Self Reflection

This semester was so crazy and went by so fast, I'm not sure where all the time went. I fell as if I have done a lot of growing since high school and as a person in general. This class was always interesting. Whether or not I wanted to, I always tried my best to come to every class. I can definitely say that I learned a lot, it may not have been academically, but about life. This is a class that is a great way for freshmen and transfers to get to know one another. So far I really like college and all that it has to offer. It's way better than high school, and I feel like I'm doing better. I like being able to do what I want to do and having freedom. My favorite part is not having to ask the teacher if I can go to the bathroom. Plus I feel like we are being treated the age that we are, which is a big step up from my high school. Anyway I'm really excited to see what all will happen next here at Howard and where life is going to me. I think this was a interesting class to start our college career off with and I know that it will only and get better from here.

Peer Presentation #2

The second group presentation was by the "Any and Everywhere's". Their topic was the number of black males incarcerated compared to the number of black in college. This is a topic that is always so interesting to me, especially since the ratio being the way it is here at Howard. The group gave three reasons why this is the case1) poverty 2) child abuse or neglect 3)racial profiling. This is a topic that can be explored and talked about so much because when you think about it, when it comes down to the black community this is a really big problem. More of our men are incarcerated and spending their years behind bars than they are in college. When they come out of prison they usually have a hard time coming back into society. Either because they can't find a job or because they come out and they get right back to doing the things they were doing before they got locked up. so overall this was and really good topic and a good presentation. I wish it could have been a little longer because there is a lot of information to give in just a short period of time.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Peer Presentation #1

This week one of the groups that presented their projects were the Jujubee's and their topic was cyber bullying. This presentation was very interesting. I had always been aware of this being an issue, but I never quite knew how big of an issue it was. In their presentation they shared with us two stories of young girls who had been bullied over the Internet and ended up committing suicide. In one story one of the girls was being bullied by another child's mother, who had created a myspace page just to bully her. in the end the young girl became really depressed and eventually killed herself. I thought the presentation was good, but they should have given more statistics and background information. Overall this was a very important topic because today a lot of people do some kind of social networking online and people should be aware of this issue and how it affects others.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Presentation #2 JuJu-Beans

This week in class one of a my peers presented their research project. They went by the name of the juju beans and their topic was bullying. Which gained my attention because of the fact that their topic was so close to home because I was bullied as a child
The focused on all types of bullying. Their information was good. They talked about bullying in schools, and bullying with the assistance of technology. They incorporated statistics to support their information. I would of like if they had used more examples of specific cases of bullying. I think when students have an example they relate more to the facts being told because it provides a face for the facts. It makes everything more
real and relatable. As for their presentation. I would have to give them a “B” because everything was good but there was one main person presenting. The rest of the group read straight out of their notebooks which to me appeared to be very unprepared. This made the presentation choppy and left the audience unstipulated visually. However the best part of their presentation was the part where they talked about possible solutions to bullying. The boy in their group who i believe is a music or teaching major talked about using the therapeutic qualities that music has to heal the wounds of bullying. I myself am a big advocate of music and feel as though it can have an effect on your mood as well as well being.

Self Reflection: Ashlee White

During this entire semester I’ve learned a lot about myself whether it be from this class or Howard in general. Through out this entire semester you meet new people almost everyday. But I’ve noticed that even after meeting someone the next time you see them they don’t speak so I have been forced so many more times than not to play off me speaking to them and finally I just started speaking regardless and by that I couldn’t help but notice outgoing and friendly I am whereas before I thought I was really shy and timid. More often than not you hear that Howard is a networking school and its not about what you know but who you know. Well this has honestly helped me to see that I am a strong
genuine person because I was truly shocked by the attitude here. While we have lots of fun with one another at the end of the day the relationships aren’t real they are more or less circumstantial than anything for lack of better words and honestly I don’t like those types of relationships so I am nice to everyone while keeping them at a distance.
While doing these blogs and other class work I realized honestly how much of a procrastinator I am and while it isn’t a good trait I do think it’s good that I realized it early on so that I can make the necessary adjustments. I also realized that I have a short attention span so whether it be studying, to writing a paper, to doing my math homework I easily get distracted; I swear I got on Facebook at least five times while writing this very blog.

Dr. Segun's Lecture #5

Dr. Segun's main idea was Ma'at. Ma'at is a goddess and is also considered an ancient concept. It can be found in the coffin texts and tomb texts.Today there are well over fifty principles of Ma'at. As the basis of ancient Egyptian social life, Ma'at ws consdered very important. Moses and the ten commandments is a considerably similar and embodies simial principles and aspects of the concept of Ma'at.
After todays lecture we went to cramton for a gathering that pertains to the african burial ground trip. He also emphasized how t do group work as well as how to study properly. Time management was also another key point that waas addressed during this short gathering. This portion of the lecture was very influential in my endeavors here at Howard. Today I came to the conclusion that in this class it is imperative to know where you came from to know where you're going. Learning about time management as well as practical studying habits is helpful to the overall achievement of my goal: to become a speech pathologist. Freshman seminar is one of the classes that I can count on to encourage me as I go along. I am grateful that i could take this class fist semester of freshman year. This class was a helping hand along the way. The new information about Howard and getting to meet and hear the professors speak was a great opportnity. Dr. Seguns lecture was truly exceptional. And I appreciate the freshman seminar team taking the time to organize a pre-African burial ground trip meeting. It was very informative.

Dr. Felder's Lecture #4

Felder's lecture was has been one of my favorites. He spoke about religion in the African community. He embraces the rich culture in which we come from and emphasizes the fact that we did not COME from slavery, "we are the children of before yesterday and after tomorrow," he says. It is evident that "yesterday" was slavery and "tomorrow" is the advancements that have yet to come. In the Bible, it is stated that "we" came long before slavery. The people of Mesopotamia were people of African descent and the civilizations that flourished like Rome and Greece were of African descent as well. We were NOT MEANT to be slaves. He also spoke about Sojourner Truth and her impact on the black community. His display and soliloquy of her was one that embodies wit as well as acuteness. Today's lecture was indeed inspirational and this freshman seminar class helped me learn about Black History. What needs to be done now is working towards the advancements and changes that we always talk about.
We as a people need to stick together in all aspects of life to make anything work. The schisms in the black community are prevalent and is causing a severe stagnation that we do not need. Time is of the essence and if we want change, we have to start with ourselves.

Self Reflection:: Crystal Fraser

The semester flew by and I made it. I learned about the ins and outs of Howard. I've learned about such a rich culture and that I'm honored to be a part of. At first, I didn't know what to think of freshman seminar. I'm not a fan of lectures in any subject so I wasn't the best person to attend a class such as this. However, over time, it took its toll on me and it started when we had to make groups for our presentations. I had fun at the African Burial Ground but being a part of a group that wanted to learn about the same things I wanted to learn about was absolutely intriguing.
Partaking in research regarding the Black is Beautiful campaign made me feel a lot closer to my African American counterparts. At first, I didn't associate with "them." But now, especially after being at Howard for over four months, "them" became an "us" as well as a "we." My sense of belonging formed with the help of this class because I honestly wasn't sure if I could fit into the environment that Howard offered. With some luck, inevitably, I was able to associate, NOT ASSIMILATE, myself with black Americans. After all, I've been living in America for the majority of my life.

