Author discusses j
liberation movements
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
The fight for black liberation in the black community
has seen a multitude of transformations over the years.
When compared with the early movements of the 60s and
70s, it appears to be vastly different from the Black Lives
Matter movement of today, but the goal remains the
same:-Social and economic equitability for the African
American community.
That is the message historian, political activist and
author Barbara Ransby delivered during a lecture at the
Porter Bynum Welcome Center on the campus of Wake
Forest University Tuesday, Feb. 23. She said the same
shouts of "Black Power" from the dusty roads of
Mississippi in the summer of 1966, when a campaign was
started to register black voters, echoed through the
decades and into our place in time.
"All of the movements have addressed the way racial
hierarchy is embedded into the DNA of American capital
ism, and the currency that privilege represents."
Ransby is the author of the award-winning biography
on civil rights activist Ella Baker entitled, "Ella Baker and
the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic
Vision." Ransby currently serves as a distinguished pro
fessor at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the
Departments of African-American Studies, Gender and
Women's Studies and History.
During her hour long lecture, Ransby told more than
75 students in attendance that although there are patterns
in history that provide lessons that can be learned and
applied to our own time, it is important that the different
movements over the years showed variety.
"Each generation must discover its mission," she said.
"Although we should apply the lessons from previous
movements, that doesn't exempt us from naming the
moment we are in."
Ransby also discussed
other movements including
the Student Nonviolent
Coordination Committee
(SNCC), the Civil Rights
Movement, and the Black
Panther Partv. She said
although each of the movements had a significant leader,
it is the work of those behind the scenes that made each
movement important. Ransby said she is now seeing that
same work behind the scenes with the Black Lives Matter
movement.
"The kind of work that Ella Baker did behind the
scenes is what has to be done for movements to sustain,"
said Ransby. "We have a lot of that with Black Lives
Matter; that is one of the many reasons I think the move
ment will continue to grow."
Ransby's visit to WFU was hosted by the Anna Julia
Cooper Center, an interdisciplinary center that supports,
generates and communicates innovative research at the
intersections of gender, race and place-in-order. The cen
ter is led by Presidential Endowed Professor in Politics
and International Affairs Melissa Harris-Perry.
Harris-Perry said Ransby's voice adds to what has
been an extraordinary year of meaningful engagement at
Wake Forest. She also said Ransby's work as an educator,
author and political activist has been a true inspiration for
herself and many others. *
"The Anna Julia Cooper lecture has welcomed some
of the nation's preeminent researchers in recent years "
said Harris-Perry. "Barbara Ransby's scholarship resides
at the powerful intersection of activism and the academy,
calling on both the more rigorous intellectual
traditions and the most impactful organizing histories of
black people in America."
Ransby
Play powers Black Male
Symposium at WSSU
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
More than 200 young
men from high schools in
Forsyth County participat
a/1 am tUa anminl
VU 111 U1W (UU1UOI
Black Male
Symposium
held on the
campus of
Winston-Salem
State
University.
WSSU's
Black Male
Symposium
examines
issues related
to black male
uDward mobili
ty and progress to uplift
black males, prepare them
to be leaders and see them
through the graduation
process. In past years, fea
tured speakers have includ
ed Dr. Michael Eric Dyson,
Dr. Mark Lamont Hill,
Spike Lee, and a host of
others.
Instead of a keynote
speaker, this year's event
featured the play "We Shall
Overcome" under the \
iiiection of Garrett Davis
>f Forget Me Not
^oductions. The show
enters around the adversi
y experienced by youth in
he African-American
WIIUUUIUI^ 111 Ult
! 1960s and how
their struggles con
tributed to social
changes leading to
equality in educa
tion which provid
ed guidance and
hope for students
today as ? they
encounter situa
tions of injustice
and intolerance.
Hainc \i/hn hoc
L/UT li3, TTIIV 11UO
jeen directing and produc
ng plays for more than 21
^ears, said his latest pro
luction is not just a play,
jut a movement. Before
he start of the play, Davis
encouraged the auditorium
filled with mostly juniors
md seniors to take their
education seriously,
?espect authority figures,
uid stand up and fight for
what they believe is right.
"It's okay to fight for
what is right, it's okay to
Davis
)
stand up and protest, but ?
you have to know what to
fight for," said Davis. "The .
biggest issue with young "
brothers and sisters is that
they don't like to do things
that make them uncomfort
able. You have to get out of &
that comfort zone; only
then will you be able to
make a difference."
Following the play, a
number of students said
they learned a lot about the
Student Nonviolent ?
Coordinating Committee
(SNCC), the Freedom
Riders, and the impact the
youth had on the civil
rights movement.
Walkertown High School
senior Marcus Williams
said although a lot has
changed over the years, he
also sees a lot of the same
things happening today.
"The play really
opened my eyes to what
life was like back then,"
said Williams. "I'm glad I
got the opportunity to
come here today [on
Thursday, Feb. 18]. I really
learned a lot."
Maurice "Mo" Green honored with
NCAE Excellence in Equity Award
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
GREENSBORO
Maurice "Mo" Green,
incoming executive direc
tor of the Z. Smith
Reynolds Foundation in
Winston-Salem, is the 2016
recipient of the North
Carolina Association of
Educators' (NCAE)
Excellence in Equity
Award.
Each year, NCAE hon
ors one or more individuals
or groups for their long
term dedication, commit
ment, and energy toward
the goal of making North
Carolina a more equitable
community. Green, who
has been recognized for his
many contributions to pub
lic education, was present
ed the award on Feb. 25 by
NCAE Vice President
Mark. Jewell at the Guilford
County School Board
meeting.
Green is the outgoing
superintendent of Guilford
County Schools, the third
largest school district in
North Carolina. He over
saw 217 schools with more
than 72,000 students and
10,000 employees. During
his tenure, graduation rates
increased to 89.3 percent .
(exceeding the state aver
age of 83.4 percent) and the
dropout rate fell to a new
low from 2.07 percent to
1.97 percent in 2013-14,
well below the state aver
age of 2.28 percent.
Recently, Green was
instrumental in bringing
the "Say Yes to Education"
project to Guilford County.
"Say Yes" is a non-profit
organization that partners
with communities to pro
mote the goal of giving
every public high school
graduate access to college
and other post-secondary
scholarships. Students in
and around the cities of
Greensboro and High Point
will be able to attend any of
the 16 public universities in
North Carolina, as well as a
host of private colleges and
universities across the
country.
Before joining Guilford
County Schools in 2008,
Green served as the general
counsel for Charlotte
Mecklenburg Schools. He
also held the positions of
chief operating officer and
deputy superintendent.
Prior to that, he was a part
ner in the law firm Smith,
Helms, Mulliss & Moore
LLP in Charlotte. The
recipient of numerous
accolades, Green is a grad
uate of Duke University,
where he earned both a
bachelor's degree in politi
cal science and economics
and a law degree.
NCAE is the state's
largest education advocacy
organization for public
school employees arid rep
resents active, retired, and
student members.
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