagers at one point. Then we become the future leaders of America. We are supposed to set the example and lead the way to do great things. It doesn’t have to start when we become adults it starts now. The people before us such as Martin Luther King and Ella Baker who has paved the way for the African American culture to rise and overcome. They showed that it was possible. Now when you look at the world; you see it every day. In more today we see it in the arts like poetry like Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Ed Bullins. These writers often wrote about their experiences in life dealing with racial issues and prejudice. We also see culture in music. It inspires and moves people artist like Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Tupac have really moved people in the world through their lyrics and new artist today have been inspired by these people and now they are creating history now. The main point of Dr. Pollard lecture was saying that we as young adults can make a difference and we are the future.

First Presentation

The group entitled Freshman Seminar 2014’s research topic was titled “Education Is Not Preparation For Life; Education Is Life Itself”. They started by trying to solve the issue of the poor educational systems in the Washington, D.C. area. They explained why D.C. had lower graduation rates and some of the reasons are: low income, inferior Facilities, Low Teacher/Principal Salary, and Demographics. Most of the schools around the D.C. area were thriving while the inner city schools were not. They later went on to try to see what we can do to raise the graduation rate because the discrepancy was almost unreal. They came to the conclusion that if we put more money into the D.C. schools by building better facilities and pay the teachers more than we could build a better learning environment for all which would in turn make the students become more willing to learn.

Second Group presentation

They were the second group in the class to present. They first began to express the statistics that our black community share with the incarceration rate. They said that 1 in 5 African Americans ore without health care and 50% of African Americans graduate from high school. They also expressed African American school systems has lower funding with less computer access and less enrollment. The group also interviewed professors such as Dr. Reever and Dr. Terry Adams-Fuller.

After reviewing these statistics i have been given a sense of information that i was not aware of before coming to class. I have been living in a bubble that people may have not been aware of the critical affects in our community that we were not aware of. After being in this class I have been trying to attempt to understand but i am grateful

Final Thoughts

The first semester has by far been a telling period for me in my maturation. This semester has been a learning experience for me. Being a first semester freshman at Howard University is a growing experience due to the new lifestyle one experiences. Freshman Seminar has been a great experience for me thus far.Going into the course I was not sure at the importance of the course and the effects it would have on me. Then I went to the lectures,that I was glad to be exposed to during the first six weeks of class.The speakers that conducted these lectures were very inspirational and introduced to a different mindset each time a lecture was held.After every lecture I would walk to class reflecting on the words of wisdom the was bestowed upon me.I would have conversations with my peers on the topics that were discussed that day. The replies from my peers were very insightful,showing the enthusiasm we had shared for the course.The trip to the burial was informative as well as a memorable experience being exposed to history that was concealed from me being a native in New York.The work done for the project was great as well.Going to the homeless shelter was eye opening for me to hear the various stories of unfortunate events that brought a feeling of slight sadness to me.I would recommend this course to all students at Howard University.I am glad I have had the opportunity to experience this class with my friends and mature while taking this course.

Self Reflection

Coming into freshman seminar, I had many feelings. I was confused as to the purpose of the class and why it was a mandatory course. I was annoyed that I couldn't actually take the course my freshman year (I'm a sophomore) and I was nervous about the research aspect of freshman seminar because I felt that conducting research was a weakness of mine.

Attending the lectures weekly, I noticed some great qualities in myself as a student. I noticed that I usually listen and retain information well. I take good notes and am able take to information I hear and make it pertain to my life and experiences. With all that said, I noticed some not so great things as well. For example, instead of going home and doing my weekly summary right after class, I would procrastinate until the last minute and sometimes even past then to complete work. I'm not good with time management. This is something I must work on and I'm glad that I was able to pick up on this flaw.

On thing that I cherish the most from this whole freshman seminar experience, aside from the fact that I can conduct research more confidently, and aside from the fact that I got more experience in working with groups (something I used to despise), is a bit of information, or a perspective if you will, on African Americans and “miseducation”. In that very first lecture by Dr. Carr, he talked about miseducation and the fact that we as African Americans are not necessarily deprived of education, we have all the same rights that everyone else does in this country to be educated in any type of institution we desire. Our problem is more so the fact that we allow ourselves to be fed these negative images of African Americans; who we are, what we are like, how we speak, act, etc. We allow ourselves to be portrayed as the “Madea's” and the “Lil Wayne's”; the “athletes” and “hood stars”. We don't truly embrace the modern Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s and Maya Angelou's. We run away from them; We ignore them; We shun them. But why? What are we afraid of. Coming up in the world? Being he to whom others looked up to and not he who looks up? Are we afraid to achieve great things?

This idea is something that has stuck with me throughout the semester and probably will be with me for all my life. I hope so, at least. I want to live my life knowing that there is something, this “miseducation”, that I absolutely must beat and try to help my fellow people beat. We can be more than just jumping athletes and gyrating, “blinged-out” music stars. We can be presidents, senators, principals, doctors, lawyers, professors, even kings and queens if we want to be. For this brand new perspective, I am truly grateful.

Peer Presentation Reflection #2

The second most influential presentation I saw, was the presentation on teen pregnancy. True; it is one of the most talked about issues today. And yes, hearing the same things about teenagers acting sexually irresponsible gets old. But the fact remains, teenagers have sex with a lot less thought to the consequences in this day and age. Maybe, it's because we feel invincible walking around with the ignorant “it can't happen to me” attitude. Maybe it's due to ignorance of the facts, and the weight consequences. I think it has a lot to do with immaturity and the lack of sense it takes to think before we act.