Presentation: #2

The Jujubees... I remember their name but I also remember their project because they spoke about issues that are always swept under the rug. Their project was about cyber bullying and its effects on the community. I remember them stating that over forty percent of young adults were victims of cyber bullying and then when into stating what bullying INCLUDES which is: Intimidation, Blackmail, Posing as a threat, Identity theft, Posing as a friend, Unknown bullies and known bullies. I feel as though kids should be more open with adults and not worry about what the consequences will be because bullies keep victimizing until something is done.
The after effects of bullying consist of suicide and self hatred. But one of the main points of the presentation was the shed light on the fact that if you are a victim of bullying, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. They also gave tips on what to do if ever in a situation. If its an act of cyber bullying, save all messages as a form of proof, tell an adult and GET OFF THE INTERNET! The group also did interviews ith professors here at Howard who stated that being able to identify a bully is the first step.

Final reflection

Overall I did enjoy freshman seminar. However there were times where I felt I was being asked to do too much for a 1 credit class. Despite that I do appreciate the knowledge and experience I gained from this project. I met new people and learned new things about the University. Also, I got an opportunity to hear Dr. Carr speak.

My favorite part of the class was definitely the trip to NYC. I am from New York and loved being home again. Unfortunately, even though that is my home, I did not know anything about the African burial ground. Ironically, I am the one who in turn told my friends about it. Afterwards walking around Harlem, I was bored. As a result we ended up talking to a man on the street who sold jewellry. We began talking about Africa and culture and he began to tell me about Ma’at. Amazingly from Dr. Seguns lecture I was able to relate and talk to him. If not for that class, not only would I have not been in Harlem but I also would not have not about Ma’at! Now that freshman seminar has come to a close I can say I did appreciate it for all the stress it gave me. When I complained to my older sister about all the worker they make us do I this class, she actually told me “that’s what college is all bout. Doing work that you may never get written credit for, but you walk away from with invaluable experience. It’s better that you learnt that lesson freshman year..” So thankyou freshman seminar for a wonderful semester!

Presentations #1

One group did a study on the number of black males in the prison system and compared it to the number of black males in universities. There were astounding numbers that stated that 200,000 men were incarcerated and well over 80,000 of them are black. the group then went on to explain that racial profiling, negligence and impoverished conditions were what led to most of these imprisonments. Racial profiling has always been a problem and one of the most recent EXTREME acts of racial profiling was the Rodney King story. However, I don't think that poverty should play a role because growing up, a boy doesn't have control over his surroundings but he can try to make his situation better. Turning down the alley of selling drugs and stealing isn't something that should be necessary for a black man who wants to change his life. I feel as though hard work and perseverance will help and not always wanting a "break".
It is evident that negligence plays a role because several of these men did not grow up with father figures and more than likely had mothers who worked hard just to make ends meet. Most times, there is a false sense of belonging as well as brotherhood when young boys aspire to be like the men in the streets who sell drugs and participate in illegal activity. In order to change this, there has to be more programs in which young, African American males can go and learn how NOT to be a part of the statistic.

Self Reflection: Ashley D. Lewis

Okay, here I go. As of now, I feel that I’m doing well for myself but I could be doing better. My grades are very good almost perfect but I don’t think I would have an excuse not to, seeing that my course load is about as heavy as a twig. College thus far, is great. Although everything I love about college is not what I came here for, I learn everyday and everyday that I learn I become a better individual. I started out with the good things now I guess I can explore the not so good. I know in college you’re supposed to have an open mind, sometimes I struggle with that. I noticed during our group project that I really wanted to do everything my way, not because anyone was doing anything wrong but because I like things the way I like it. Now, not to say that I make apologies for having preferences but I know that I need to remold that mindset so that I can get ahead not only in my career but life itself. I cannot live life doing everything my way and expecting to get positive results. So with that said, I’m working on that. Also it’s been brought to my attention that I’m obnoxious. Outside of joking, I wouldn’t think that but my friends told me that I like that outside of joking at times. The sad thing is, I fail to know when I’m doing it. From now on, I’m monitoring what I say so that people understand where I’m coming from and know that I’m not mean or rude. The last thing I want anyone to think is that Ashley D. Lewis is rude. Well, that wraps up myself reflection.

African Burial Ground

I'm from New York. And the African Burial Ground is one of the places in the city that I've been to several times. However, I didn't think it would have so much more of an impact on me because I was with my school. I was greatly mistaken. Being at the Burial Ground signifies a struggle of African Americans as a people. Consider this, They were going to build a skyscraper on top of it! Not realizing that there were historical agents in the ground.
Also, watching the video about Amelia shed light on the entire Burial Ground and why the people of African descent did what they did. One criticism that I have is, there was never any statement of WHICH African countries the symbols and majority of the names had come from. I happen to know because it's from my native land of Ghana.
The ideologies of Sankofa, which almost literally means "go and fetch it" is present throughout the burial ground and there are several other Adinkra symbols present such as Gye Nyame "the supremacy of God" , and Fawohodie "freedom". It was an awesome experience being with THE Historically Black University learning about the American portion of my culture. After all, being an African, Caribbean and Afro Latina female, the comes a time where I have to embrace the culture of the land in which I'm living now.

Presentations: Any and Everywheres

This group did their presentations on the number of black males incarcerated as opposed to the number of black males in college. They stated that out of 200,000 incarcerated males 81,000 of them were African American. They also went on to say that the three main reasons for the large number of black males being incarcerated were poverty, child neglect, and racial profiling.
I agree with child neglect because I feel that children young boys especially find a false sense of comfort and brotherhood amongst other young men in the streets that don’t have father figures at home to guide them. I also agree that some of the older men incarcerated and maybe a few young men are incarcerated due to racial profiling. I say older because I believe around the 1980’s when the number of black men incarcerated tripled., it was because it was during a time where being openly racist was still okay and black men were usually targeted by racist officers. However I do not fully agree with the poverty reasoning, In the presentation they stated that black men don’t have the basic necessities so they get it by any means necessary. Personally I disagree, I feel that black men have basic necessities but they feel that basic isn’t enough so they sell drugs and steal so tat they can get what they want fast without having to work too hard for it. I know this doesn’t pertain to all black male but poverty is an excuse for those who do steal and sell drugs to get ahead instead of working hard.

