Dr. Benjamin's Lecture on The Eloquence of Scribes by Tashiana Hudson @02652609

Dr. Benjamin started off her lecture by explaining that a scribe is “a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession for a government…” They have a history of being responsible for copying sacred texts and keeping historical records. Modern scribes include journalists, accountants, lawyers, and government officials.

Dr. Benjamin then went on to describe the many scribes for whom the buildings on campus are named. She started with General Oliver Otis Howard, for whom Howard University is named. He was an army officer who promoted the welfare of former slaves. Next, she discussed Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, the first African-American President of Howard. Following that, we learned about Inabel Burns Linsay, the first dean of the Howard University school of Social Work and the only female dean of her time. Next, we learned about the Morland-Spingarn research center, named after two men who contributed thousands of books to the Founders Library. We also learned about Alain Locke, the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, for whom Locke Hall is named.

Dr. Benjamin also discussed Lulu Vere Childers, Frederick Douglass, Ira Aldridge, Louis Crampton, and some women of the Tubman Quad, including Tubman, Truth, Crandall, and Wheatley. Dr. Benjamin went on to talk about Lucy Slowe, Mary Bethune, Charles Drew, George Washington Carver, and Ernest Just, explaining a little about each person’s achievements. She ended her lecture by explaining the meaning and origins of the statue outside of Crampton Auditorium.

I found Dr. Benjamin’s lecture enjoyable, if extensive. It did seem to drag a bit at the end, and there seemed to be some time constraints, but, overall, it was easy to follow and did a good job of informing us about the buildings on campus.