Whatever it is. This is a situation that absolutely needs to stop, or more realistically, decrease. Children are being born to children more frequently than ever before. This means that more children are born into unstable, broken, unhealthy families. More babies are growing up with our real guidance. More children will grow up to be menaces to society (hustler, murderers, gangsters etc.). These are cycles we need to stop. Thing that need to be prevented.

I think, that it was brave to touch based on a subject that we all have heard about so much, because the problem is, indeed, relevant. I enjoyed the information that was presented and respect this particular group to choosing the topic. It never hurts to ear information over again. I think that is a good reason why there are not more teenage mother's than there are now.

Peer Presentaion Reflection #1

Throughout the past couple of weeks, I've experienced some great presentations from my fellow classmates. While I feel that overall, we as a group (the freshman seminar class) did a great job presenting and researching as a unit, two particular. The first was the presentation titled, “To Sleep Or Not To Sleep” [I forget the name of the group]. The presentation talked about college students and our sleeping habits or lack there of, and the effects on bodies. Of course, knowing the basics, like the fact that sleep is a biological need and that the less sleep you get, the less you function is knowledge that many of us gain as early as middle school. But the fact that long term sleep deprivation can lead to depression, various illnesses/diseases, and even death can be shocking information to even most adults.

What made this particular presentation and subject so interesting to me is the fact that I, like most college student and teenagers my age, suffer from sleep deprivation weekly. As if being a student were not time-consuming enough, I am a commuter from Germantown, Md with a part-time job and 19 credits. Everything is so fast pace and there never seems to be enough time in the day. “School is always first” in the eyes of most student due to the pressures of society and family friends to do well or die; not literally of course. So, I spend more time working, than sleeping And I undoubtedly feel the effects each and everyday that I am further deprived of rest.

I think the best part of this presentation was the advise, “Make sleep a PRIORITY.” Yes school is important, and yes you should do your work and make time for studying, but more importantly than those things, we as people, not just students, need to make sure that we get an efficient amount of sleep each and every night. Otherwise, we set ourselves up for failure and, eventually, bad health.

Self Reflection

Even though I expected freshmen seminar to be geared towards helping us transition to college life and help us with the many things concerning the college of arts and sciences, it was interesting. All of the lectures brought on a new idea about life, particularly the African American life. It focused on our beliefs, our weaknesses, our strengths, our past, present and future. Many, if not all the lectures were inspirational in its own way. I have gotten a lot of information out of these lectures.
My favorite lecture came from Dr. Segun Gbadegesin. It was about self Actualization and communal responsibility. His lecture was enjoyable because not only did he speak about bettering our selves but also our community. By working on becoming a better person, we can reach out to those who are not on the path. From doing that, it will create a positive; much needed path in the African American community.
Another favorite lecture of mine was learning about the history of the names of the many Howard University buildings on campus. Before and while being here, I had not much of a clue why or what the buildings on Howard’s campus were named after.
Overall, this class has been helpful. It has sort of acted as a history class for me. I enjoyed hearing the lectures from the many guests we have had. I also enjoy Dr. Carr’s many speeches. I really loved the African burial ground in New York and learning about the many historical events that have happened regarding the burial ground.

Peer Presentations # 2

For this presentation, the group, The Chosen Ones, did a presentation on black women and the perception that is given off. They connected many degrading images of the past and connected them to the ideas of today. Such thing as the degrading images of the mammy, who took care of the family and the house, and the overly sexed black women are still shown today. Now these images take place in movie roles such as Madea and Big Momma. The overly sexed and promiscuous black woman is shown throughout music videos and movies such as Monster’s Ball.
I enjoyed their presentation because me as a black young lady, I feel as if these images portray us in the wrong light. I feel as if we as African American women hurt ourselves more than anyone because we condone the behavior shown in the music videos and movies. Because of the media, black women are given a negative portrayal. The negative stereotypes are being lived through the media. If black women want to gain back their respect, we will have to take giant steps and fight those who are against us. We will not only have to fight those who purposely show negatives images about us, but also teach the younger generation of males and females how to respect themselves. When they learn to respect and love themselves, it becomes impossible for them to be shown in a negative light which will eventually improve our image in the world.

Peer Presentations

This week for presentations, a group presented the question, why are college students not getting enough sleep? I feel this question greatly affects all the students I know. They began their presentation with the causes that may contribute to the sleep deprived college students. The biggest contributor to lack of sleep for college students is the excessive amount of homework that is given. The large amount of work leads to pulling “all-nighters,” long and over bearing study sessions and stress. Those things in turn affect how many hours of sleep the students will get. On average, college students receive is 5 hours. Researchers have said on many occasions that a person 18 or older in fact needs 7 and a half hours of sleep. The 7 and a half hour long sleep is the only way to get the full cycle of sleep that the body needs. The lack of sleep can attribute to the low grade scores. Studies have shown that students who receive more than 7 hours of sleep score higher on tests and get higher grades than those who only receive 6. There are, however, many solutions in how to gain back sleep. One way is to set a bed time. When one sets a bed time, it will train the body to fall asleep at a selected time. Reduce the consumptions of energy drinks and other caffeinated drinks.
I enjoyed their presentation because it gave many helpful tips. They spoke very clear and was very helpful when questions were being asked.

Self-Reflection

Overall I learned a great deal while taking this class, it was actually more interesting than I expected it to be. After I sat through the first lecture, I found myself interested in wanting to know more about the topic that Dr. Carr spoke about. Many speakers during the weeks made me feel proud to be a Howard student and determined to be a Howard graduate. The group assignment was excellent practice for future projects I am sure I will be doing in other classes.I am still a little surprised at how much I have learned and gained from this class this semester. I believe this class should be a necessity to anyone new to Howard because it will leave you with a resolve to be the best you can possibly be during your time at Howard.