~Ashlee White~

Presentation 2

Presentation 2 Presentation 1

On Thursday December 2, the "Jujubees" presented a group exhibition on “cyber bullying.” There are seven broad categories Intimidation, Blackmail, Posing as a threat, Identity theft, Posing as a friend, Unknown bullies and known bullies. Over 40% of teenagers tht use the internet have experienced cyber bullying. A majority of that number are girls. Cyber bullying is not a joke and those experiencing it need to understand that they are not alone. If you experience cyber bullying there are some steps you can take to get help: Tell an adult, Get off line and Do not delete the message it can be used as proof. An example of racial profilig is the case of phoebe prince and Megan Meiers. Briefly, Pheobe had issues with some girls over her relationship with two highschool boys. This led to her being bullied by her classmates. On January 14, 2010, after an entire day of harassment and taunting, followed by a final incident in which a student threw a can at her from a passing car as she walked home from school Pheobe committed suicide by hanging herself.Another example was the case of Megan Meiers. Not long after opening an account on MySpace, Meier received a request from a 16-year-old boy, Josh Evans, but actually sent by Lori Drew using a fake account. Meier and "Josh" became online friends, but never met in person or spoke. Meier began to exchange messages and seemed very happy.

On October 15, 2006, the tone of the messages changed, with Drew saying (via the account) "I don't know if I want to be friends with you anymore because I've heard that you are not very nice to your friends". Similar messages were sent. Some of Megan's messages were shared with others and bulletins were posted about her. The last message sent to her was: "Everybody in O'Fallon knows who you are. You are a bad person and everybody hates you. Have a bad rest of your life. The world would be a better place without you." Meier responded with a message reading "You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over." She was found later in her bedroom closet she had hung herself. Despite attempts to revive her, she was pronounced dead the next day. A major consequence of cyber bullying is suicide. This group did an inerveiw with Dr. Helen Declerco a Professor in chemistry. She advises children to take self defence classes and has a child who has experienced bullying. Kids should also be able to accurately identify a bully. They also did a second interveiw with Ms Paulette Porter who felt that in order to combat bullying "someone should be made an example of." This case of Megan Mejers was seen in the media. Tyra banks show in particular did a bullying episode and had many stories on this situation. the groups general opinion was that the consequences should be more well known.

Presentation 1

Presentation 1

On Thursday December 2, the "Any and Everywheres" presented a group exhibition on “black men and incarceration.” There are four major causes that contribute to the high rate of incarceration amongst black people. they are: Poverty, racial profiling, Neglect and child abuse. poverty is the state of being extremely poor. Racial profiling is the practice of substituing skin color for evidence in order to explain the suspicion of law enforcement officials. Approximately 4919 blacks compared to 717 whites were incarcerated in 2004. An example of racial profilig is the case of Henry Louis Gates jr. Briefly, on July 16th 2009 Henry Gates returned home from an international trip to find the door to his house jammed. A passer-by called police and reported a possible break-in. Gates was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Later the charges were dropped. one of the consequences of racial profiling from the black point of view is feeling insulted and embarassed. As for the police they feel embarassed as well and underwent much criticism from the black community. This group did an inerveiw with a licensed clinical social worker at the university of california, Deborah raphael. The summary of her interview was: If the child is shown neglect, it will take away his childhood. As a result the child will look for outside “familial ties” and in the case of children living in the projects that outside family might not be the best and as a result they are caught in a bad position. This case of Henry Gates was seen in the media. CNN in particular had many stories on his case. the groups general opinion was outrage over the treatment of Henry Gates.

Group Presentation #2

This group looked at the issue of Black Males and Incarceration. I was kind of envious because I wanted to do that topic but our group went with another topic. It wasn’t surprising to learn that of 200,000 America facing time that 81,000 are African American. It’s sad that the numbers for African American males has Tripled between 1980 and today. The group then continued to explain that there are three main reasons that black males are more likely to find they behind bars opposed to a college classroom; they listed poverty, child neglect, and racial profiling. Like I thought, most causes brought up against African American males are drug charges. However I was surprised to learn that 79.8% arrest for use of crack/ cocaine cases are African American. Not to be racist or biased, I would have thought that it was equal. They brought up an example of racial profiling. The used Henry Louis Gates Jr., a professor at Harvard University. Although he showed his Harvard ID and state ID, the police continued to arrest Gates. They said he was arrested because the same day of a chain of robberies, neighbors reported Gates as the robber. They interviewed a Sociologist in California she said she thinks that a lot of black males go to jail because of low income homes are most likely to be harmed or suffer from child neglect and blacks make up a big portion of those that fall below the poverty line. She also stated that the lack of education would cause people to look to illegal sources of income.

The African Burial Ground

The trip to the African Burial Ground was a lot of fun. In the beginning I wasn't sure about how the trip would go because we left the campus really late, but after that every thing was on a much better note. Once we arrived at the Burial Ground we went straight into the tour, visiting the memorial that is now built right on the grave site. We learned about these seven symbols that were in graved on the walls at the memorial and we also paid homage to those who were buried there.

Then the tour continued on into the museum that was built right next to the site, in the neighboring building. Once inside the museum there were all kind of exhibits to explore. One of them was a life-like statue that was re-enacting a funeral that was shown in the movie we watched inside the museum as well. There also was an interactive exhibit that had a barrel, and we were supposed to try an push the barrel up the incline, the significance was to show what kind of labor the average slave did back then (by the way the barrel was very heavy). Afterwards we got a chance to visit Harlem, there we went shopping, ate food, and experienced the city a little bit, this was my favorite part of the trip. Overall the trip was a nice break from DC, it was also an educational experience.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Staff Interview : Dr. Ron Manuel

I it was my pleasure to interview Dr. Ron Manuel in the School of Sociology and Anthropology.

Did the movement negatively affect the black community?
- No. If anything it instilled a sense of pride and that pride took the place of shame. Often blacks were told that everything about you is ugly and inferior and the black power movement came along and changed the way African Americans thought about themselves.

In your opinion, is it possible to eradicate the negative connotations about physical features within the African American community?
- Yeah. It’s very possible. Like any great problem, it can be solved with the right attitude and determination. It' very clear throughout history.

Should the African American community only look to our community to fix this issue or should it be solved as a human problem?
- It’s human problem. This problem goes deeper than one race. More importantly there is no such thing as black or white suffering but human suffering.

Is there anything that one can do to destroy negative views pertaining to beauty within the black community?
- Changing the way we think can help this issue. Changing the way you think can cause a ripple effect and change the way the world thinks. It can be done with determination and perseverance.

Group Presentation #1

This group discussed Hip Hop culture. Although the topic would seem interesting, sadly that wasn't the case. I'm not sure if it was because the information was old news or because of the way it was presented. They discussed it not only as music but a glamorized lifestyle. I disagreed with the group on various point, it seemed as if they blamed Hip Hop for many of the misfortunes with in the black community. Many of the issues such as the murder rate pertaining to black on black crimes seem to be a result of pursuit of profit because they live in impoverished settings in which opportunities are rare. At one point, I felt that the group had gotten their research from Wikipedia because it seemed as if it was coming from the mouth of a elder racist white man that had no personal relationship with a black person. They then continued on the issue of the representation of women within the Hip Hop culture. One of the members said, “Because of the way women are represented, young girls want to be a whore.” I looked around the room to see if anyone was a stunned as I was, maybe I should use the word flabbergasted because they stated opinions as if they were fact. If I’m not wrong, whores existed before Hip Hop or any music for that matter. If anything this was an ignorant statement because prostitution is the oldest career in the world. Overall, I didn’t learn anything but I did hear a lot of opinions.

