1993_02 Insight February 1993

              Page 12
February 24,1993
History Month Time To
Celebrate Contributions
*> African Americans share their culture
with others throughout history month.
By Michele D'Ambrosio        	
Staff Writer
"Achieving Against The Odds," the theme of this year's African People's
History Month, celebrates the contributions African Americans have made to
American society, despite inequality and racism.
Dr. Robert S. Mikell, CSUF professor of ethnic studies, said the theme is
significant because African American people have continually proven themselves, even in the face of adversity.
"When you look at where we come from as an African people—forced to
come to America in chains and enduring two and a half centuries of enslavement—in spite of these beginnings, we've made contributions," Mikell said.
For Mikell, the month is an opportunity for everyone to explore and celebrate
the contributions and experiences of African American people.
"The public school system relies on a Eurocentric perspective," said Mikell,
"and it's a disservice to ihe whole of society."
"Wc need to know about Shakespeare, but also Langston Hughs. Thomas
Edison, but also Lewis Latimer who worked with him. We need to know not
just about Abraham Lincoln, but W.E.B. DuBois, and all the other scholars
who contributed to America," he said.
Teresa Gipson, 21, a political science and sociology double-major, said it is
important to break the barriers of ignorance, and for her, that's what African
American History Month is about
"A lot of people think: 'they were slaves," and that's iL They say slavery so
light; they don't understand the psychological and social ramifications of
slavery. It's important for us to understand. Asians, Chicanas, Native and
African Americans, Women, We all have a uniqueness," Gipson said.
Gipson said that the recent release of the movie "Malcolm X' has informed
some of African American history, but that people need to read more.
"They don't know what the X stands for in Malcolm X," she said. "There are
a lot of other important African Americans and African American women"
Mikell said the "euphoria" about Malcolm X is of great concern to him.
"We need to go beyond the regalia of the caps and T-shirts," he said. "Not just
put something on our backs, but in our minds."
Mikell said ihat while many African American youths arc espousing Malcolm's
words, they don't fully understand the scope of what Malcolm meant.
'"By any means necessary' he was making a plea for all to lift themselves lo
their maximum potential. To eliminate crime and drugs, to rebuild our
neighborhoods, and end fratricide," Mikell said.
Many comparisons have been made between Malcolm X and Martin Luther
King Jr., but Mikell said the media played it up.
"They both had similar goals, but they were using different methods," he said.
"It was necessary to have both because they each attracted different followers.
"Primarily, they were both looking to help those who lacked justice."
Ericka Peterson, student organizer of African Peoples History Month, said
this month of celebration is just part of die big picture.
"For me, I live my culture all year through," she said.
The concern for a short-lived event is one shared by many.
"It's important for young African Americans to understand their roots,"
Mikell said. "That's what this month is about. But as a people, it should take
place 12 months a year."
The keynote speaker of African American History month is Betty Shabazz,
director of communications and public relations at Medgar Evers College, and
widow of civil rights leader Malcolm X.
Betty Shabazz will speak at the Satellite Student Union at 7 tonight. Topics
will include: the future of our nation's educational system; affirmative action;
the current status of Blacks and women; and alcoholism and addiction.
I fW   *
Leading the procession
of 118 students for an
afternoon of storytelling and African American history are Ebony
Anderson and Tonya
Wray. The five elementary schools that participated in the program were King,
Carver, Kirk, Sunset
and Lincoln.
Diane Troha/IssicuT
Struggle for equality continues on campus
♦ Students deal with
discrimination on
campus, in class.
By Michele D'Ambrosio
Staff Writer
While many African Americans
have acknowledged legal improvements since die civil rights movement
of the '60s, others say there is a long
road ahead in the continuing struggle
for equality.
"Today we have moved into institutionalized racism. It is not as blatant,
but it is built into the system," said Dr.
Robert Mikell, CSUF professor of
ethnic studies.
Teresa Gipson, 21, an African
American student at CSUF, said racism is both institutionalized and personalized on campus.
"I've had badexpericnccshere.rvc
had a professor tell me 1 wasn't intelligent enough to be in his class."
Gipson, a political science and soci*
ology double major, said she knew
die comment was racially motivated
because the professor said "you
people" when he spoke, referring to
her ethnicity.
"When he told me that, I just couldn't
believe it was happening. It upset me,
but I realized the person was ignorant," she said.
Keiunta Dixon, 21, aCSUF journalism major, said she's heard negative
racial comments by both faculty and
students.
"One professor told me I probably
didn't receive proper schooling to be
in his class," she said.
Dixon said that it was just a year ago
when a white student finally responded
to her as a person, rather than a black
student.
"When I lived in the dorms, the girls
thought I was from Compton just because I am black. When white students accept me it's usually because
of the car I drive or for the clothes I
wear," Dixon said.
Dr. Malik Simba, CSUF professor
of ethnic studies, said he thinks he's
unusual because he believes that race
relations have improved.
"While supremacists are now prosecuted by Ihe law," Simba said. "You
hear racist remarks all the time. You
just brush it off if it doesn't affect you
personally."
According to a study by CSUF Insti -
tutional Research in 1990,43 percent
of students had heard members of the
CSUF community make negative remarks based on their race or ethnicity.
The benchmark study found that
Asians and African American students on campus suffer the most verbal insults, and 15 to 20 percent of
them felt it is based on their race or
ethnicity.
Wayne Byrd, Educational Opportunity Program counselor, said he hears
complaints about discrimination.
T ve had one Hispanic student com -
plain about a professor that was making remarks that Hispanics were violent and drug abusers," Byrd said. "I
had a young lady complain that her
"We can make
our    diversity
our   greatest
strength,   or   we
can make it our
greatest downfall."
—Wayne Byrd, EOP
Counselor
professor told her that African Americans don't do well in his class, and if
she expects to get more than a 'C,'
she'd better stay up on her homework."
Byrd said most students are hesitant
to complain about racism or sexism.
"I encourage people to speak up for
themselves, to send anonymous letters if they're concerned about retaliation. It's not necessarily to get them
fired. Until students start complaining, nothing will change," Byrd said.
Walter Robinson, assistant director
of student activities, said for every
discrimination complaint, there arc
10 that go unreported.
"The older students are more quick
to identi fy problems. They 're wiser to
the world," Robinson said.
Arthur Wint, director of Affirmative Action, wonders why are students not filing formal complaints.
"A lot of students talk to me, but
there are no statistics on that," Wint
said. "They ask mc what to do. For
some reason they do not want to use
the formal structure."
Simba said today's youth is fairly
vocal about discrimination, considering the context of the times.
"The individual becomes impor-
lant in social change because mostof
the time we're not going to see something like the "60s," Simba said. "It
takes a brave individual to 'do the
right thing."'
Byrd said when a person complains directly to someone, there can
be an unwclcomcd response.
"This really burns mc up," Byrd
said. "When you point out that someone is making a racist or sexist comment, they say 'You'reoverreac ting.'"
Wint said some individuals trumpet
their bigotry.
"Some feel minorities arc just getting all these things," he said.
Byrd said that Anglo-Saxons don't
have a monopoly on racism, but things
have to change.
"Unless this country gets its act together, wc arc going to continue to
slide intoa third world country," Byrd
said.
"Wc can make our diversity our
greatest strength, or wc can make it
our greatest downfall."
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