Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Feb. 16, 1978, edition 1 / Page 1
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I w Newspaper of the Students of Meredith College VOL. LII, NO. 16 MEREDITH COLLEGE, RALEIGH, N.C. FEBRUARY 16, 1978 Sam Love is one featured lecturer for the RSW Symposium. Dupree relates Christianity to early Africah culture By Mary Katherine Pittman ‘‘Christianity and Africanism: Some Positive and Negative Aspects” was the topic of Mr. 0. A. Dupree’s talk at the Wednesday worship service. February 8. A featured speaker of Black Emphasis Week, Mr. Dupree spoke on the heritage of Black Christianity, both in Africa and in America. Stating that the understand ing of African religion com mands an understanding of the African tribal system. Mr. Dupree related the origin of African folklore and African music to the religion of many Black denominations today. Commenting further on the advent of Christianity in Africa, Mr. Dupree pointed to the effect of western imperialism on Christianity’s growth in Africa. Mr. Dupree mentioned that African Society was ancestrally RSW speakers are chosen By Janet Surles Three major speakers for the Raising the Sight of Women (RSW) symposium have been selected. Professor Sam Love, activist-writer, will present a multi-media lecture with ques tions, answers, and audience discussion. His presentation explores social issues that must be confronted in the future and yet expresses hope for a liveable tomorrow. Love was a civil rights activist in Mississppi, a coordinator of Earth Day in 1970, a writer, and energy consultant. He has published articles on the future. technology, economics, and ecology in a number of periodicals. He will be on campus Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, March 30-31. The lecture will be given at 8 p.m. Thursday in Jones Auditorium. Dr. Hazel Henderson will speak in Jones Auditorium at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29. Dr. Henderson is co-director of the center for the study of Alternative Futures at Prince ton. She is a native of England and is involved in economic, sociological and ecological con^ cerns. Her book. Alternative Futures, will be available in the Meredith bookstore. Dr. Elizabeth Koontz will be present throughout the three days of the symposium as an observer. She will sum up and evaluate the experience at 10 a.m. Friday morning in Jones Auditorium. Dr. Koontz has visited the Meredith campus several times previously. The public is invited to attend these guest lectures. Students will be seated 30 minutes prior to the lecture. After that time, the' remaining seats will be available to the public. Carmichael criticizes capitalism based, making the self-under standing of the people closely connected with names, and that the missionaries were a primary negative influence of Africans, “dehumanizing the natives by changing their original African names to western ones at baptism.” ‘‘Later, in America, the western band of Christianity was enforced on the slaves,” Mr. Dupree remarked, “with the notoriously distorted idea that they would ‘enjoy a better life after death.’ ” Yet, during this period of slavery, Christi anity offered an escape-valve from oppression, giving rise to such spirituals as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Mr. Dupree ended his lecture with the challenge to “come up with a band of Christianity that will help us enjoy life on earth, as well as in the hereafter.” 0. A. Dupree: African society was ancestrally based. By Miriam Vitorian Mr. Stokely Carmichael, well-known civil rights activist, opened Black Emphasis Week with convocation February 6. Ms. Pal Ramsey, professor of sociology at Meredith, intro duced Mr. Carmichael by relating some of his past accomplishments, including founding the student Non-Vio lent Co-ordinating Committee (SNEC), creating the Missis sippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964, establishing the Lowndes County Freedom Organization in 1965, and participating in the Memphis to Montgomery March. She also stated that he had provided ^ positive role model for change helping blacks, in particular “to redefine their beings.” Mr. Carmichael stated that the audience would probably not like what was said. He compared the struggles of the African community with that of all humanity.” As long-as black people are not free, human beings as a whole are not free,” Carmichael asserted. After defining the term “revolutionary” as seeking to change a system and through a new system try to rid society of the bad effects of the old one, Mr. Carmichael related that he seeks the destruction of American capitalism. The politi cal and economic system of the United States was viewed by him as reactionary and back ward to its philosophy since only a few own and control production, while the masses own nothing. It’s underlying motive being profit, all other values are excluded. He stated that the best way for this system to achieve profit is by exploitation of man by man. Everyone, therefore, attempts to make as much money as possible, using any means possible to obtain wealth. Mr. Carmichael, furthermore, asserted that the United States, was backward even though it is Carmichael the most technologically devel- their actions oped country in the world. Responsibility, moreover, in American society is to one’s self. People are made ir responsible to humanity by capitalism. An example of this, he states, is the peoples’ tendency to hide knowledge for their own benefit, instead of sharing it with others. Money is utilized to exploit others with the strong living off the weak. In addition to this, labor does not enjoy its fruits. Mr. Carmichael stated that Africans have an instinctive hatred for the capialist system because they have experienced its worst form, slavery. Carmichael purported that contrary to the belief that capital is needed to make money, labor is the true source of wealth. In this society people are en couraged to remain at a base level instead of becoming creative. He stated that people are made unaware of this by the capitalistic society, in other words, “they think they are thinking, but they aren’t thinking.” These base instincts must be controlled for creative purposes. Mr. Carmichael also stated that it is important for students to be conscious of the fact that will effect suc ceeding generations History is made by the masses of people, not by great men. People, therefore, are the final arbiters. He said that people are put to sleep by “dead” capitalism. Students, further, need to make critical evaluations of the system because there is no “middle fence.” The people have given them knowledge and, therefore, they are responsible to give it back,” he asserted. Carmichael concluded by stating that knowledge must be used to establish truth and thereby fight injustice. Since history is living, one must obtain the best understanding of it possible. This is extremely important for African peoples. He asserted that Africa has a glorious history of struggle against injustice. People, more over, must realize that “where- ever there is oppression there will be resistance.” In social ism. Mr. Carmichael stated that people own and control the means of production. This system has “service to humani ty” as its focus. In this system there is “nothing men and women could not do.” It is. therefore, superior to capital ism. he said.
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Feb. 16, 1978, edition 1
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