African burial ground trip

The trip to the african burial ground was alot of fun. I really enjoyed it. The trip started off with a visit to the neighboring memorial. We saw the seven symbols of family values. One of which is sankofa. We also paid tribute to those who died there. Dr. Carr and a few students in the front poured libation and said a few words to which we responded “ase.” after all this we went into the actual museum. There was an example of a funeral almost as soon as you walk into the building. After viewing the displays on the floor we went to a little room where we watched a movie. In the movie a young slave girl “Amelia,” has lost her father. In the movie the culture and traditions of ancient African Americans is revealed. The movie ends with the funeral of Amelias father and baby cousin. The family of her father cries and sings and Amelia sadly places the wooden doll her father carved for her on top of the coffin.

Afterwards, we took a cultural journey to harlem. The thick smell of incense and the soft sound of reggae and slow beats ht me as I got of the bus. Men sat at tales selling a large assortment of things and were all proud to tell us the history of our people. One man selling afro-centric jewelry explained to me the meaning of the ankh symbol. He told me that it was the symbol for eternal life and represented fertility in ancient Egypt. He also advised me to buy the earrings which were only $10.

Dr, Williams Lecture

At first I thought this presentation was going to be useless but it turned out to be pretty helpful.useless. She pretty much summarized what had been going on for the prior 6 weeks. That day, she explained some of the basic tenants of research for scholarship and for personal gain, and six steps that were needed to execute research properly and throughly which began with stating your question. Using the explanation of education in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, D. Williams helped me understand that the natural disaster devastated the region not only physically but also socially and economically. As Dr. Williams mentioned the question, it opened my eyes to a large social problem of which many Americans are probably unaware. CYBERBULLYING! Since my group has a definite question, which is How does cyberbullying affect the psyche of a teen, only the five other steps remain to complete the research process. I really appreciate Dr. Williams lecture because laying out the steps the way she did makes the process a lot more clear and concise. Since our question is pretty detailed, I think having a format to follow will allow my group to get the most out of our resources. It was great to hear how we can apply simple steps to learning about broad topics in freshman seminar and through our lives at and after Howard

Dr. Williams lecture was one of opinion rather one of instructions and guidance. She was giving instructions for our presentations that were about to come up. She gave all of the main components necessary for to conduct a successful case study. She was sure to inform the class that we must pick a topic that could be studied thoroughly within the time that we are given to complete the assignment. I felt like that was aimed directly toward me because I tend to go above and beyond when I have most of the control for picking what I researched. Just ask my creative writing teacher, a one page assignment was so difficult for me. ( I love having control because the possibilities are endless) Dr. Williams had an explicit slide with everything that we would need to present and have within our work. While she was talking it didn’t seem like that much work but it really was because when we attempted to sit down and come up with a topic prior to the lecture, deciding on a topic was a hour and a half session.

African Burial Grounds

This past weekend we as a class took a trip to New York to visit the African Burial ground. Which our teachers remind us is the key to our existence, the reason for freshmen seminar. My first impression are seeing the Burial Ground was that it was small. When i think of a burial ground i think of vast acres much like a cemetery. but then again that what mean that white masters respected African American slaves enough to a lot them that much land. The original burial ground was probably much bigger but to the grounds still represent the site of a mass grave. After the short film, indoor and outdoor tour were over i came with some conclusions: I was disappointed in the fact the some of the bones were not available for viewing. I thought the grounds would be similar to say the tombs of Tut in Egypt. The burial ground is more of a tribute of statues that represent the lives of the slaves that were / are buried beneath. It appeared that many New Yorkers had no clue what was right in the middle of their city. Because of the fact that they looked surprised to see so many students ( not mentioning the fact that we were a big group of young African Americans) on a tour. The most enjoyable was just hearing the history of the grounds. How it was found and the litigation that the African American community had to go through in order to preserve their history. In reminds me that our history is still considered sacred and worth remembering to others then just myself.

African Burial Ground: NYC!

The Dean of college of arts and Sciences spoke. He explained that we were standing on the grounds of a found a long lost cemetery. The bodies were once at Howard and our students were the head of research for these found remains. The dean finished up his speech with "If we forget our history, we are lost. “, that stuck out the most because although it’s a common phrase, standing there knowing that enslaved Africans were under my feet, it really made me think about how far we have come as people. Then Dr. Carr spoke after the Dean. Dr. Carr opened the ritual with asking the elder of the group for permission to continue to pay respect and pay homage to ancestors, the land, the rising and setting of the sun. The water used was taken from the Atlantic Ocean and the sand was from The Mine established by the Portuguese. We repeated “Ashay” meaning “Let it be.” Between saying, “Ashay” Dr. Carr explained the greatness of Africa its peoples and their contributions to the world we live so comfortably today. Not only blacks but the Africa is the setting of the first and greatest civilizations. To those that resisted slavery and those that made contributions after being enslaved. He also discussed the future of our people and the greatness to come. He encouraged us to develop spiritual connections with our ancestors and to remember the strength and how we came together and created what now call African Diaspora. After Dr. Carr’s moving speech, a tour guide came to speak and I remember feeling some type of way about the white man saying “Brother” although he is, I guess I have some maturing to do.
He talked about everything I think his heart desired because I remember being so cold that my ears went numb and I could no longer focused but once we moved I regain focus. The part of speech that stuck out the most to me is was the symbol and the fixture that symbolized us going back to our roots and reclaims what was stolen. I don’t know of anything on the trip that stuck out the most outside of that. Overall, I was more than impressed with the trip and everything I learned and more importantly it made me think. But I must say Harlem was interesting too, they wear Coogi and Rocawear, YUCKKKKK!

Dr. Segun's Lecture

Dr. Segun's Lecture was interesting, although I couldn't fully understand what he was saying because of his accent. During his lecture he told the story of Iwa. Iwa means "existence" and "character". There were a lot of lessons he was giving us in his lecture; such as treat others with respect and be grateful for what you have. He stated that our character is our most important possession. You have to have a good character. He also said that Education is to transmit from one generation to the next the accumulated wisdom. Next he told us to READ to avoid miss-education. Towards the end he said " Be the dew Drop of the world", which I'm not really sure what he meant by that, other than for us to make a fresh impact on the world. Later on, that evening the class traveled over to Crampton Auditorium to listen to another speech about getting the maximum out of each day and staying on top of our school work. following that we were told about the African burial ground in New York city, which each class will be taking a trip to go visit. This class was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot from this experience. Plus the fed us at the end!