Dynamic Bison Research project

The Dynamic Bison gave an excellent presentation on the low graduation rate for African American males in America. The statistics were both disappointing and disheartening. According to their stats only forty-seven percent of black males graduate from high school and fifty-one percent drop out. They said that the reason behind this lack of interest in education lies in the social upbringing of African American males in this country. They said that the lack of parental involvement is a major reason for black males disinterest in their own education. For example, if a young black Male's parents are constantly worried about his academic progress he is more likely to take and interest in his education. They also said that the environment a black male grows up in is a major influence on his educational aspirations and goals. Their Information on the black males of a local crime ridden D.C. neighborhood supported their theory because most of the black males in that area dropped out of high school.

Just Greatness Research Project

Just Greatness gave a very interesting presentation on World Hunger. During their presentation they gave assessments from both the economic and political perspectives. During the Economic assessment they touched on some astonishing facts about world hunger. Some of the facts include: there is a large supply of food, the supply is equal to demand, and the cost of supplying food is said to be greater than revenue. Basically what they were saying was that there is enough food for everyone in the world, but the cost of providing everyone with the food would be to high. In the political assessment they explained the need for developing countries to establish stable governments, so they can provide enough resources for their people to survive. They said that developed countries like the United States have less people suffering from starvation because they have stable governments that set up organizations to handle such problems. There presentation was very informative and helped to clarify the causes of starvation in many poverty stricken countries.

Divine Divas Research Project

I was delighted by Divine Divas presentation. Their presentation was based on human trafficking. I learned a great deal on human trafficking. Human Trafficking is a criminal activity in which people are recruited, harbored, transported, bought, or kidnapped to serve an exploitative purpose, such as sexual slavery, forced labor, or child soldiery.; a modern day form of slavery. Traffickers usually go after those that are vulnerable such as homeless people, runaway teens, displaced homemakers, refugees, and drug addicts. Before Divine Diva's presentation, I did not really pay much attention to human trafficking. Human trafficking seems to be a re-occuring issue in the US.

I.W.O.N.O Heart Disease Summary

This week I was enlightened by, Intelligent Women Overcoming New Obstacles, research project. Their research topic was on heart disease, and why it is so prevalent in the black community. Throughout their whole research paper they discussed the different types of heart diseases. Some of those types were stroke, Myocardial Infarction, Atherosclerosis, Congestive Heart Failure, and Coronary Artery Disease. I.W.O.N.O., interviewed Dr. David A. White for more information on heart diseases. According to their presentation, Dr. White indicated that heart disease was more prevalent in the African- American community because we tend to have a diet that is high in saturated fats. I really enjoyed I.W.O.N.O.'s presentation. It was very informational being that my father had to undergo a cardiovascular procedure, do to his unhealthy eating habits.

My Self- Reflection

I must say when I attended the first Freshman Seminar lecture I did not really know what this semester was going to be about. I remember going home to my family for the Labor Day weekend telling them about this class that I am required to take but I was not quite sure what it was about. Throughout the weekly lectures I gained a great deal of knowledge from the faculty at Howard University. I think this Freshman Seminar class should be required for all of the students in Howard University. Attending my Freshman Seminar lectures I was able to learn a lot about the history of Howard University. I also enjoyed working on my research project with my group, Howard's Finest. One of my favorite components in the research project was interviewing my English instructor, Professor Elam. I learned a lot about her through the interview. Overall I really did enjoy my Freshman Seminar lectures.

Interview With Patricia Elam

A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to interview my English professor. So far, Professor Elam is one my favorite professors at Howard University. She is very interesting and creative. Her style of dress in one that I admire. Being able to interview her for Howard's Finest research project was very intriguing. I was able to learn more about her outside of the classroom. Before conducting the interview, I already anticipated Professor Elam's responses. I asked her a couple of questions regarding her thoughts on Uniform in Public Schools , and whether or not she concurs with it. I was not astonished when i asked her how she felt about uniforms in public schools. Her response to my question was, “ I’m against it…I believe kids should have the opportunity to express themselves." I was very excited after my interview with Professor Elam, not only did we discuss the issue but we got to know one another better, we even touched on one of our favorite interest...SHOPPING!!!

DR. WILLIAMS

This week Dr. Dana Williams helped us to recap all of the lessons in the freshman seminar class that we went over.In addition to the the summary of the freshman seminar periods, Dr. Dana Williams also spoke up how to research our topics for our group presentations. When she gave us some examples this made me think very hard about what i wanted to write about and tell my group. She gave us examples of how we should present it like divisions of the speeches since they have to be ten minute presentations with each group and the type of information that should be involved. She also spoke about the types behavior of the freshman seminar student should always display. Our group took several tips to include in my research project from Dr. Dana A. Williams. This lecture is very helpful because it let me organize myself and get everything down so I know what i have to do to finish up this class on a good note.

