Freshman Seminar- Ilesha

This weeks lecture was given by Dr. Titrobia Benjamin. Her lecture was entitled The Eloquence of the Scribes: Initiation, Expectations, and Mastery Continuing the Legacy of Howard University. Her lecture was mainly about most of the buildings on campus and the famous scribes they were names after.

She defined a scribe as someone who writes books and documents by hand. They were found in liberate society and the kept sacred texts. Scribes have developed from our ancestors who wrote by hand to what we know today as journalists and lawyers. In ancient times there were scribes of every major estate. This continued until the advent of printing. Glutenburg was a 15th century european who introduced the printing press.

As we have learned before, Howard University is named after General Oliver Otis Howard and He can be defined as a scribe as well as many of the other figures that these buildings on campus are named after. 

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was one of our most eloquent scribes. From 1936-1960, he was the first african american president of Howard University.

More of our historical scribes include Inabel Burns who was the first dean of the School of Social Work and the only female academic dean in Washington, DC at this time, Jesse Moorland and Arthur Spingarn who the founders library is named after, Alain Locks, Zora Hurston, Lulu Vere Childers, Frederick Douglass, Ira Aldridge, and Louis C. Cramton who all have buildings on campus names after them.

The dormitories on campus are named after famous scribes as well. The Tubman Quadrangle (named after Harriet Tubman) include Prudence Crandall hall, Sojourner Truth hall, and Phillis Wheatly hall are named after great female scribes.

The Dormitories of Slowe, Bethune Annex, Drew, and Carver are named after Lucy Diggs Slowe, Mary McLeod Bethune, Charles R. Drew, and George Washington Carver who are also very eloquent scribes.

Before this lecture I can say all I thought a scribe did was write by hand. My understanding of a scribe is now better because I now know a scribe is not someone who just writes, but they are also very powerful people who have made an impact on not only America, but the black community as well.

Lecture #3: This History of Howard University - Tammy

      Dr. Benjamin's lecture about The Eloquence of the Scribes: Initiation, Expectation, and Mastery - Continuing the Legacy of Howard University was very interesting. She descriptively described some of the founders of Howard and explained the significance of each building and who they are named after which has always intrigued me. I was so excited to hear how many influential leaders both black and white either came from Howard or who's legacy continues within Howard. I felt so proud to be a part of legacy that embodies Howard University and hope to one day fulfill all my predecessors legacies and spawn a legacy of my own.


      The first person Dr. Benjamin talked about was General Howard, the founder and namesake of Howard University. I always knew that the founder of Howard University was white but I never thought deeply about the impact of General Howard's actions. He bravely allowed blacks to enter one of the first integrated universities in the post-Civil War era. Despite prejudices, General Howard still founded a school that all could enter regardless of their skin color. Another person who helped inspire scholarship among blacks was Prudence Crandall, a white woman who opened a boarding school specifically for black girls. Unfortunately due to local aversion to Crandall's school, she was forced to shut the school down but as Dr. Benjamin stated in the beginning of her lecture, Crandall's legacy lives on. So frequently we focus on the blacks who helped African-Americans gain rights and privileges that we sometimes overlook the crucial white and non-black people who also made crucial strides in African-American freedom from prejudice. 


    Since I mentioned Prudence Crandall, I can't forget about the other air conditioned hall in the quad which is Truth Hall named after Sojourner Truth. As a resident of Truth Hall, 3rd floor, I was especially interested in the story of Sojourner Truth who lead thousands of slaves to freedom. Sojourner Truth, who's name was originally Isabella Baumfree, was a true hero because she risked public death to save others from slavery. She was not about recognition or fame but simply wanted others to know what is was like to truly be free of slavery's oppression. I'm now even more proud to stay in Truth Hall.


    Dr. Benjamin also talked about how much history lies within Howard University. Not only have great and influential people such as Lulu Childers, Charles Drew and Tony Morrison been a part of Howard's rich legacy but also historical information lies within our own libraries. Dr. Benjamin told us how Founder's Library holds many historical books and a lot of documentation about black history both domestic and abroad. I've never been so interested in learning about Howard's history, especially now that I can appreciate the significance of our school as a keeper and crucial element of such a rich legacy. HU, YOU KNOW! 

