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6th Annual Black History Month Extravaganza @ MLK
02/28/2009 10:06 AM by John M
Everyone is invited to the 6th Annual Black History Month Extravaganza Sponsored by Delegate Delores McQuinn, 70th District, City Councilwoman 7th District representative Betty Squire, The Richmond Slave Trail Commission, and VCU, today at 2PM at Martin Luther King Jr Middle School.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, Professor, Department of African American Studies, Temple University. Special guest include: several city and state officials, the 2009 Heritage Award Honorees and of a fabulous soul food dinner. Admission is free. For more information, call 646-3012 or 677-4647.
Is there an update on how this came out yesterday? Thx
I attended the Black History Month Extravaganza on Saturday afternoon and the event was very much as described on this blog. There were many special guests, including: Creigh Deeds, Betty Squire, Sa’ad El-Amin, Cynthia Newbille, and Delores McQuinn.
The best part of the event was the Patina African Dance group and the musical selections by Soulful Sounds such as “Lean on Me” and “America the Beautiful.”
Dr. Asante spoke at some length and his speech was praised by El-Amin and Newbille who served as co-emcees. Newbille, in particular, stated how much she was moved by his words. Dr. Asante spoke on the importance of the education of African American students. He asserted that no school system in America knows how to educate African American students, particularly boys. He stated that many of the ills of African American men are really due to the miseducation of African Americans by whites and even by blacks who have fallen captive to the lies and propaganda of an educational system designed to educate only white boys in the 18th century. He has been criticized for these views and also for his disparaging attitude “about the right of white professors to teach Black American history.” Perhaps his most aggressive assertion was that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should not be considered great men and that such should not be taught to African American students. He said, “teaching African Americans that they were great men is like teaching Jews that the Nazis were great men.” Dr. Asante’s more salient points were those that focused on the premise that children who are not aware of their heritage are less likely to succeed in school and in life. African Americans should derive pride and self-worth from their heritage and history.
Interesting. He seems like something of a controversial and divisive speaker to have at a public school at an event paid for by public money.
As a white guy teaching U.S. history to black students at MLK Middle School, I’ve been very aware of how folks like Washington and Jefferson are portrayed. The 11-year-olds are capable of understanding that, despite their being slave owners, the ideas of liberty espoused in the founding documents of the United States by the leaders of the American Revolution can be seen in and directly traced in the words and actions of the abolitionists and suffragists, the Civil Rights Movement, the speeches of Barack Obama.
I’d be harder pressed to defend the Alien and Sedition Acts, but we don’t really go into that for the 6th graders.
RE Post #2 – Good points about taking some perspective on what is respectable history, depending on one’s position to be affected.
Few folks are worthy of glorifying in the way we tend to with the American forefathers – Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Bob Marley, Deepak Chopra, Anne Frank, Viktor Frankl, The Dalai Lama. That’s who comes to mind over here.
I wish public school curriculum would spend more time focusing on these guys, and others like them. It’s cool how Government people can make an impact and all, but I would love to see kids taught hard about people with serious spiritual strength who have used their conviction to overcome big obstacles. Might make a major difference in our collective future.
I’d have to agree, at least in general, but not for the reasons stated. I also agree with John that this seems a highly political and divisive speaker to be sponsored by the RPS. How did Said El Amin get on the dais?
I also attended the extravaganza and can vouch for much of what Martha says. I hope what you are saying is not true and that public dollars didn’t pay for the event. It ranged from racist to ridiculous. After Dr. Asante’s diatribe we were treated to a poetry reading from a rap artist. Most memorable line? “Stop focusing on the dollar and turn your mind to Allah.”
Cynthia Newbille’s high praise for that speech was very telling. She shared the stage with El Amin, but the event was put together by Reverend McQuinn. I assume she chose Newbille and El Amin as co-MCs, to signal her support for Newbille in the coming election. I hope we can move away from the kind of ignorance that was represented at MLK Middle School that evening. I think Dr. King would have been appalled that such atrocious race baiting took place in a building named in his honor.
The good news is that almost no one attended. My only hope is that there’s no longer a large audience for that message. Scrap that…I have two hopes: that the audience for that message is waning and so are the careers of politicians who rely on it to retain power.
I also attended the event but don’t know the answer. Can anyone confirm whether public dollars were used to fund this extravaganza?
This all reminds me of a black history program we had at John B. Cary Elementary where Mr. Khalfani gave a speech making fun of white peoples’ features and gave the history of birth control in the presence of elementary students including my daughter’s kindergarten class. I’m all for sex education but to 5 and 6 year olds? The most difficult thing to watch -seeing the guidance counselor and principal smile and clap at Khalfani’s remarks. Given this was a school assembly and PTA night, I’m guessing tax dollars funded the event. The electricity and heat bills certainly aren’t paid for with private money. And who paid the custodians for clean up?
in the first few lines of the flyer it says it was “Sponsored by Delegate Delores McQuinn, 70th District, City Councilwoman 7th District representative Betty Squire, The Richmond Slave Trail Commission, and VCU,” doesn’t that mean that monies came from these enties??? Just a question?? Call Ms. Squire and ask or don’t our respresentatives have to document where they spend taxpayer dollars or would this be a micellaneous expenditure. These kind of events go on more than you realize in this district.
Government dollars certainly should not have been used to fund the foolishness I heard last Saturday. Any taxpayer monie used needs to be repayed! They are stealing from taxpayers to spread hate. I’ve lived here too long to put up with this!
It’s my understanding that this type of event could be a mix of public funds (VCU donors) and tax dollars.
Matt – The only way to be clear would be to ask McQuinn & Squire directly for an accounting on where the monies came from to put the event on.
DelDMcQuinn@house.virginia.gov
Betty.Squire@Richmondgov.com
More importantly, SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS with them. If you thought the event was divisive, let them know.
From reading your comments on this post (I did not attend the event) it appears MLK’s life message was overlooked.
MLK’s resounding call was to not distrust and a beautiful acknowledgement that all of our destinies and freedoms are intertwined and dependant on each other.
John, was this event affiliated with the school or was it a separate community event? I do know that it is legal and common for churches to use public school space like when their churches are under going renovation, etc.
Hey Deanna – rather than just post the emails of McQuinn and Squire for others, have you personally written to them? I would hope that you would take a leadership role in finding out the answer to the financing question. Please, help us out here! Thanks!
@gray – There was no mention of this at in school last week.
Then most likely the event is no different than a church group using school space to have a prayer service.
I wonder if school space is open to all citizens to use for various events and gatherings.
Maybe some of our questions should be directed towards our school board members Chandra Smith and Don Coleman. I believe MLK is in Smith’s district.
that must have been part of that open discussion on race matters that our united states attorney general says we need to talk about, cowards if you dont. obviously the dr whats his name is not a coward. interesting educational concept. i would like to see a black math book.
hey crd,
My letter is already roughly drafted 🙂 Making a phone call in the morning to see if there is another department/person I should copy on it before I send it off.
My letter specifically asks if tax dollars were involved. VCU receives funding from a myriad of sources, including the State, but that would be hard to trace.
I urge you all to write too! I can ask about the sponsorship but I cannot comment on the event itself since I was not there.
There was a video camera there and small production crew with lighting, etc. The whole thing is on video.
Delores McQuin wrote back saying that aside from the use of the school, the event was privately funded. No tax dollars were used.