Author: francisc

The African American Studies Program is an interdisciplinary minor focusing on African American experience, history, and culture. Our goals are to (1) provide students an understanding of the history and culture of African Americans; (2) to promote the study of African American history and culture; (3) to introduce students to the African American experience in a variety of disciplines; (4) to make African American Studies an integral part of the learning experience for students at the College of Charleston; and (5) to facilitate dialogue around issues of race for the CofC and Charleston communities..

Volume 1, Issue 2

Fall 2008

From the Director

Now is an exciting time for African American Studies. Not only has the United States elected its first black President, but we are once again engaged in a national conversation about the questions central to African American Studies: how do we define blackness? what hinders and contributes to black progress? where should we look for black leadership? what does the future hold for black people?
The African American Studies Program at the College of Charleston continues its mission to facilitate those kinds of conversations for the CofC and larger Charleston communities. As the program increases in size and visibility we hope to continue to bring faculty, staff, students, and community members together to explore and celebrate African American experiences, history, and culture. In this issue of the newsletter we highlight our fall events, as well as the work of some our faculty, and the thoughts of one of our students.

Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

SPRING 2009 EVENTS

-African-American Read-In
February 10, 2009
Join us as CofC faculty, staff, and students read aloud from their favorite works of African-American literature.
-Spring Film Series: Spike Lee
Jan. 22: Do the Right Thing
Feb. 19: Bamboozled
Mar. 26: Get on the Bus
Apr. 9: Malcolm X
-Public Lecture: “Negroes with Guns”
March 11, 2009
Prof. Akinyele Umoja will lecture on black armed self-defense in the pre-civil rights era Mississippi delta.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

Volume 1, Issue 2

FALL 2008 HIGHLIGHTS

The Fall 2008 semester was eventful for the African American Studies program, and further increased the presence of the program on campus. The program hosted a number of events, including a series of book discussions, "How to Deal," a panel about coping as a minority on a majority campus, and a guest lecture by Joan Morgan.
The books for the book series were chosen by the director, and included Soul City, a quirky novel about life in a Black utopian city by Toure, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost, a collection of essays on contemporary black womanhood by Joan Morgan, and Being a Black Man, a collection of articles on Black masculinity originally published in The Washington Post. The discussions on the books were led by Dr. Francis and were attended by CofC students, faculty, and staff.
The "How to Deal" panel was born from ideas and concerns raised during an Introduction to African American Studies course. The panel was led by four African American members of the faculty and staff, who began the panel with advice and anecdotes from their own experiences. The remainder of the panel was a lively discussion of concerns put forth by students, faculty, and staff, both black and white. A number of good ideas and suggestions came from the panel conversation, and the success of the event was a step forward in addressing the concerns of non-majority CofC students.
Joan Morgan lectured on the relationship between hip hop music and feminism, touching on ideas developed in When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost. Speaking to a standing-room only crowd, Morgan fielded questions about what kind of music she likes, being a feminist mother to a young son, and what actions can be taken by young women who want to see a change in the world.

Students, faculty, and staff discuss “How to Deal.”

Joan Morgan addressing the audience at the Avery Center

Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

Page 3
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

Conseula Francis earned tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor of English. Her book, Conversations with Octavia Butler (University Press of Mississippi) will be published in Fall 2009.
Eric Thomas, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, is working on a project which focuses on the Emmanuel Movement, the first foray of liberal Protestant pastors into the practice of psychotherapy. The Rev. Elwood Worcester, holder of both a theology degree and a doctorate in philosophy/psychology, tried to present a scientifically respectable intrepretation of Christianity, by linking the scientific theory of the subconscious mind, with religious ideas concerning the soul.
Joy Vandervort-Cobb, Associate Professor of Theater, is working on a one-woman show entitled “MOMENTS OF JOY.” This fall she directed a well-reviewed production of The Story.
Anthony Williams, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, published “Why Survival Is Enough” in The Journal of Value Inquiry.

Why African American Studies Matters:
A Student’s Perspective

Everything that I'm learning is definitely changing the way that I think about things. I have always been proud to be African American. However, I have never had the opportunity to learn about all the reasons why I should be proud. There have been times when I have been surrounded by white people, and felt out of place. I can't explain why I felt that way, but I just felt very uncomfortable. This class has helped me realize that there is no reason why I should ever feel out of place. My ancestors shaped America just as much, if not more, than white people. Reading and learning about blacks throughout history has helped give me a sense of pride. Not only is the material changing the way that I think about myself, it is also changing the way that I think about the education system. It is truly wrong for textbooks to be written from the Eurocentric point of view. Students of color are being deprived from knowing the whole truth. Most teachers teach from the Eurocentric point of view. It's hard for me to believe that if I wouldn't have taken this class, that I would have never known the importance of Africa in shaping the world.
In conclusion, Introduction to African American Studies is a class that offers a wealth of knowledge. I have learned so many new things, and have been reminded of some things that I already knew. The material that I have learned so far has changed the way I think about some things, and I can't wait to continue learning about the role that African Americans have played in history.
Kimberly Arnold

There will always be men struggling to change, and there will always be those who are controlled by the past.
—Ernest Gaines

Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for.
—Barack Obama

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Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

Volume 1, Issue 2

Friends of African American Studies

Become a Friend! Support the research and scholarship about African American history and culture as well as the activities of the African American Studies Program at the College of Charleston. Please make checks payable to the African American Studies Program.