Freshman Seminar September 1, 2010 - Ilesha

Freshman Seminar September 1, 2010

Wednesdays Lecture was entitled Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience which would cover these objectives as follows:

1. Reflecting on the African foundations for our intellectual work at Howard and in the Human Community.

2. Sketching an outline that traces the connection between Learning and Wisdom.

3. Opening our personal pathways for engagement and renewal.

Normally giving a lecture, a teacher of professor would start from the very beginning, but Dr, Carr started from the end which is where we learned of Djehuty and Seshat. Djehuty and Seshat were not only brother and sister, but they were also husband and wife. Djehuty was the creator of letters and his wife Seshat was the creator of numbers. The Pathway of Djehuty accepts content masters and precision as the responsible behavior of the teacher and student while The Pathway of Seshat accepts accuracy, reliability, and preservation of knowledge as the responsibility of the teacher and student.

We were also informed on the three authorities of the classroom which are student, teacher, and text. All three of these authorities work hand in hand, however Dr. Carr stated that there will always be two of these authorities present in the classroom. Furthermore that if there is one authority absent, the other two have to work even harder.

Moving back to the beginning of the powerpoint we learned of some basic africana terms. A few that stood out to me were Ma'at which means truth, Sankofa which means go and get it, and Iwa Pele which means good/right character. These three stood out to me because these are some of the attributes I think I have. I'm a very truthful "go getter" with good character.

Dr. Carr also spoke of ancient egyptian writing which did not look like writing at all. They were little pictures called hieroglyphs. These little pictures depict the alphabet and symbols which stood for words like man or woman.

The basic message Dr. Carr gave us to take home had to deal with just that taking your knowledge home. I've learned my knowledge means nothing if i'm the only person it is benefiting. Dr. Carr said we should take our knowledge back home and share it with our community. Coming from Delaware, I can safely say I have had a good life living in the suburbs, but in the inner city there is so much going on. People fighting and shooting and sometimes there are innocent lives being taken. Just being at Howard University I have learned that there are just some things in life that are not worth fighting over, and I think the people in the city of Wilmington, Delaware will benefit from the things I will learn over my four years at Howard University and I will be sure to take everything I learn back to the city.

The Human Genome - Ilesha

The Human Genome

Last Wednesdays lecture from Dr. Georgia M. Dunston who was from the microbiology department was about the human genome. She did not get past the introductory slide, but she still gave some vital information. However before she went into her lecture, she started by saying the dean stated that our class was phenomenal and she sees how we are such a phenomenal class. Dr. Dunston goes into her lecture by saying our genome holds knowledge. It holds knowledge of not only out family history but our ancestral history as well. The genome contains not only this but knowledge of biology and life and how it works. Being a record book holding the legacy of human kind and our cultural story, Dr. Dunston goes on to say that every culture has a story but other cultures feed of the story of the Africans. Africans are the foundation for other cultures.

Dr. Dunston also said out genomes represent knowledge to solve problems of our time. Our genomes have an energy and what disturbs our energy is what we are destined to do. In other words we already know our calling and what we were put here to do and what problem we are going to solve. For example for me I know what disturbs my energy is dental hygiene. This is why my dream is to become a dentist to make people more aware of how important dental hygiene actually is to your overall health.

Overall the message I took from the lecture is that we all have a unique genome and each and every one of us is unique. Our genomes hold information that stems from our ancestors and from our family and the information we all hold is unique. Even though Dr. Dunston did not get past her first slide, she still gave us all some very good information that I actually found interesting.

My First Freshman Seminar Lecture!!!! 9/1/10 Tammy

My First Freshman Seminar Lecture!!!!

     Yesterday was my first real freshman seminar class where the class actually began the first of many lectures. The first lecture was given by Dr. Carr whose voice can make even the sleepiest person's eyes burst open. In a class that big, the lecturer's enthusiasm is a must. The title of the lecture focused on Africa with special emphasis on ancient Egypt's Djehuti and his wife Seshat. I have never even heard of these people before or knew of their great accomplishment of inventing numbers and letters. Thinking myself a well read and learned person, I was shocked that I had never actually heard of them. I immediately felt a sense of pride that my own people had been the first to create written language instead of believing the common belief that language started in Europe of ancient Greece. I learned so much that class that I almost ran out of room on my mbongi form! Plus I would never even have thought that the word mbongi from the people of Congo would ever become part of my regular vocabulary...I guess that's HBCU life for you...


