THE BENNETT BANNER
Believing that an informed campus is a Key to Democracy
BENNETT COLLEGE. GREENSBORO, N.C.
ARCHIVES
Bennett Coltege
Greensboro, N. C.
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Panelist during symposium were Frenise Logan, fcUiott F. Skinner , and Dr. Broadus Butler
BLACK INTELLECTUAL SYMPOSIUM
A symposium was held in
Black Hall with the theme
“The Black Intellectual in
World Perspective.” The event
was dedicated to the memory
of the late David Dallis Jones,
president of Bennett College
1925-1955. He worked
diligently striving to maintain
scholarly excellence and
integrity at Bennett College.
The purpose of the
Symposium is one of bringing
to the campu^ stimulating
people in all fields of learning
and living.
The event began with the
showing of two films which
are relevant to Black thinking’
“Ethiopia: The Lamb and the
Cross” and ‘The Emperor
Jones.” On Tuesday, April 27,
two more films were shown,
“The Addicted” and
“Generation Without a
Cause.” Later in the evening a
lecture was given in the film
“America in World
Perspectives” by Elliott P.
Skinner.
Aon April 28, Ewa Eko
lectured on “The African
Personality.” He is a native of
Nigeria who is serving as
coordinator of the
Sixinstitutions’ Consortium
while working on his doctorate
at Ohio University. Eko has
traveled extensively
throughout the world and
edited several curriculum plans
on Africa and Afro-American
materials
Elliott P. Skinner spoke on
Wednesday, also on the topic
“The African and the
Afro-American: Some
Attitudinal Comparisons.” He
presently serves as professor of
Anthropology at Columbia
University. He also served in
the capacity of U. S.
Ambassador to Upper Volta.
He is^ specialist in African
ethnology and published many
articles in professional
journals, along with several
books. He serves as president
of the African Heritage Studies
Association and recently
received a Guggenheim Award.
Also speaking during the
week was William A. Hunter
who spoke on “The Black
Intellectual on the
Predominantly Black
Campus.” His is Professor and
Dean of the Tuskegee School
of Education. His articles and
reviews have appeared in many
educational journals.
Frenise A. Logan, Chief of
the Eastern and Southern
African Programs in the
Bureau of Educational Affairs
of the Department of State
spoke on “Some Reflections
on the African Intellectual.”
Logan presented his
assumptions on the nature of
an intellectual.
“I assume that an
intellectual is one who is
pro-efficient and competent in
reasoning and formulating of
significant concepts and
judgements which in tiie final
analysis would have an impact
on humam thought and
endeavor. It entalis any
reference to an individual who
is self-recognized in race as
being black. Intellectualism
without pragmatism is
abmivalent and self-defeating.”
He stated the proMons of
intellectualism as becomeing
incumbent in expediences of
desired outcome as it moves
into the world’s social forces.
The intellectual is forced to
compromise in his ideas.
Academic intellectualism
derives on “freedom of
thought and in a climate that
thrives on ideas.” On
“so-called black campuses”
intellectuals are so caught up
in its struggles, that little time
is devoted to intellectual
pursuit.
Logan expounded on the
fact that the black intellectual
has suffered because of
prejudice, segregation, and
lack of concern in the black
experience by the outside
worid. He stated, “Many leave
the black community to seek
acceptance by writing on the
non-black experience.”
HONOR SOCIETIES
Members of the senior
Honor Society are Betty J.
Jones, Linda J. Bell, Wanda
Bracks, .Raynarda Brown,
Carolyn Crump, Linda David,
Mabel Gaillard, Nedra Hamer,
Connie Hammond, Jennifer
Jones, Alma Nobel, Rubea
Whaley, Vivian White, Ella M.
Willaims, Geraldine T.
Willaims, Patricia Williams, and
Ruby D. Willaims and Betty
Wright.
Those students elected to
Alpha Kappa Mu are Ethel
Bonds, Ellen Carter, Winona
Griffin, Juanita Hicks, Betty
Jones, Edwina Langaster,
Rubea Whaley, Edna Willaims,
Mabel Gaillard, and Carolyn
Everette.
Those students who were
elected to Pi Gamma Mu were
Gwendolyn Bradley, Ellen
Carter, Diann Dawson, Lingda
Gerald, Barbara Frierson,
Veleria Nash, Patricia Shouse,
Rubea Whaley, and E. Marilyn
Williams,
Those students who were
accepted to Bata Kappa Chi
Scientific Honor Society were
Linda Bell, Raynorda Brown,
Carolyn Crump, Nedra Hamer,
Dorathin Murphy and Shirley
Sellars.