By: Morgan Nicholas

Dr Segun's Lecture

This week, Dr. Segun Gbadegesin gave a intersesting lecture on Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility. He spoke about the need to bea productive member of the community. He educated us on the fact that being a productive member of the community was a necessity in some ancient cultures. For example, the Egyptians were required by Ma’at, the goddes of truth and balance, to abide by strict principles such as: don’t commit sin, don’t commit robbery with violence, do not steal, don’t seduce anyone’s wife, don’t close your ears to the truth, etc. These principles were meant to promote order and harmony amongst other things. Dr. Segun defined ”Omoluabi”, who was “a child begotten of the chief of Iwa”. He also explained, in depth that Omoluabi describes “a person of character, disciplined, self-improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community on account of practical wisdom in putting knowledge acquired through education to the service of the community, and not shying away from personal sacrifices when needed”. This lecture was enlightening and informational, as are most of the lectures in freshman seminar.

Dr.Segun's Lecture

Dr. Segun’s Lecture focal point was character. This was interesting because being at Howard, you come across so many. He emphasized the importance of having good character and how far it can take you. He related this message to Ma’at, an Egyptian goddess. I don’t remember any special feelings or thoughts but I did take his words into consideration. I never thought of myself as a person with bad character but it made me think of how other people perceive me. Although my perception of me is not based on others perceptions, I wanted to know how the world sees Ashley D. Lewis. He then went on to discuss the importance of education. He described how education reaches many. When you’re educated, you’re then able to educate your family. This is amazing to think about because enlightened peoples can produce and provide enlightened people into the world. And the black community is in dire need of more educated blacks. Sure, we’re all here in college but when the numbers are compared, there are more pregnant black teens than black college girls. He went on to explain how we can use our education to uplift our community. He left us with, “Be the dew drops of the world", which means leave a mark and benefit it in some way. I can’t fully say that I enjoyed it but it did make me think about me and what I’ll do with my degree. The main thing I love about my major is the money and Dr.Segun’s lecture helped me think of what else I could get out of my degree besides a six figure salary.


Later that evening, we were told to go to Cramton. I must say, I was less than happy to Cramton for another lecture after hearing one. Seeing that I'm undecided I automatically assumed that this lecture would have nothing to do with me. But to my surprise it was the exact thing I needed to hear. Although I was less than fond of his delivery of his message, it was a good lecture. When I sat down, I was joking and socializing but it wasn't until he started calling people out in the audience I began to straighten up. He told COAS that we should strive in college and that mediocrity is sad. I must say that I agree. Although I have a 4.0 I knew that I could have worked harder over the past 4 weeks. I knew that I could do better. He then questioned us and asked that we took out a sheet of paper and pen. Honestly, I didn't have it but I did have Microsoft Word on my phone. Although, I might have looked like I was just texting, I was really typing the questions he asked. By him question my study habits it finally dawned on me that I'm in college and I should study more and make it a habit before the heavy course load kicks in. We then learned about the African Burial Ground. I was really intrigued because as many times as I have taken trips to New York my primary focus was shopping not a history lesson. So I'm really excited for my trip to New York!

Dr. Seguns lecture/ African burial ground lecture

Dr. Segun's Lecture

I found Dr.Segun's lecture to be quite interesting. The main topic of his lecture was Ma'at. This was an ancient Egyptian concept as well as a goddess. It was the embodiment of balance, truth, law and morality. Ma'at was found in the coffin texts and tomb texts. There are over fifty principles of Ma'at. The general idea is: "I have not.." done something immoral. Ma'at was basically the foundation of ancient Egyptian social life. Some historians even believe that Moses and the ten commandments is a similar situation and is a reflection of what was already popular during that time period.

Afterwards we learned the story of Kankan (force) and Iriwowo (dew drop). Kankan brought sworn enemies together to work for him. For example, "the snake and man", "the hen and the grasshopper" etc. When he finished bringing all of them together he left. Unsurprisingly, not long after he was gone they began to fight. They all fought until they died. Later, Iriwowo the representation of gentleness woke each of them up.

Lastly, we learnt about a yoruba concept: "iwa." Iwa means good character. Dr. Segun advised us all to be "Omoluabi", i.e a child begotten of the chief of iwa. Lastly, we were taught a Yoruba proverb: "Immortality is the crown of existence." We can gain immortality by gaining an education and using it to serve our communities.

I really enjoyed this lecture. I loved to hear about the ancient Egyptians and their ties to Africa. I also enjoyed having Dr. Segun as a speaker.

*************************************************************************************

After the regular weekly session of my freshman seminar class, we went to Cramton auditorium. At cramton, we were first encouraged to take school more seriously. I must say the speech was vvery motivational. I literally felt like i have picked up my life and organized it. Since then i have made a multitude of schedules and i have managed my time more efficiently.

Afterwards, we learnt about the African burial ground. I though this was so interesting. Mostly because I live in NYC and my mother's office is about a block away and i have never heard about it. Hearing most of the things I heard was very sad. I always believed that the slaves in the north were treated way better than those in the south and the conditions were less harsh. I though that it was mostly the southerners that had treated their slaves so poorly. this was an illuminating experience.

Dr. Felder's Lecture

This weeks lecture was very interesting. Most importantly it caught my attention and kept it. Dr. Felder started off on the topic of Africa, and how Europeans have tried to overshadow Africa. A lot of European scholars try to put themselves before ancient Egypt; and make it seem as if Africans had no history. History has been distorted by Europe and their historiography. During his lecture he referred to Genesis 2-14 a lot, which is about the Garden of Eden. He talked about Adam and Eve and how they both have freedom; as they were exercising their freedom Adam makes the wrong choice. As well as Genesis 1-11 which is about "Crime and Punishment". He explained that "Justice is about right relationships". It is balance and fairness, and when things are as they aught to be. He then gave us the three norms and understanding: 1) The Torah: which is the norm for justice or law 2)The Prophets 3) Warnings and/or Oracles. He then went on to talk about Sojourner Truth, who stood for the freedom of her people and women. She was apart of the AME Zion's church. She had a great sense of destiny and courage. He stated that she was a "compelling example of one who practices freedom". At the end he recited Truth's infamous "Ain't I a Woman" speech. Overall I thought that this Lecture was really good. I appreciated his enthusiasm, because a lot of lectures tend to be boring when the speaker has no passion or life.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Dr. Felders lecture was very intresting. In his class we learnt about a more religious side of the African people. I have never heard many of things he spoke about. It was very intresting to learn about although i am not christian i still enjoyed it. he spoke about how we are not slaves because we didnt come from slavery. "We are the children of before yesterday and after tomorrow." yesterday was slavery, we came from before then and it is proven in the bible. In the bible in genesis, the two rivers referred to as being part of the garden of eden, are the blue nile and the white nile river. this is where the early river valley civilization and mesoptamia were found. those people are people of african decent. those civilizations were before the roman empire and greece etc. therefore africans were not meant to be slaves. He spoke about Sojourner Truth and sadly I must admit I didn't know much about her. From her quotes and speeches i was able to catch a brief glimpse of her. And she appears to be a witty and clever woman. listening to his lecture was enjoyable and i wish i could have learnt more from him and heard more from him. Lastly, I must say I truly enjoyed this class. It was inspirational. This school is different from others. How many students can say in their freshman seminar they learned about their history? I assure you not many and for that Dr. Felder’s class was enjoyable.