African Burial Ground

Traveling to the African burial ground was truly a great experience. There is so much history and legacy behind the African burial ground. Just standing near the mounds, a feeling of happiness and sadness came over me. Walking through the doors of return was an eye opener. I also enjoyed learning about the many culture symbols that predates the bible. These symbols, that were the first written language before most civilizations, represented love, trust, family, faith and protection. Watching the movie about the finding of the African bones to the celebration of finally letting them rest in peace gave me a sense of injustice and the power of community. It educated me on how these Africans buried their dead and their celebration of the life that was lost in which is still done today. I think it took real courage and dedication on those in New York to fight against those who showed no respect for the dead. I enjoyed watching the video of the court cases where many prominent politicians spoke against the building of infrastructure over a grave site. I loved the way they went from city to city, having their own celebration for each lost life. They walked, danced, and sang through the streets to show those who had no respect for the dead that this burial site is important to the African American community and the USA.

Dr. Williams

Dr. Williams gave the class a lecture this week. The lecture was a summary of all freshman seminar class from the beginning to the end. Along with the summary of the freshman seminar classes, she also spoke up how to research our topics for our group presentations. She gave us examples of how we should present it and the type of information that should be involved. She also spoke about the conduct of the freshman seminar student. I took several tips to include in my research project from Dr. Williams. I do feel that this is the most helpful of all lectures being that it actually focuses on something we have to do for the class.

Dr. Williams lecture

Dr. Williams lecture in class this past week was basically a review of all of the lectures that have been given in the past few weeks. She went over the lecture given by Dr.Carr(Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience: An Mbongi), Dr.Dunston(The Human Genome), Dr.Benjamin(Eloquence of the Scribes), Dr.Cain Hope Felder(freedom and justice),and Dr. Segun Gbadegesin(Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility). She also went over the group project(e-portfolio) and clarified the procedure in which we will follow to complete the project. Her lecture was more review than anything else but it was valuable still

African Burial Ground

This past weekend I went on the trip to the African Burial Ground in New York, and I learned a lot about the events that took place when the remains of the Burial Ground were discovered. I was amazed at how the community took a stand against the city leaders who were trying to build over this historical discovery; their plans to build an office building over the forgotten burial ground showed their complete disrespect for African American history. I was also proud to learn that Howard University took an active role in preserving the ancient bodies of our ancestors found at the site of African Burial Ground. When they mentioned that the bones were on display in Douglass Hall for three years, I was impressed by the interest the students took in the matter. Howard's involvement in the affair was inspiring and make me proud to be a student of Howard University.

Dr. William's Lecture

Tamika

During this weeks lecture Dr. Williams spoke about research and methodology. Dr. William’s lecture focused on how our research project should be constructed, and what should be expected as a freshman seminar student. Before Dr. William’s lecture I was expecting to hear a lecture about another important aspect of Howard University. I found Dr. William’s lecture on research to be very interesting. I was able to take some pointers to use towards my research project. As a freshman, I felt like this course was very intriguing. I feel like freshman seminar classes are “starter courses” for all freshmen, and should be required for all Howard University students.

African Burial Ground Trip

Tamika Philip

This past Saturday the Freshman Seminar class visited the African Burial Ground in New York. I was very excited to finally return back home. Although I am from New York, I never knew about the African Burial Ground, which is only about forty-five minutes away from my home. When we arrived to the site one of the workers gave us a brief history on the burial ground. Following the info session, Dr. Carr then led a Libation at the African Burial Ground. The Libation was very inspirational and emotional. I was very impressed with Dr. Carr’s knowledge on the history of the African Burial site. At one point I was starting to believe that Dr. Carr knew more about the burial site than the actual worker. When we arrived inside the building, I was able to go around to the different stations to gain more information on the burial ground. I also got the opportunity to see a video on the history of the African Burial Ground. Perhaps one day I will be able to trace back my ancestors to Africa.

New York City

My trip to the African Burial grounds in New York city was a very moving experience. I found it sad that I am from New York City and had never been to the site. So when I found out we were going i was very excited to go. The burial grounds are in Manhattan and we arrived around 11 in the morning. The first thing we did was go t the actual place where some of the African people were buried. Dr. Carr introduced us to a ritual that allowed us to pay homage to our fallen ancestors that were forced to live horrible lives of slavery. Every time we acknowledged their plight and struggles we poured water on the burial ground. In addition to that we said a Nigerian word "ashe". This made everything so much more deeper when we were walking around looking at all different signs of religions that the slave brought from their native countries. When we walked in the museum part of the trip we were shown a video of the lives of a certain slave family and all the strife that the family went through. Then we we were able to look around the museum and look at the bones that were discovered and look at the characteristics that some of the slaves had. We then headed out to Harlem at the Apollo theatre where we let out and allowed to roam around New York City. This trip helped me realize the struggle that my ancestors went thru and that i should appreciate my freedom.

Lectures for weeks 2-4

Dr. Georgia M. Dunston's Lecture

On the week of September 8th, Dr. Georgia M. Dunston was scheduled to give a lecture on the topic, "Abandonment, Dismemberment and and Reawakening: The History and Legacy." She instead enlightened the class with information about the Human Genome. She gave facts like, " Each of us is unique... our genomes have unique sequences. Even identical twins have differing genome..." Although the lecture was insightful, I was confused throughout because looking at the title of the lecture and then listening to the lecture, the title and information did not match. This made it hard to consentrate. I just kept looking for the lecture to began. Overall, the information wasn't difficult to understand, it was simple biological information that many students learn in high school level biology. I do, however, wish I could have heard the lecture that was actually scheduled for that class period. 