Abernathy:‘Your Thing’
“If you do your thing you
will save the civilizations of
the world, so that coming
generations will say there lived
a Black lady from Bennett
College who did her thing.”
Reverend Ralph Abernathy,
head of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, spoke
at the last vesper program of
the school term. Before
delivering his heart-warming
speech. Rev. Abernathy aided
the college chaplain in
administering the baptismal
rites to Mark Dana Headen,
son of a Mrs. Patrica Ann
Haith, class of ’71.
The text of his speech was
based on the 4th Chapter of
Esther from the Old
Testament of the Bible. His
sermon-lecture was entitled
“Esther Did Her Thing.”
Rev. Abernathy said that
the world faces a serious
tragedy because of racism,
poverty, and war. “All
civilizations are fastly dying.”
he proclaimed. “The serious
part of it, he continued, “is
that we are sick and don’t
know that we are dying and
don’t know how to get well.”
“We are so complacent that
we don’t care about the fact
that we are decaying. The
plight of the poor is the same
as of Biblical days when it was
believed that Jews were
responsible for all that
occurred. Poor people and
Abernathy
Banner Staff Named
The Banner Staff elected
new staff officers for the
1971-72 school term. Serving
in the capacity of co-Editors
will be Jane Blue and Myra
Davis , who are both juniors
from Charlotte, N.C.
Diann Dawson will serve as
Managing Editor. Feature
Editor is Cynthia McCaskill
who is being trained to fill the
position of Editor in the
following year. Photographer
for next year is Myra Davis
who will be assisted by several
other students.
The Copy Editor is Shirley
Francis. Since the addition of
the Bennett Basketball team, a
sports Editor has been added
to cover the games. This
position is filled by Elizabeth
Hemingway. Circulation
Editor is Myra McCoy who
also is the Banner Roving
Reporter.
The staff is analyzing the
functions of the various
positions so that the Banner
will be a regular campus
publication in the future.
There is a need for other
interested underclassmen to
join the Banner family.
Blacks do not realize that a
wicked king by the name of
Richard M. Nixon has issued a
decree that all Blacks and poor
people are to be destroyed.
Abernathy well illustrated
the plight of the Black man in
this country when he
mentioned that of sixty-four
heart-transplants, 63 donors
were Black and only one was a
recipient. There are also Blacks
here in Greensboro and on this
campus whose eyes are so dim
that they believe that the
white power structure is in
love with Black folk.
Rev. Abernathy cited that
all the Black money lumped -
together is not enough to
travel across town and back,
but that 10% of the people
control 90% of the wealth in
this country. He criticized the
big foundations who use
philanthropic contributions as
a disguise for paying taxe^
He warned the audience
that just by having a degree
does not provide security for
any Black. “Those who’ve
been to Morehouse have got to
work with those who have no
house,” he exclaimed. “We’ve
got to do our own thing and
sock it to America.”
He advised Blacks to stop
wondering if that “Black man
is qualified” when he seeks
election throughout the
nation. “I say hell yes!” “In
200 years whites have messed
it up. Blacks should be given
the chance to better it or mess
it up further. Blacks have got
to learn how government
operates. “We will never leam
politics until we get out there
in it.”
“Esther did her thing. All
of us have a thing we ought to
do. We must stop being afraid
and ashamed of our culture.”
He summed up his speech
by citing his purpose in this
world he said, “My time
is to tell America that there
will be liberty and justice for
all or liberty and justice for
none.”
Students on TV
Students of the Home
Economics class presented a
few of the garments on
WFMY-TV May 6th on the
Cordelia Kelly’s “Fashion -
Sense.”
The program featured
students from the beginner’s
and advanced classes. The
models were Madelyn Mebane,
Deborah Moore, Gwendolyn
Hill, Jackie Speas, Jacqueline
Butler, Paula McNair, Vemelle
Robinson, and Delores
Cotman.
Mrs. Louise G. Street,
Co-ordinator and professor of
the Home Economics
Department, discussed the
types of materials and general
knowledge about sewing. Also
on the program was Mrs. Ruby
C. Carraway, who is the
instructor of the beginners’
class.