Dr. Taylors speech

In this weeks (9/12) freshman seminar class we explored the history of African Americans. We learnt about famous black people. Donald Walters and his book, that describes the struggle a black president would have to go through. He made this prediction about 30-40 years before President Obama became president. We learnt about Phylicia Rashad. She is presently opening the stage in a performace called every tongue confess. Also, the Anacostia community museum has an exhibition “word, shout song.” Lastly, some of us received the remake of “The tortoise and the hare,” it was intresting to sit own and think on the differences between the new and the old version. What was the point of it being updated and other things like that.

This class was so refreshing because it teaches more about our history than just slavery. Before this class i did not know about Zora Neale Hurston or Donald Walters.

Lastly, I must say I truly enjoyed this class. It was inspirational. She spoke about our generation and the direction we were going in and about hw we are the future.This school, being an HBCU, is different from others. How many students can say in their freshman seminar they learned about their brothers and sisters? I assure you not many and for that this class was really great!

Dr.Felder's Lecture

Dr. Felders discussed the religious practices of African people. I was immediately interested because of my recent decision to stop practicing Christianity. In some way his lecture answered question that were left unanswered.  I love that he told the class that our history fails to begin during slavery. If that was the case, our history begins with trauma. He also explains the African Stolen Legacy. I was already familiar with the subject from personal research, but coming from a majority school, it failed to be the hot topic in comparison to Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. I was happy to see many of peers learn that our ancestors contributed to the world as well. Some of us came to Howard thinking that our people greatest contribution was peanut butter and light bulbs but it goes so much deeper than that. For Dr. Felder to reiterate that made his lecture that much deeper. He explains that African civilizations served as a Mecca (Ironic, right?) for following civilizations. For example, historian praises the Greeks for their strides but guess who they pay homage to? AFRIKA! During his lecture, my mind wondered off. I couldn’t help but question after 13 years in my primary education didn’t I learn this in school, especially AP courses seeing that they “go into detail.” And how would Black America be if every one of us was taught our history, before slavery.  Would there be fewer crimes committed by black males? Would black females regain value in the eyes of the majority? 

Dr. Traylor's Lecture

Last weeks lecture, given by Dr. Traylor, was extremely confusing to me. In the beginning of class we were given a book, which was tittled," The Tortoise and The Hare". When I saw her walk in, I thought it was going to be an interesting speech, and don't get me wrong it was very interesting. However it was hard to understand exactly what she was talking about. She began to talk about our generation and the direction it was going in. A few of her topics did not really pertain to her main point and for a lot of them I had no clue what she was talking about. She even began to sing songs, which got every one's attention. Towards the end of Dr. Traylor's lecture, she began to give assignments, lots of assignments. One of them was to attend the play, "Every Tongue Confess", staring Howard Alum, Phylicia Rashad. Dr. Traylor's lecture was the funnest lecture yet. At first, I didn't understand why she was giving us so many assignments, but as I thought about it; I felt it was because she wanted us to not only read about our culture, or just simply hear about it from our elders; She wanted us to experience it for ourselves. In the end, I appreciated Dr. Traylor and the lecture that she gave.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Lecture #3: Dr. Traylor: The Eloquence of Scribes

During Dr. Traylor’s lecture, I was lost almost completely. I didn’t understand the point that she was getting at. At one point I know she was talking about how, for generations, people came to Howard to advance their education and we, the freshman, are next in line for such a long line of history. Throughout the lecture, I felt as though Dr. Traylor was walking around the main points that were supposed to be made. She touched on points that I felt were irrelevant and I didn’t understand how or why they tied into the main lecture. I do know for sure that her lecture was indeed entertaining. She even went to the extent of reciting a song by the new boys and defining for the class the meaning of “dumbassification”. During the closing of the lecture, my attention was waning and Dr. Traylor soon started to give several assignments pertaining to black culture as well as the Diaspora of us as a people. I can honestly say that at first I was upset but I realized that she did it all for good reason. I feel as though she wanted us to learn about our culture through items we can absorb with our senses. In conclusion, I enjoyed her lecture and I wish I knew what I was to take notes on. All in all, she did instill in me the knowledge of the people who contributed to the ever growing history of Howard University.

----By: Crystal Fraser

Lecture #2: Dr. Dunston: Abandonment, Dismemberment and Reawakening

Dr. Dunston’s lecture focused mainly on the simple fact and task of “Learning to Acquire Wisdom.” Throughout her lecture on Abandonment, Dismemberment and Reawakening, Dr. Dunston raised several questions pertaining to the black community. She also pointed out that every problem is a lack of knowledge. She also stated that as the next generation, we, the students of Howard University, need to work hard to make a difference in our community as well as the world. One of the main questions she asked was, “What are the main problems that I’ve come across since I got to Howard?” At first, I wasn’t too sure what she was talking about. But when I thought about it more in depth, I realized that the District of Columbia, although it is the nation’s capital, is poverty stricken. What I also realized is that there are plenty of people who talk about change but aren’t about the change they speak of.

Dr. Dunston also made it very clear that it is imperative to understand the changes on the insides of society before focus is directed towards the changes on the outside. Examination of your thoughts was crucial and we shouldn’t abandon the African roots that we are tied to indefinitely. Personally, I can never forget where I come from because I have plenty of people who make it a personal goal to instill in me the knowledge of my people way before my time. It is also a personal goal of mine to instill the knowledge that I have acquired to the generations that are destined to come after my own.

---- By: Crystal Fraser

Dr. Traylor’s Lecture

I must admit when she walked in the room I knew that the lecture was going to be pretty interesting. Then when we started receiving the Tortoise and the Hare books it was confirmed that this lecture was going to be different from the others. She began to say that we possess powers, so right then and there being the realist that I am I automatically looked at her like she was crazy. Then she later stated a quote that sticks with me up until this day. She said “ Without the mother load of wisdom the father of knowledge is a victim of dumbassification” Now when I first heard this I was immediately turned off but then I thought about it a little bit more. I have to say I was a little perplexed by this quote for a little but I could tell that Dr. Traylor was a deeper thinker than what I had originally thought. I couldn’t help but to listen to what she was going to say next. But then she made a comment that a man was stabbed in the heart, then a mysterious group of masked men found him and took him to Howard hospital and there the first open heart surgery was performed. Then she started giving out assignment after assignment; now up until this point I was in her corner. While I still can’t figure out why she made the comment about the open heart I do see that she meant well with the assignments and she just wanted us to learn more about ourselves by seeing it for ourselves instead of hearing about in class. Overall I really did appreciate her lecture.