Dr. Benjamin's Lecture
On the week of September 15th, Dr. Benjamin gave a lecture entitiled, The Eloquence of the scribes: Initiation, Expectations and Mastery- Continuing the Legacy of Howard University." the lecture began with he history of the scribes/ writing. The Scribes were first prevalent in Egypt. Scribes wrote books, about art, specific activities, and other observations. At that time the language was Cuniform.  Scrolls were lost after printing and movable type were invented.  From there, we were into the great scribes that created  the history/"legacy" of Howard University and effected history in general. Those people included, General Oliver Otis Howard, the founder of Howard University, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (Administration building), Inabel Burns Lindsay (first dean of social work), Albert I. Cassell (Architecture Building), Jesse Moorland and Author Spingarn (Moorland-Spingarn Research center), Alaine Leroy Locke (Locke Hall), LuLu Vere Childers (Childers Hall),  Fredrick Douglass ()Douglass Hall), Zora Neale Hurston (The Hilltop), Ira Aldridge, Louis C. Cramton (Cramton Auditorium), Harriet Tubman (Tubman Quadrangle Dormatory), Sojourner Truth (Truth Hall),l Prudence Crandall (Crandall Hall), Phillis Wheatley (Wheatley Hall), Lucy Diggs Slowe (Slowe Hall), Mary McLead Bethune Annex (The Annex Dormatory), Charles R. Drew (Drew Hall), George Washington Carver (Carver Hall), Ernest Everett Just (Just Hall)... We were not able to finish all of the persons after which the buildings on campus are named after. I found the lecture very important, because i personally did not know the reason behind the naming of all the most of the buildings on campus. Also, I believe that it is always good to know more history about our people. I refuse to surcome to miseduation without a fight.

Dr. Caine O. Felder Lecture

The week of September 20th, Dr. Caine O. Felder gave a lecture entitled, "Practices of freedom and Justice". Throughout the lecture, one of the things that stood out the most, was the quote, "In time, all that is hidden will come to light." That, to me, has everything to do with justice.  In the lecture, justice was defined as "the right relationship of fairness and balance" and I think everything coming to light is justice, when the truth can be seen and as just that, the truth. Freedom, the other main topic of the lecture, was defined as "an individual's or group's inalienable right to exercise choices, good or bad, in an unfiltered way." An example given aboutk freedom and the freedom to choose was the Holy Bible's famous story of Adam and Eve. Overall, I think the lecture was fairly effective, I wasn't sure of some of the example or references that were made, so I wasn't able to appreciate the 100%, but I definitely appreciated what I did understand and I learned quite a bit as well.

Dr. Segun Gbadegesin

This week Dr. Segun Gbadegesin gave a intersesting lecture on Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility. He spoke on the neccesity of being a productive and positive member of the community. He educated us on how throughout history being a productive member of your community was required in some cultures. For example, the egyptians were required by one of their gods, Maat, to follow these strict principles: dont commit sin, dont commit robbery with violence, do not steal, dont seduce anyone's wife, dont close your ears to the truth, etc. These are only a few of the principles they were required to live by; all of these principles were meant to promote Truth, Justice, Order, Balance, and Harmony. They also had proverbs given to them by Ptahhotep: "A man of character of wealth" and "If you are man who leads and controls the affairs of the many, seek out every beneficient deed, that your conduct may be blameless great is justice, lasting in effect unchallenged since the time of Osiris." He also defined the word "Omoluabi", "a child begotten of the chief of iwa". He also explained that a more in depth definition would be, "a person of character, disciplined, self-improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community on account of practical wisdom in putting knowledge acquired through education to the service of the community, and not shying away from personal sacrifices when needed". Dr. Gbadegesin's lecture was very informational and enlighting.

Dr. Cain Hope Felder's Lecture

This week, the lecture was given by Dr. Cain Hope Felder of the School of Divinity. His lecture was focused on freedom and justice and the fact that throughout history most conflicts were over a group of people fighting for the freedom denied to them. Dr. Felder also mentioned that we are "free to be responsible". Dr. Felder talked about the fact that as African Americans we were not apart of the plans for freedom and justice when the builders of the United States were putting together the constitution. He mentioned that when the constitution was written we were only considered 3/5 of a person, therefore we were not originally guaranteed justice. For example, Slaves never got justice of any kind or any form, and for a long time even after slavery was abolished African Americans still didn't get justice. Even now after the major strides the civil rights movement made, our people are still the largest part of the population in the prison system. After hearing the lecture given by Dr. Felder, I realize that freedom is supposed to be a right but is instead a privilege in today's society.

Dr. Segun Gbadegesin

Tamika Philip

This week we had the pleasure to be lectured by Dr. Segun Gbadegesin. The topic of his lecture was Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility. Omoluabi is the essence of the human person, a wellspring of good character, exemplified by an understanding of the self and its responsibilities to the community. Dr. Segun’s lecture was based on morals. He spoke about Iwa, a women married to Orunmila, God of Wisdom. Iwa is the responsibility to self and to the community. Iwa states,” that good character is beauty, the essence of religion, and the greatest talisman.” Iwa as existence, responsible to the self, and remake self through education. Dr. Gbadegesin, stated that everyone takes a destiny, and that you lose your character and you lose yourself…you lose your character you lose your wealth. He also stated that one must serve their community with education. Education is the purpose to transmit from one generation to the next the accumulated wisdom, and knowledge of the society and to prepare the young people for their future membership of the society and their active participation. The Goddess Ma’at, ancient Egyptians learned and practiced, truth, justice, and maintained order, balance and harmony. Some principles of Ma’at are to make sure that, “I have not polluted myself, I have not terrorized anyone, and I have not disobeyed the law”.

