A Solitary Battle
Dr. Stone often fought alone. Her passing should bring about solidarity.
By Michelle L. Thomas
My eyes would light up and
tny heart would warm at the
mere sight of my beautiful Af
rican Queen—Dr. Sonja Stone.
From the first time that I met
her at the beginning of my
sophomore year, I said that I
wanted to bejust like her. And
I would often laugh at myself
when people would ask “What
do you want to do when you
finish school?” and I would
reply “I want to be just like Dr.
Stone!”. Only once in a lifetime
will someone touch your life in
such a special way. Before I ever
had a class with her, I would find
myself going to her office just
to say hello or chat. That I
wasn’t enrolled in one of her
classes didn’t matter because I
was a student reaching out. Her
door was always open to any
student who, for whatever rea
son, wanted to stop in. Her kind
words and insightful advise
will go with me forevermore.
On January 26, 1991, my
Army Reserve unit was called
to active duty in support of
Operation Desert Shield/
Storm. Just the night before 1
had received the Martin Luther
King, Jr. scholarship award and
was surprised to find that Dr.
Stone was not at the program.
That following Monday morn
ing I stepped into office to
share with her my good and
bad news. I started by telling
her that I had won the scholar
ship. She responded by liter
ally jumping up and down and
grabbing me to give me a hug
and a kiss on the cheek. She
was just as excited as I. Once
the excitement died down, we
sat and I told her that my Re
serve unit had been called into
active duty and that there was
a chance that I would have to
go the Persian Gulf. We had
earlier discussed the threat of
this happening, but when it had,
she was just as hurt as 1.1 must
say though she had something
within that I did not. Her spiri
tuality was so complete that,
although concerned she was not
worried because she knew God
would take care of me. After
her usual “Oooh No!” she
asked what she could to assist
me in making my transition. She
knew how much school means to
me and suggested that I continue
in her AFAM 60 course, which I
was taking at the time and just
work with her independently while
away. She was truly concerned
aboutmy well-being and discussed
my dilemma with her close
friends and family. When I did
meet her family under the un
fortunate circumstances of Dr.
Stone’s hospitalization, they
knew and embraced me.
At about 9:00pm on the 7th
of August, 1 came home to find
that my mentor had had an an
eurysm and was hospitalized
in the area. After a few phone
calls, my roommate and I
rushed to Duke University
Medical Center in search of
the intensive care unit and
someone who could give us in
formation about our beloved
Dr. Stone. There we found
waiting some of her loving
friends and colleagues. This
was one of the most difficult expe
riences of my life. When we went
in to see her, I was overwhelmed.
There lay in a coma, the most
vibrant woman that 1 have ever
been blessed to meet. It was
more than I could handle. Af
ter returning home, my room
mate and I wept for hours. How
could it be that our Dr. Stone
was fighting for her life? She
had fought so many battles for
so many others, why did she
have to fight this crucial one?
I wasn’t finished with her yet.
There was so much more guid
ance that I needed, so many
more questions to ask. I still
have my thesis to write. Who
was going to help me? 1 had
promised her that it would be
the longest and the best ever,
but I couldn’t do it without my
mentor. What about the Colle
giate Black Caucus and
Kawaida? Who would give us
contacts and be full of sugges
tions for community service
projects? Am 1 going to have
to go on in this constant
struggle without my Warrior?
All of these selfish questions
and hundreds more filled my
heart and mind for several days.
On August 10, my beloved
friend passed to an eternal rest
ing place, leaving behind a
legacy that will forever live
within me and all of those
whose lives she touched.
Both in and outside of the
classroom Dr. Stone was an
inspiration. Her intellect in the
field of African American
Studies and African American
leadership styles in particular,
was innovative and has com
pelled me to want to study the
same. Each lecture was a treat.
She welcomed the ideas and
input of everyone who con
veyed them. Being a true intel
lectual, she was open-minded
to the views of all, allowing
students to be creative and ex
pressive with the material cov
ered. I was fortunate enough to
have three classes under her
and the bond created as a result
is one that even death cannot
sever. My heart must go out to
those who were not as blessed.
Those who have never had her
for a class or as an advisor to
an organization will never un
derstand the depth of her
legacy. But those mentored by
her will carry her memory and
work forward until victorious
in the struggle. Each battle
faced can be won by trusting in
God and relying on the spirit
of our Queen. Although it may
often seem that we are fighting
our battles alone, we must re
member that she did the same
and prevailed. It is my prayer
though that her passing will
unite our community in the
struggle and the battle will no
longer be a lonely one.
Black Ink August 26 , 1991