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Charleston, SC

In Charleston, SC, the average income for black workers is less than half the average for white workers. In order to understand this drastic inequality, I'm examining the relationship between labor market segmentation and race. Labor market segmentation is the process by which political, social, and economic forces have divided the labor market into different segments, each with its own set of rules. For example, you can easily see the difference between what is commonly called "white-collar work" (jobs with high earnings, benefits, security, and mobility, i.e. "good jobs") and "blue-collar" work (jobs with low wages, benefits, security, and mobility, i.e. "bad jobs").
Just by looking around the College of Charleston itself, you can see how white workers are overwhelmingly represented within this first segment, while black workers are overwhelmingly represented in the latter one. Because this highly segregated work force mirrors that of the City of Charleston, I'm conducting a case study on the College. I'm interviewing workers within the service sector, e.g. custodians, maintenance workers, food service workers, and groundskeepers, in order to learn not only how the employment practices of the College allow black workers to become "stuck" in certain kinds of jobs, but also how these workers perceive their own work conditions, job security, and opportunity for advancement. Most importantly, I'm interested in how local labor market practices, which I consider not only to be economic, but extremely social and political, (re)produce racial hierarchies within the space of work. I can then use this information to analyze the broader relationship between labor market segmentation and race in the Charleston area.
-Kaylee Rogers

This past semester, twenty-two College of Charleston students, including African American Studies minor Matthew Foley, traveled to Kenya to work in an orphanage which cares for children who have lost their parents to AIDS. The group, known as Project Harambee (a Swahili word meaning "Let's pull together"), raised over $50,000, began construction of a medical clinic at the orphanage, and bonded with an amazing group of children who have overcome incredible adversity at such young ages. Project Harambee will continue to raise funding and awareness about AIDS in Kenya and will be returning to the orphanage next December.
-Matthew Foley

Overworked and Underpaid

Pulling Together in Kenya

Mailing Address:
26 Glebe St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Office Address:
65 Coming St., #208
Charleston, SC 29401

Phone: 843-953-7738
Fax: 843-953-3180
E-mail: francisc@cofc.edu
Website: http://www.cofc.edu/~aast

Not Just in February

Mailing Address:
26 Glebe St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Office Address:
65 Coming St., #208
Charleston, SC 29401

Phone: 843-953-7738
Fax: 843-953-3180
E-mail: francisc@cofc.edu
Website: http://www.cofc.edu/~aast

Mailing Address:
26 Glebe St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Office Address:
65 Coming St., #208
Charleston, SC 29401

Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

CofC student Matt Foley with an orphan in
Kenya.

Support the African American Studies Program
The African American Studies Program is growing. We invite you to join our efforts to promote the study and understanding of the culture, history, and language of African Americans.
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Cash donations are accepted. Please make checks payable to The African American Studies Department.

We asked CofC graduate and former African-American Studies minor Shanise Brown ten questions about her experiences with the program. Here is what she had to say:
Where are you from? The Boonies: St. Stephen, SC.
What did you major in? Sociology
What are you doing now? I work at the School of the Arts here at the College as a Projects Assistant.
What was your favorite course at College of Charleston? It's a three way tie between Introduction to African American Theatre, Intro to African American Literature, and Sociology of Music.
Why did you choose to minor in African-American Studies? I had already taken four of the classes without considering the minor because I was interested in the subject. When I realized I only need a few classes to do the minor, I just decided to follow through.
Why should someone minor in African-American Studies? I honestly believe that minoring in AAST was the most fun I had on the Academic side of my College experience. It gave me more insight into my history as an African American and gave me way more information than I ever learned in high school history classes. AAST classes always have the most interesting discussion because of the different ethnic and social backgrounds of the people who are in the classes.
What advice would you have for current College of Charleston students? Take classes that interest you as well as classes that are required. It makes the College experience more interesting. Also, don't get so caught up in partying early on that you regret your junior and senior years.
What are you reading now? Rereading Jane Eyre and The Purpose Driven Life.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing in your spare time? SLEEP!!! It's my favorite pasttime, but I also love playing with my nieces and nephew, crocheting, reading, writing poetry, listening to old school music ( old school as in 1950's- early 90s), having fun with my favorite people, and just loving life!
What are your future plans? Right now, I am taking a year off after going to school year round for the last six years and then I am going to law school Fall '09.

Candid Moments:
An Interview With an AAST Graduate

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Dark Matters
The Newsletter of the African American Studies Program at
the College of Charleston

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