Dr. Segun Gbadegesin

In this week’s freshman seminar lecture, we were spoken to by Dr. Segun Gbadegesin. He spoke to us about “Omoluabi:” Self Actualization and communal responsibility. The lecture focused on the need of not only bettering ourselves but also our community. Omoluabi is a concept in the Yoruba culture, a road they take to becoming a human of great character. He explained that the closer an individual gets to becoming one of great character, the closer one becomes to Iwa; God. He also brought up the fact that there were beliefs of morality before the bible came into existence. The philosophy of Goddess Ma’at, Vizier Ptahhotep, and Pharaoh Amenemope all spoke about principles of truth, justice, responsibility and becoming one with the earth. The “Principles of Ma’at” is one that is still followed today. The principles included truth, justice, maintaining order, balance and harmony. The more you grasp these concepts the more respect you will receive. Ptahhotep spoke about the same concepts. He once said, “A man of character is a man of wealth.” To become a man with character, one has to understand the good of existence. This means you have to have a responsibility of self. Having responsibility to self means you remake yourself through education. Good existence also means having responsibility to the community. Having responsibility to the community means that you serve and remake the community with education. He spoke about avoiding mis- education. Teach yourself and understand Iwa Lewa; good character is beauty and Iwa Lesin; the essence of religion.

Dr. Cain Hope Felder

This week’s lecture was given by Dr. Cain Hope Felder of the School of Divinity. He gave a speech explaining the meaning of the title “Practice of Freedom and Justice: Representative Thinking. This week’s lecture was about the human right of having freedom and justices that come with that. Freedom is defined as the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. He explained that practice of freedom goes has a long history together. This history has been a tragedy for most human beings at one or many points in history. Freedom for African Americans is still a topic that needs to be touched on. From being only considered someone’s property from being someone’s slave to having the largest incarceration rates from the corrupted law system, African Americans have been fighting for freedom since the day we stepped on the soil of this land. Because we are the minority group, we will be treated accordingly. The law system is in place and only works for the majority group. It does not work in the hands of the minority groups which mean we all work together to find a solution to this problem.
Fighting for freedom, whether it be for an individual or a whole group of people, can be done with us all working together. Freedom can be an everlasting occurrence rather than to be an ideology if we all just simply fight against the ignorance. Freedom is what everyone deserves and we should all exercise that right.

Dr. Cain Hope Felder’s Lecture

Tamika Philip

This past Monday the Freshman Seminar class was blessed to be lectured by, Dr. Cain Hope Felder from the School of Divinity. Dr. Felder lectured to the Freshman Seminar classes about the practices of freedom and justice. Felder stated that, “freedom is at the center of an historic request, and it is making good or bad choices.” He also stated “we are free to be responsible.” Perhaps if America is land of the free, then why were blacks considered 3/5 of a person. This country that was based and constituted on equality yet, never showed anyone deemed beneath American social values unequal. Dr. Felder also talked about justice, and how it relates to our lives. He broke justice down into two words, “just” and “us,” meaning that subliminally justice is only for the people who created what justice represented. Slaves could never and never did get justice because they were not part of the American “us.” If you were a slave you were at the mercy of your slave owners.

The pursuit of freedom and justice has been a rallying cry of the educated in this oldest of traditions. Many African- American men lost their lives to fight for our freedom. As a young black woman I am very appreciative to be able to live a normal life because those who created a path for me.

DR. Carr

This week the lecture Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience: An Mbongi was given by Dr. Carr. Many people do not know that African language proved that education, literature, and even scholarship began in Africa. Dr. Carr emphasized that words like Sedjem, Ma’at, Sedi, Sankofa, and many more were all existent words long before the colonization of Africa by Europeans. During the sermon Dr. Carr also went into depth of a quote from E. Franklin Frazier in which he complained that the intellectual negro was to blame for his limited thinking, and lack of philosophical insight on the meaning of life or lack thereof. Kemet also known as Ancient Egypt was of very important significance in the lecture, Our professor greatly expressed the significance of Kemet not only because it was the most advanced of any African civilization but because many civilizations European, African, or Middle Eastern built their empires on the same principles of the ancient Egyptians in Kemet. Africans is under rated in the history books as the race that were just slaves and that is it. In When being studied we are seen as insignificant and not important. The first woman was an African, the first world conquering empire was ancient Egypt or Kemet not Rome, even the pyramids which today are still thought of as architectural wonders of the world were built and designed by Africans. Dr. Carr’s lecture was informative and almost forces one to explore and go into depth about the hidden history of Africa that people do not want us to know, which is really the ancient history of man since it all began in Africa.

Dr. Benjamin's Lecture

Doctor Benjamin's lecture on the eloquence of scribes explained how vital scribes are to preserving our civilizations achievements. Without having educated people to take down all aspects of our lives we would not be able to receive advice from our ancestors or be able to give advice to our upcoming generations. While explaining how important the scribes were she also gave us an insight as to where the names of our buildings here at Howard University come from. Common places we all go such as Cramton auditorium was named after Mr. Louis C. Cramton who was a modern twentieth century scribe. Along with that on his resume he also helped Howard University to receive the financial aid from the government that we receive today. We owe the three hundred plus million dollars a year that we receive from the government to this man. Another common place that we go to learn is Douglas Hall. Named after perhaps one of the best and most eloquent scribes of the eighteenth century, Fredrick Douglas. Along with being a scribe Douglas was also more of an abolitionist who fought to help all enslaved African Americans gain freedom and equality. The Administration building also known as the Mordecai Wyatt Johnson building is named after our first black president of Howard University. He helped get schools here at Howard accredited and is a common day Howard Scribe. Finally the hall where all the freshman boys live in , Drew Hall, is named after Charles R. Drew who was a famous scientist and scribe. He pioneered the art of banking blood and helped save millions of lives during the first World War. He worked right here at Howard University and trained many medical students to learn the art of banking peoples blood. In this field his work was unmatched. His sudden death surprised many however giving his name to the dormitory room of all freshman boys allows his legacy to stay in all of us and as a part of Howard University.

