Black Ink
Endsights/ Letters to the Editors
Page 11 ^
September 4
Endsights:
"5o how exactly does one achieve aca
demic success without completely sacrificing
their social life? The answer is twofold”
An Academic Challenge to the Class of '94
By Peter Blair Henry
Contributor
As another academic year rolls around one can not help but
be overwhelmed by the tradition and excitement that surrounds
Chapel Hill— the Old Well and Bell Tower stand as perennial
symbols of the tradition that is UNC, while Franklin Street is filled
with the clamor of hundreds of thrill-seeking students. And of
course, who can forget the roar of the Kenan crowd on Saturday
afternoons, as they cheer on the Heels and sing nostalgic favorites
such as “Hark the Sound.”
Unfortunately, every fall since I have been at this university the
UNC black community has been humming quite a different tune;
it's called “Where Did Last Year's Freshman Go?” Cynical, perhaps,
but the fact remains that every year a large portion of the incoming
black freshman class drops out of UNC within one year. The
overriding factor in the high attrition rate— poor grades. One
particularly salient case is that of the class of '92.
Proclaimed as one of the most promising black freshman
classes in UNC history, the Class of ’92 fell miserably short of the
expectations of faculty, administrators and themselves. The
purpose of bringing this matter to the fore is not to disparage those
individuals who are members of this group. Rather, the intent is to
warn this year's freshmen about the potential pitfalls that await
them at UNC and provide some helpful advice to help them avoid
the academic woes which befell the class of '92.
Contrary to popular opinion, the primary purpose in attending
an institution of higher learning is the pursuit of academic
excellence. Of course one ought not live in academic seclusion,
but scholastic performance should be a top priority. It is alot easier
to start off the semester with “your head in the books,” and
gradually find your social niche than it is to party the first month or
so and then try to play catch-up. Not only will you be behind in
terms of course material but your study skills and discipline will
also be sorely lacking.
So how exactly does one achieve academic success without
completely sacrificing their social life? The answer is two-fold. The
crucial factor in this process is so simple that to state it seems
almost vacuous. Nonetheless, it needs to be said. Go to classes!
There will be numerous times when, perhaps after staying up late
talking to friends, playing cards or just hanging out, you will not
feel like getting up to go to that 8;00 or 9:00 class. Get up! Like so
many other things, missing classes is habit forming— once you
miss one, it becomes commonplace. The easiest way to place
yourself in an aademic bind is to skip classes.
While going to class and paying attention may have been
sufficient effort for success in high school, such is not the case here
at Chapel Hill. Study time is a must. Set aside a period each day,
from 2:00 to 4:00 in the aftemoon for example, where you do
nothing but homework. That way you get your work out of the
way early on and have the nights free to socialize. Of course,
exactly how much you study will be determined by the quantity of
work you have.
Making a commitment to academia is the first and hardest step
in having a successful four years at UNC; if you prepare for class
and stay on top of your work performance will take its due course.
Not everyone is capable of getting straight A's but, all are capable
of doing decent work.
If for no other reason, devote time to your studies because it is a
challenge. It is a challenge to enter into a predominantly white
institution and prove that you belong academically. Take pride in
your ability to compete in the classroom. Don't allow yourself to
become “just another black who failed out of UNC.” Rather, be a
role model for your peers; instead of hanging out in front of the
Undergrad, be the one who goes inside and studies. As a moder
ately well known black minister puts it, “You can make a differ
ence!” Make a difference this semester; for the university, your
friends, and most importantly for yourself
Peter Henry is a senior Economics/Math major from
Wilmette, IL
Express yourself about issues that concern Black
Ink readers. Articles should be three pages long, typed
double spaced (include year, major, and hometown).