      While Dr. Carr was speaking I felt empowered. He talked about having a fresh start in college where I could be anything I wanted to be. I've always thought of myself as good student but sometimes lacked motivation. No longer is that going to be me. Dr. Carr told us that the power to be educated ALWAYS lies with student when all else fails. There's no reason why I cannot take advantage of all the opportunities that Howard has to offer. With the excitement and atmosphere here at HU, my possibilities are endless. When a whole crowd screams HU YOU KNOW at any given time, it's impossible not to feel like you're at home.


     After sitting through the lecture, it hit me. BAM! I'm actually getting a chance to really learn about my people from professors who actually care about the topic. Coming from a predominantly white all girls school, I didn't really get the opportunity to learn about my heritage in ancient Africa, let alone from people who actually cared about the topic. As Dr. Carr made the room pronounce words that my mouth had never pronounced from the language of my people, I felt at ease when my tongue didn't. Finally I was at home. I realized the Mecca is where I need to be. Only at Howard University would I ever be able to find enthusiasm and education like this. FINALLY! AMEN!!!

Freshman Seminar - Human Genome 9/8/10 Tammy

     In Freshman Seminar this week our lecturer was a woman from the microbiology department and specialized in the human genome. Although she never got past the first introductory slide she still made some interesting points about the black community in relation to the Human Genome Project, of which, she is a member. The topic of her lecture was supposed to be Abandonment, Dismemberment and Reawakening: The History and Legacy of Howard University, she in her own special way still somewhat touched on the subject. However, most she talked about how every person's individual genome makes them a unique part of the world. She even said that identical twins do not necessarily have the same genome because everyone single person is unique. That phrase gave me a sense of pride i knowing that even if I follow in the steps of others, I am still the ONLY person in this universe that will ever be like me. 


        Also, she told us that our genomes present and intricate history of not only my family ancestry but the black community's ancestry as a whole. The one point that she made which did relate greatly to the topic is that without a knowledge of the history of black people it is impossible for all people to know their true people. When in high school I could remember talking greatly about European and American history which could date back to the BCE age but never did my school ever talk about ancient African history. All other histories branch off from ancient Africa because that is where the world originated. I never actually thought about the world like that but this point is so true. Archaeologist and historians need to focus more on how ancient Africa came to be and how black civilization formulated. Schools need to also emphasize the importance of black history as the origin of all history in general and not only focus on countries such as Greece, Britain and America because countries in Africa date back much farther than any of these countries combined. 


    Although there were times during the lecture when I became bored with the constant talk about the human genome, I still gathered an appreciation for our lecturer's discussion. She offered valid points but I only wish she would have connected other aspects of the lecture's topic into her lecture. Oh well...I guess better luck next Wednesday...

**^_^ *September 1, 2010* ~Kayla Blackburn~

**^_^ *September 1, 2010* ~Kayla Blackburn~

Yesterday's lecture was called Learning, Wisdom, and The African Experience. 
Objectives:

• reflect on African Foundations for Intellectual Work at Howard and in the Human Community
• sketch outline that traces the connection between learning and wisdom
• open personal pathway for engagement and renewal

1.  I learned about Djehuty and his sister/ wife Seshat. Seshat invented numbers while her husband/brother invented letters. Both of them are of African ancestory.
2.  I also learned the three authorities in the classroom: teacher, text, and student. All three of these authorities rely on each other and if one fall short, its up to the remaining two to pick up the slack to progress the learning experience in the classroom.
3.  After sitting in this lecture I made a choice to go back home upon graduation and help bring up my community. I always thought that I wouldn't go back home because there's only crime, corruption, and a bad economy in Memphis. Those same reasons that were preventing me from going home is now pushing me towards home. The speaker said that learning is no good if only your benefited by it. Many organizations gave me scholarships so that I can go off and recieve an education else where so that I may come back and use my education and college experience to better my community.