Dr. Benjamin's Lecture

This week Dr. Benjamin educated everyone on the Eloquence of the Scribes. During her lecture she touched on the importance of ancient scribes to their civilizations. For example, Egyptian scribes where very important people in their societies, and they wrote in cuneiform on papyrus rolls. She also highlighted man important scribes throughout history like medieval scribes such as Jean Mielot.
Dr. Benjamin also emphasised on the fact that most of the buildings on Howard University's campus are named after truly great scribes like General Oliver Otis Howard for who Howard is named after, and also the first president of Howard University. The school of social work is named after Isabel Burns Lindsay who was also the first dean of the school. The largest school on Howard's campus, Locke Hall, is named after Alain Locke Hall who was a major contributor to the Harlem Renaissance and its cultural revolution. Douglass Hall is named after Fredrick Douglass himself, a truly great scribe that refused to be a slave and refused to be uneducated. Drew Hall is named after Dr. Charles R. Drew the first to develop the concept of blood transfusion. Earnest Just Hall is named after Earnest Everett Just the creator of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the first black man on a postage stamp. There are truly many eloquent African American scribes that were well presented by Dr. Benjamin.

Dr. Benjamin's Lecture

The importance of scribes is seen throughout history. With Dr. Benjamin’s lecture, she has introduced us to the many scribes that have graced the Howard campus. Of course before Dr. Benjamin began to talk about the many faces of Howard’s scribes, she started with the very person who opened the school, Oliver Otis Howard. From there she introduced the class to Mordecai Wyatt Johnson and Inabel Burns Lindsay. Both Johnson and Lindsay had many accomplishments, but the most notable accomplishments were Johnson becoming the 36th president of Howard University and Lindsay becoming the first dean of School of Social Work. Also, the Founder’s Library is dedicated to the 17 founders that helped to fund the library. Founder’s Library is where two men named Arthur Spingarn, a collector of African American literature and newspaper, and Jesse Moorland, a collector of African American books and pamphlets sold their whole collection to Howard University. Other women such as Alain Locke, Zora Neele Hurston and Lulu Veere Childers have also played a great role in Howard University’s history which has led to the naming of several buildings on the Howard University’s campus. What caught my attention the most was when she spoke about the Harriet Tubman quadrangle. Although I knew about most of the women whom were represented in the quadrangle such as Sojourner Truth, Phillis Wheatley, and Julia Frazier, I did not know who Louise Baldwin and Prudence Crandall were. I learned that Baldwin was the first to hold a high position in education in Cambridge and Crandall was the first person to open a school for African American girls in Connecticut. Dr. Benjamin’s lecture was truly an eye opener. I had never understood how much history each building held.

Dr. Benjamin's Lecture

Tamika Philip

During this weeks lecture, Dr. Benjamin enlighten me about the history Howard . Being the Associate Dean of the Division of Fine Arts, College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Art History, and Director of the Gallery of Art at Howard University, Dr. Benjamin was able to deliver an adequate amount of information which broaden my knowledge on Howard University. Dr. Benjamin lectured the freshman seminar class on the eloquence of scribes, expectations and mastery on continuing the legacy at Howard University. During her introduction, Dr. Benjamin mentioned, that a scribe is a person who writes books, documents, scrolls, ancient scribes, etc. She also enforced the fact that General Oliver Otis Howard founded Howard University on November 26, 1866, which later opened in January 1867. The university was designed to train dentist, teachers, and lawyers. Today Howard University is composed of twelve schools and colleges.

Dr. Benjamin also indicated that Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was the first African American President at Howard University. As a College of Arts and Sciences student from New York, I was delighted to learn that Locke Hall was named after Alain L. Locke, “Harlem MECCA of the Negro.” After Dr. Benjamin announced that Douglass Hall was named after the notable Frederick Douglass, she also briefly touched on Douglass’s speech, “what to the slave is the 4^th of July?” I was excited when she bought it up, because I concur entirely with Frederick Douglass. Perhaps if we were indeed granted freedom in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, instead of 1819, after the ratification of the nineteenth amendment, then Douglass would of refrained from making that speech.

I must admit that Dr. Benjamin’s lecture engaged me to the fullest extent. I was pleased to learn about my “home”, as she mentioned, “Howard is a home.”

Quick Post to the group

Hey guys. I got a voicemail but I couldn't make anything out. It was muffled... I'm not sure why. But this is just a friendly reminder that I'm always available if you guys have any questions. If you need my cell again, email me. I emailed it to everyone that first week, but if you need it again, let me know. =)

Dr. Dunston's Lecture

This past week Dr. Dunston delivered a powerful and important message to us about the human genome. She explained that the human genome is the history of mankind and therefore the history of all black people because mankind begins with us. According to Dr. Dunston, the human genome is the key to recovering our lost culture, and the history that has been distorted by the historians of the west. Dr. Dunston led us to understand that the human genome is our DNA and that we all are 99 percent the same. This means that the only thing that makes us different from one another is one percent, this to me means that many of our disagreements based on race and ethnicity are petty and unnecessary. Dr. Dunston's lecture was insightful and I am glad I was there to receive such an important message.