Drop your article by Suite 108-D Student Union, or
mail to Black Ink, CB# 5210, Student Union, University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
What You Don’t Know About Black Pcoolc
Black students at a predominantly white university must be
prepared to couraer cxhkism from prcsninent graduates and
students of black universities that we do troi have a sense of our
history and culture. While this true (as I will readily establish
later in this article), it is applicable: to alJ Arrtcrkans regardless of
what type of university they Attended and what race they happen
to be. It is a %'ell known fact that the absence of a well docu-
menied history of achievement and discovery from the lextbocAs
of American ciassroatns (a black and white universities) has led
blacks and whites to think that the dark skinned people d the
world have conCnbuted nothing, Tliiis has led to widespread low-
self esteem and self-confidence. Sure, Eurocentric perspectives
of waW history have granted us with token credit Ibf such in-
ventic«K as Lew'is Latimer's light bulb filament and peanut butter
(guess who?). It is time, however, to correct the wroi^s and
claim CHir rightful placc and fair share as the founders cf
civilization.
'OTithin rccenlyears it has been disco\"ered, once and for all,
that a seminal t^ck kingdom in (he Nile Valley, existed bdfore
and served as the roots of dassicai Egypt which in turn gave rise
to the periods of eni ightenment in AncieiA Greece and Rc«ne» H
has also been discovered that advanced sted smelttogtook place:
in Tanzania nearly 2000 years before fts disa>very in Eurq>e.
Afrfcans cultivated crops 7000 years before any other civilization,
domesiieaied cattle in Kenya 15,000 years ago, used fire
1,400,000 years ago (1 million years before its first known use in
Asia) inverted a glkfcr-plane 2,300 ycai? ago in Egypt (where
the pyramids are), used tetracycline 1,400 years befcse its redis
covery in the western world and visited North and South
America well before Christopher Columbus cy the aliped VSdng
discovery. In faathe oral tradition and att work cf the Dc^n
people of Mali, West Africa show a 2000 year old understanding
of astronomy which includes scientifically sound concepts rafthe
rings of Saturn and the moons of jupier, as well as the nature
200^1 years l)cforc their re discoK'rv Surprisir^iy, Dogon
astronomy, althou^ 2000 years oid, goes beyond we
presently know abo>^ sc»ne things and is continually being
authenticated by observattons using modem equipment.
Some will dismiss this 3i> uwlcw spt culaiion despite the fact
that it has ken sciffaificaily prwen Many Euroccniric (raciy")
scK'niisUi have atlemptcd todiscraiu Ihe uMiinbutions of
Africans and Afrkan Americans. Many Africans and African
Americans themselves have fallen prey to the image of Africa as
a iMid inhabfted by Tanan and bushmen. The aory of how
Africans and people of cda molded the wwkJ and were dented
their rights to it is complfcated arrf never ending and therefore
(id within the scope of this artidc. It should be noted, however,
that as recent is 1913. Afncan Americans received over one
thousand inventions (some were not grarted patents), It was
ruled in 1858, by the U-S, Attcxney General that a patent was a
cwitract between an inventor and the government, and since
staves were ncA U>S. citizens, they could not have a cortract with
Think Black Ink....
TODAY!!
Black Ink will hold its first meeting today in room
210 of the Carolina Union at 6:30. All interested
students and UNC staff are welcome.
the government. As a axisequence tt^ny devices invetaed by
slaves were patented under white peoples names or not
patented at all.
The afbrementioned revdatiois should remind us that as
Jesse Jad^son often says, we are not up from slavery. We are
tenacious, inieitigent, strong people who were sdd by Africans
to white people and survived 200 years d slavery to emerge as
governors, candidates for president, aaaxiauts and CEO's of
biihon ddlar multi-:utii)nal coqv)ntifJi. Saven rejirc.sent.'; a
very small portion o^ur rich history and does not constitute
our history, "With the ach iev^ents cf the ancient past and the
present in mind, let us {xoudly wear our African medallions,
^kinky® hair, thick lips, and brown eyes as we march onward
and upward let us look back to the future, be black fof fee
future and remember that the will to achteve comes from the
knowledge that we can,- Terrence L Garrisoa, junior
Political $dcnce/Afro>Am«icaQ Studies major from
Hefldersoa^ NC