Page 6
Black Ink
March 22,1984
What You Think
•jf
Daryl Parham
Kraig Holt
Mary Ellerbe
Do you think the University should require students to tale a Biack
History course?
Daryl Parham, Freshman, Business Major, Lynchburg,
Va.
"I don't think it should be mandatory because some
students, especially white students, will not be inter-
ested in black history."
Kraig Holt, MBA, Baltimore, MD.
"Yes it should be —for black students because we
need to know about our background in order to set and
reach goals: for white students because they need to
understand our culture and where we're coming from."
Mary Ellerbe, RTVMP, Senior, Pinehurst, NC.
"For General College it might not be required but for
majors such as history it might be necessary because
Afro-Americans have contributed a lot to the country's
growth."
Lisa Poovey, Senior, RTVMP Major, Raleigh, NC.
"I can see some majors requiring an Afro-American
History course. People who study languages and interna
tional studies need a broad view, and need to know
where a particular culture is coming frpm."
Donnie Wallace, Freshman, Business Major, Everetts, NC.
"Maybe it should be mandatory because everybody
should know about Black History. With Afro-American
History as a mandatory part of our curriculum, people
will learn how and why black people are here, neces
sarily through slavery."
Felicia Taylor, Freshman, Biology Major, Lumberton, NC.
"I feel that students should be required to take an
AFAM course because it is an exposure element.
Students in high school only study American History.
Here they should take Black History as well."
Brenda McDaniels, Junior, Chemistry Major, Baltimore,
MD.
"It should be required as any other history course is
required, because most 'history' is lacking in Black His
tory.Then again, it should not be required because all
students are not required to take a history. If AfAm
courses are made mandatory, I am sure there are other
courses just as important which should be required."
Danny Lytle, Freshman, RTVMP/Broadcast Journalism
Major, Hickory, N.C.
"1 don't think it should be mandatory. The curriculum
should be left to the particular student: In college most
people choose what they like and dislike and shouldn't
be forced to take certain classes."
Sharon Peace, Economics Major, Henderson, N.C.
"1 think he's got a chance at winning the Democratic
nomination, but as far as the presidential election, I'm
not sure. He's got a lot of prestigious people behind
him as well as against him. People like Jesse Helms
who have already said they would never support him
will be a big drawback for him. And, a lot of people
who have pull are for Reagan. It's good that he is
running to gaive black people an incentive to go into
politics and express themselves as politicians. I think
that if he doesn't win, his running will displace the
black vote and give a lot more pull to Reagan's votes."
Lisa Poove'
Brenda McDaniels
Flecia Taylor
Danny Lytle
Ensemble energizes
enthusiastic audience
By Kevin E. Washington
The Chuck Davis African-American
Dance Ensemble is one of the best
dance companies on the East coast —
and probably in the country.
Davis' performances are a tribute
to the humanity of the world as the
Ensemble called for peace, love and
respect for everybody.
The concerts, which are a com
bination of African and Afro-
American dance styles, are a family
affair by which the spirit of the au
dience becomes one with the
dancers on stage. They are at once
exciting, emotional and enlightening.
Davis brought his spectacular
Ensemble to the Duke stage on Feb.
24 during which "Africa spoke and
America answered." The echoes of
West Africa were everywhere as
Davis proceeded to show the au
dience that, "Dance is very well and
alive in this state."
The performance, which always in
cludes audience participation, open
ed with the ceremonial pouring of
the libation by an African griot. Dr
Victor Maafu from Ghana. Call and
response gave the ceremony a family
aura as if all had come together for a
warm reunion.
^The Ensemble drummers wel
comed the audience with the
Epararo, the call of the drums. A
triad of rhythm makers spoke to the
audience with their magnificent in
struments for all to enjoy the cele
bration. The dancers entered and
greeted the audience further to the
Bantaba, the dancing ground where
all important events take place in
Gambia. The Labaan dance style
from Senegambia was displayed by
women and men in bright colors that
emphasized the fusion of African
and American cultures'
As the drummers beat out the
rhythm of Africa with tireless arms,
the dancers moved across the stage
as if they were spirals of water in a
huge fountain.
The welcome was complete and
the festival began.
Davis premiered his piece, the
Powerful Long Ladder, which was a
tribute to African-American woman
hood.
Venita Ashford, Toni Hall and
Leah Wise were the poetic griots who
spoke of the power and endurance of
women. Ava McFarland performed
to Nikki Giovanni's poem "Ego Trip-
pin'" with an energy that was unmat
ched by any of the dancers in the
first half of the show.
The four women who represented
the faces and personalities of
womanhood in the Powerful Long
Ladder Were Ivy Burch, Lou Carter,
Gail Martin and Gloria Muldrow. The
music was recorded by Sweet Honey
in the Rock.
continued on pg. 8
In praise of womanhood
By Kevin E. Washington
Elizabeth Cotton and Sweet Honey
in the Rock showed the power of
womanhood through song during
Women's History Week on March 9.
The concept, which was sponsored
by the Durham City Association of
Educators, featured performances of
two musical phenomena.
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotton, a
91-year-old native of Carrboro began
the concert with her earthy folk
songs. She scrubbed floors for 75* a
week to buy a $3.75 guitar when she
was nine. She taught herself to play—
left handed —and wrote her most
famous song "Freight Train" at age
12.
She told the audience that folk
songs are the songs that the in
dividual makes up.
Cotton played a religious song first
and said, "1 put Jesus first and then I
can go on."
Her voice crackled as she sang her
music, but there was a warmth of ex
perience there.
Her second piece, "Freight Train,"
involved audience participation. The
song, which has been recorded by
Peter, Paul arid Mary and Taj Mahal,
is a simple folk song yet has a joy
which comes only with simplicity.
In between songs. Cotton, enter
tained the audience with humorous
tales of her life and philosophies.
Much of the program was religious
in nature, a tribute to Cotton's Chris
tian upbringing. "Why don't you Pray-
for Me," "There's a Deacon in the
Church (and he won't do right)," and
"I'm Glad Salvation is Free" were all
part of her tribute.
Someone then brought out a banjo,
and she showed the audience how
dexterous a 91-year-old woman can
be. By far the best part of her per
formance, the banjo seemed to show
another side of Cotton to the au
dience. Her strumming was
melodious and the audience was
pulled into the beauty of her music.
Sweet Honey in the Rock, a quin
tet from Washington, D C., originally
part of the vocal workshop of the
D.C. Black Repertory Theatre Com
pany in 1973, brought to the stage a
message for all the oppressed people
of the world.
Dressed in brightly colored tie-
dyed gowns, the five members of the
group sang harmoniously bringing
their message of freedom.
Sweet Honey in the Rock felt its
way through each piece as if they
knew it well. They told the audience
siich things as "The dead are not
dead, they are with us if we listen "
continued on.pg. 8