Dr. Dunston's lecture

The human genome is the most sophisticated genome of all species. It is the most important genome of all organisms to ever be found. This genome not only holds the DNA make up of all mankind, but also holds the history of mankind. It tells of who we are, where we’ve been and how we lived our daily life. It shows us the age of the oldest human being, an African human being. From the finding of the oldest genome, we can track down the knowledge of our ancestors. This knowledge will bring us back to our lost culture and history. This will be passed down to the current and future generations to come. The human genome connects us with each other culture and with the life of our many ancestors.
I believe we as people of African descent should learn about the first people on earth, their own African ancestors. Many of us African Americans are taught that we derived from others instead of vice versa. We need to understand that man began when the first African being stepped on the face of the earth. The understanding of the human genome will surely bring back the real teachings of mankind. This will create pride among many African American children because now they know they have something that no one else has. It is something that cannot be taken away from them. It will be the beginning of something that will benefit them and their fellow children by teaching them about the past life of their own people.

Dr.Dunston Lecture

Tamika Philip

During this week’s lecture with Dr. Dunston I was able to understand the human genome and its relation to the lives we live today. Before Dr. Dunston’s lecture, I always viewed the human genome, as our genetic makeup/ DNA. Although Dr. Dunston was only able to complete her introduction, I still was able to gain a lot of knowledge through her intro. She stated that ninety-nine percent of everyone’s DNA is identical, and that the one percent is what makes us all different. Dr. Dunston also stated that DNA is indeed the gift of life, and identity defines one’s purpose in life. “No one is the same…we are all unique”, said Dr. Dunston. I concur with her because even identical twins are different in their own special way. Dr. Dunston seems to be very interested in the youth at Howard University. Throughout her lecture I felt as if I was listening to one of my guardians lecture me, due to her compassionate tone.

Summary

The following week, Dr. Greg Carr spoke about the great wisdom and stolen history of our African ancestors. He first explained and gave definition of encouraging words from ancient Kemet. Such words such as ma’at, Iwa- I’ewa, Iwa- l'aiya and sankofa which all has to do with ones education, character and the truth. The teachings of these words were all tied into the miseducation of the American “negro”. Our ancestors came from such great countries with unique traditions, beliefs and teachings just to be completely stripped of those very things that made them proud and given the name slave. The brain washing of the African slaves led to the re writing of history of our people. We should understand and follow the words Seba/Sebayt and sankofa; the teachings and “go and get it.” African Americans should go get and relearn their peoples teachings that they lost so long ago.

Education of our ancestor is the only way we can truly learn and understand ourselves. We should reclaim our history and pass down the knowledge that we received. I believe Dr Carr’s lecture opened many of our eyes. He brought up historical facts that many of us was not aware of. The African world experience is not something that is spoken about in a positive light. The “Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience” slide has gotten the attention of us younger Africans to search for the truth, the real truth of our people. Carr’s lecture is the beginning of regaining our history back.

Dr. Carr's Lecture Summary

Dr. Carr's lecture, this past week, entitled "Learning, Wisdom and the African World Experience: An Mbongi" surrounded the ideas of Africans and African Americans and education. We talked about Africa being the motherland of ideas such as  language. For example words like 'sedjem' meaning 'listen', 'Ma'at' meaning 'truth', and the term 'Medew Nefer' meaning 'good speech'. Other forms of education or learning that came from Africa include writing, science, arts, spiritual systems/religion, formal teaching/school.  

The one topic that caught my attention immediately upon it's mentioning and continues to peak my interest is the idea of "Miseducation". The fact that we, African Americans, as a people, have, for some time, reverted back to some forms of ignorance, peeves me. It makes me feel ashamed and in some way disappointed at the digression of our people. At the same time, it motivates me to go against the grain; to strive to do better than what others and even I, myself, expect of me. 

Overall, the lecture was influential. I learned that Africans always thought that education was vital to everyone and that our ancestors strived to be smarter, wiser beings and I feel that is a goal that we, as humans, should all have for ourselves.

Summary of Dr.Carr's lecture

Tamika Philip

In this week’s lecture Dr. Carr talked about African teaching and learning. In the beginning of the power point presentation, Dr. Carr showed the class different African symbols used to represent basic teaching and learning terms. A few of those terms were, “Sedjem” (listen), “Ma’at” (truth), “Medew Nefer” (good speech), “Seba/ Sebayt” (teach/teachings), “Sedi” (educate), “Medew law” (staff of old age), etc. Dr. Carr also emphasized the fact that we are all descendents of Africans. He also stated that, “African’s were deep thinkers, and the goal was to recover African Deep Thought from its historical African background…and to show that such deep thought serves as the basis of what we now refer to as ‘academic’ work.” In my opinion, there are many traits in African- Americans that were passed down from our ancestors, such as our ability to learn and understand. According to Ayi Kwei Armah, The Eloquence of the Scibes, 274, 279, “the Ancestors may be contacted in the books, songs, prayers, proverbs, music, ritual and art…the soul which wishes to receive inspiration makes a habit of visiting these sites of ancestral excellence, to ask questions, to listen and to read, to analyze and to sift.”

In conclusion, Dr. Carr’s lectures are very intriguing. His tone and choice of words makes each lecture an unforgettable one. So far I am able to say that I have learned something new at both lectures. My only concern is that a few of the power point slides are not clearly perceived in my mind.

I turned in the form today when I was done with classes. I submitted your research question Tamika. Thanks so much for the input =)

Research Topic

okk so im suggesting ALCOHOL/ Drug Abuse can be our topic....Our Research statement can also be, HOW Alcohol and Drug Abuse can have a negative impact on the human body.