Dr.Traylor's Lecture

Upon entry I must say I was confused. As soon as I walked in the door, I received a children's book, I didn't believe the TA was handing it to me, I thought he didn't wanted to hold it so he was making it my problem. Outside that experience, I was still confused. Dr. Trailer's lecture made my brain run in circles. It's obvious that she thinks differently than most people and behind the alternate method of thinking, there is an abundance of intelligence. She schooled us with new terminology, such as dumbassification. Although her terminology was a nice laugh, it's perfectly applicable to everyday situations. Such as, foolery on the yard, everyday you can spot students conducting themselves in a manner beyond inappropriate and disgraces the strides of Blacks before them.  Dr. Trailer also gave us a complex quote, "Without the mother hood of intelligence, the fatherhood of knowledge is the victims of dumbassification" meaning without knowledge one may become a victim of society and surroundings. She then continued and used Phylicia Rasheed as an example of someone who does the Black community justice. Through her multiple roles, she strengthens the image of Black women. She used stereotypical roles to disapprove stereotypes. Soon after, Dr. Trail lost me again. I really felt like I was focusing on what she was saying but I was still lost. After she assigned about three other assignments, I gave up on trying to understand and made the decision to talk to her after class. It wasn't until after class when I really began to truly  appreciate her lecture and gain understanding. Me and Ashley White decided to go and talk and ask questions. To our surprise, she incorporated a piece of a current song into her lecture. I was amazed, that she even cared  to relate to us, no matter how poorly she sounded reciting the song, the effort alone amazed me. Most professors feel that you should come to their class and learn the material and get your grade and leave, which is fair, but her doing that made me gain even more respect for her, which was high to begin with. I can't lie, even through my confusion and moments with a dumb look on my face, I loved her lecture.

Lecture #2: Dr. Dunston

Dr. Dunston's lecture was very interesting and very different from Dr. Carr's lecture, last week. I feel Dr. Dunston was trying to motivate us rather than educate us. She reflected on our generation a lot throughout the lecture as the problem solving generation, which I thought that she meant our generation was going to come up with a lot of solutions for the problems that go on in our society today. She was very passionate about what she had to say; although I felt her main point was confusing because she had so many different points and topics. One of Dr. Dunston's topics was the Human Genome project, she talked about the codes of our D.N.A. and how they make up everything about us. She also touched on different diseases such as Asthma, Hypertension, and Cancer. A lot of Dr. Dunston's lecture had kind of a vague impression because of the fact that I couldn't really understand what exactly she was talking about. Overall I think she was an excellent speaker and she did keep my attention throughout the class period. However if she had focused more on her point, I think she would have had a better effect on her audience. At the end of the class period there was a question and answer segment for any questions that the audience may have had for Dr. Dunston. A lot of interesting topics came up in this portion of the lecture such as human cloning. This segment went on for a long time after class ended, but it was definitely worth staying for.

Lecture 2: Dr. Dunston's

I truly enjoyed Dr. Carr's lecture and was very much inspired by it. I was so inspired that I came to the next lecture expecting the very same thing. Unfortunately I can't say that I was. Dr. Dunston was very redundant in saying that we are the problem solving generation and that we are at Howard because someone prayed for each and everyone of us. She also went on to say that we all have knowledge, some of which has just gone untapped.

Honestly I went into the lecture thinking that I would be learning more about the human genome and different things of that nature. Dr. Dunston someone touched on those topics but I feel that she was trying to do more along the lines of motivational speaking rather than teaching. When she said over and over that our generation was a problem solving generation I didn’t really understand what she meant by it. So I felt she could have elaborated a little further on that point. Now I consider myself a Christian but I have a lot of questions, so when she said that we were at Howard because someone prayed for us I had to stop and think. Don’t get me wrong I do believe in the power of prayer but I also would like to believe that I am here because I worked hard throughout my years of high school. And furthermore I don’t believe that we contain all this knowledge we just haven’t discovered it yet because if that were the case why do we need to go through so many years of schooling. I may have misunderstood her but from what I heard im so sure I agree with too many of the things she was saying.

-Ashlee N. White

Dr. Dunston’s Lecture

After hearing Dr. Carr's lecture, I arrived ready to hear another emotion filled speech. Sadly, my feelings of excitement went in vain. Not to say that Dr. Dunston's lecture failed to consist of any importance, it didn't really have a lasting impression. Dunston's points suggested that everyone has the knowledge necessary but it's just untapped.  Also she made the point that every Howard student made it there because of someone else's prayers.    She then continued to declare our generation as the "problem solvers."

I must say that a majority of her points made me think and explore my feelings about myself and generation. I came to the conclusion that I made it Howard with hard work and dedication. I came the the conclusion that I don't believe in "untapped knowledge" but instinct and drive. Not to be the difficult teenager but Dr.Dunston's points didn't sit well with me. First, I know that wisdom comes with age but who is to decided what this generation does? Wither the answer is the same on each side, shouldn't that be the generation in action choice, oppose to past generations. If wisdom is gained through learning, as Dr. Dunston stated, it's our generations responsibility to learn from the strides of our predecessors and make decisions according. That is the true essence of learning. Second, I'm not a religious person. I feel as if it serves no purpose to the most important thing in aspects of deities and high powers, relationship. The statement about prayer weakened her argument because I'm not huge on religion. In some way, I felt as if my mother's overtime and my academic strides went in vain. I understand that she didn't mean that our strides didn't have anything to do with why I'm a student at Howard but how does she know? No one truly knows how they ended up at Howard and every single action that helped them to get here. All we know is that we're here and we have to make the best of it.

freshman seminar

abi adeosun said...
Freshman seminar? “What is that?!,” I asked when I saw it for the first time on my list of required courses. All of my family and friends that were either in or had graduated from college had an input on what it could be. They told me all sorts of things: “it’s an easy A class” “They just advise you” “It’s too make the transition from high school to college easier”. Needless to say they were all wrong..
In Dr. Carr’s freshman seminar class we explored the history of African Americans. The extent of my knowledge of African American history is about three to four pages of my eleventh grade U.S. history notes. It begins with “Indentured servitude of African Americans began in the 1600’s..” and it ends “...African Americans became legal citizen in 1865”. This class is so refreshing because it teaches more about our history than just slavery. I was sad in the beginning of the class. My initial thought was “here we go, more depressing stories about black people” , but it is not like that at all. Before Dr. Carrs class i did not know about Richard Theodore Greener or his daughter Belle da Costa Greene. He was the first African American to graduate from Harvard college. Meanwhile, his daughter was the librarian of the notorious J.P. Morgan.
Another very inspirational thing that Dr. Carr mentioned that i never thought about was competition. He said that instead of fighting to get to the top and not helping your fellow African Americans, that we should work together. I never thought about that. School has always been about me doing my best and not caring about anyone else’s grade but my own. I would never purposely sabotage another students grade regardless of ethnicity, but I was not helping them either. I tutored students for community service hours, but I never truly sat down and said let me help this student get a better grade. His class made me think about that alot. I have come to the conclusion that I do want my classmates to do well and succeed just as well as I am; and I can help them achieve that success.
Lastly, I must say I truly enjoyed this class. It was inspirational. I’m African and to an extent I never really understood what African Americans go through. I know where I am from. I know my family tree, my language, my culture. After this class I actually asked someone “Do you care that you do not know where your from?”, I see now that it was an unnecessary question. Of course they care! I know I would care if I didn’t know where I was from. This school, being an HBCU, is different from others. How many students can say in their freshman seminar they learned about their brothers and sisters? I assure you not many and for that Dr. Carr’s class was truly a triumph!
September 5, 2010 6:54 PM

Dr. Dunston's lecture

This week’s speaker name is Georgia Dunston. She was very enlightening and made me realize a lot. “This lecture focuses on the history and legacy of Howard University in the pursuit of wisdom in the 21st century.” The person who we are today goes beyond our parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents. It goes back to our roots in Africa. We have been inherited specific traits, but some are individual, meaning they come from ourselves. They are known as genomes. According to Dictionary.com, “the full complement of genetic material within an organism.” Genomes make every individual different. We all are unique individuals. No matter how similar you may believe you are to someone, you will always have something that is different. Even identical twins will not be exactly a like. Yeah sure they have the same outer appearance, but what is inside is what counts. The way someone thinks and acts makes them the individual they are today. Everyone has a different perspective on life and things around it which is why we have different opinions on life. Have you ever heard the saying, “everyone is entitled to their own opinion”? Imagine being exactly like someone, then there would be no need for everyone to voice their opinion’s because they would be the same. The speaker was very influential and helped me understand why I’m such a unique person. I always wondered why I was the best of the best? I found my answer: because there are none like me.

Dr. Carr's Lecture

   First off I would just like to say that Dr.Carr's lecture was truly inspirational! I came into class expecting to hear a long, boring, unenthusiastic speech about African Americans and our culture; but I was taken completely by surprise. I had attended 2 other lectures by Dr. Carr prior to this class and I was always so happy to see how excited he was about what he had to say.
       This lecture was about the history of African Americans, but it was so much more than that. This was way more than what I had learned throughout my years in school. Usually, in school we would always start at slavery and go from there. However, starting there left out so much important and crucial information, that we as blacks need to know. We learned especially about the Egyptians and how much we have gotten from them. Such as, our calender, mathematics, architecture, and medical advances. Pyramids that have been standing for thousands of years, that are still there today. We learned about their alphabet, their language, and their symbols in which they used instead of words. Egyptians were responsible for creating all of this, but the Greeks came along and of course to credit for it. Dr. Carr also discussed legends such as, the infamous, Louis Armstrong, Zora Neale Hurston, Charles R. Drew, and many more.
      It's so interesting to hear and know about all that Africans have accomplished. I believe that knowing who we are and where we come from, helps us to reach our full potential. Where is a better place than the motherland, where it all began. Because American history starts at slavery we never get to hear about anything before it. As Dr. Carr stated, slavery was not the beginning it was merely a glitch in our entire history, that we had no control over. Our ancestors have worked so hard and have done so much for us, and now its time for us to continue the journey and make them proud. Because we are way more than slavery and poverty, we are a force to be reckoned with and we won't stop because we have to keep on going. The map has been laid down for us, all we have to do is follow in their footsteps an each time go one step further than what they did.
    Freshman Seminar totally caught me off guard; because coming in I didn't know what to expect. Now I know this isn't a class just about Howard University, but it's about our legacy as African Americans. So far this has been an excellent class and I know it's only going to get better from here.

By: Morgan Nicholas

Dr. Carr's Lecture

Throughout Dr. Carr's lecture, the question of "where do we come from?" reared its head several time. He spoke about the ancient past as well as the very recent past. The main points he made were that: we as a people have done so much more than anyone could have ever imagined. Even though several other civilizations were credited, it was such an eye opener to know and realize that blacks, as a whole, were and always will be the backbone towards advancements in society.


When Dr. Carr spoke about the ancient city of Kemet, he highlighted the facts that everything was written don either in picture or word form. He also emphasized that for every male, there was a female counterpart and that is what kept the city in its natural equilibrium. Throughout the entire lecture, I realized that to be great, I need to remember where I came from and where I'm set to go. My right of passage is up to me and I shouldn't let anyone stand in the way of my greatness. The scribes in Egypt were educated to the extent that architecture, mathematics, science and astrology all depended on writing in general.

Another main point that was made about greatness is that it occurs everywhere and most times, there will be several obstacles and hindrances in your way. Dr. Carr emphasized that the issues in our community will continue but it takes a great person with the proper mindset to want to make change for the better.

By: Crystal A. Fraser

Dr. Carr began his lecture by telling us a little more about our past. He focused on one statement particularly, "Medew Nefer" which means beautiful or good speech. He also spoke of our egyptian ancestors from which came great amounts of wisdom. He also reminded us of many great champions that were here in this country.

There is so much more to black people than what we are led to believe. Sure being good at sports is ok, and having great musical talents as well; but we have the greatest amount of wisdom there is. Black people are great! Dr. Carr has taught me that way before the greeks black people were the masterminds behind everything. The greatest structures known to man are still standing, the most difficult form of writing was used regularly, and the very calender that we use to this time outside of the names of the days and months is used up to this very day and all of these things were created by my people, black people! Having been awakened with such knowledge it is hard for me to accept the lives that African Americans are living today. If every African American knew of their own greatness then we wouldn't have to truggle so much with such a great level of impoverished, illiterate black people. Maybe we wouldn't have to fight so hard to prove our greatness. After learning the height of our success at one point I can't help but feel that anything less than my best is unacceptable. I can be great. I will be great!
By: Ahlee N. White

Dr. Carr's Lecture

Dr. Carr discussed the history of learning and its close relation to Africa.  He especially focused Egypt, the land that educated future dynasties, seeing that ancient Egyptians mastered language, astrology, and mathematics. The lecture also aimed to inform young African American students of their ability, based on the greatness of our African ancestors.

                Through the lecture I learned that I am greatness, it’s my right of passage. Although I lived life believing that I’m pro-Black, I soon learned that I, along with many other young African Americans, still have much to learn. When I learned of the pathways Djehuty and Seshat, I couldn’t help but thing about the imbalance of men and women here on campus. Black males are more likely to spend time behind bars opposed to a collegiate course. Djehuty and Seshat operated as a dynamic team and made stride of great magnitude. Although people can leave Howard and make great strides, my constant thought is:  are we being held back due to the imbalance? This issue lives outside Howard’s campus as well, Black males are found in emergencies rooms with gunshot wounds with the black female in left to act as the mother and father. It’s known that when things are done in decency and order, greatness is produced. Nothing is orderly consisting of broken homes and crowed jails. I personally believe that if the balance is restored we can go further as a people. Until then, the best thing to do is work on self, so when balance is restored, homes are complete and remain unbreakable. 

Ashley D. Lewis