African Ground Burial Trip By: Melat Gebre @02640216

My trip to the African Burial Ground started at 4:30 am on Saturday October 25. We arrived at the bus around 5 am, but we did not get to leave on time because our bus was having some “technical difficulties”. After a while our bus finally left. When we arrived at the burial around Dr. Carr performed a ceremony paying homage to all those who died to make our lives possible. We then had a speaker talk to us about the history of the memorial and all the trials and tribulations that the community went through to make the burial ground possible. The burial ground was discovered in 1991, when construction workers were trying to build a new federal building. After the discovery the workers wanted to continue construction, despite the discovery. The local black community along with some politicians pressured the national government to do something about it. The memorial was then made to honor the bodies of our ancestors. The speaker then told us about the meaning of each symbol on the memorial.
We then entered the museum and watched a movie that explained how slaves lived in New York during that time. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the movie and found it very informational. After the movie, we got to tour the rest of the museum that included: pictures of the bones discovered, African jewelry, statues, and artwork.
Overall, I did enjoy the trip and I appreciated the rich history. The only part of the trip that I really did not enjoy was that our bus driver did not know how to get back to D.C. so ended up driving around NYC until she figured out the directions. My suggestion is that all buses should have GPS devices. Before coming to Howard, I attended a predominantly white school, where black history was not really taught. I haven’t been at Howard for even a year yet and I feel like I have learned a lot about black history. I feel very fortunate that I was able to go on this trip.

Faculty Interview, by: Melissa Moise @02644455

To me, our meeting with the faculty mentors was not the most successful. The first meeting was much unorganized and it was not only because students were late and did not know where to go. First my groups' mentor was late which gave us less time to speak to her the first time. Also too much time was wasted on separating groups into the different rooms and calling out all the groups and making sure they were present. There were also still some students who did not know which group they were in. By the time everyone separated into their groups and the mentors introduced themselves class was over. We also had to fill out mbongi forms, but I could only say that it was unorganized and that my group changed our topic.
The second meeting was more productive, my group was able to discuss our topic in more detail. Also we were able to talk to our faculty mentor Dr. Kai who went over the rubric with us and gave advice for presenting our project. We were not able to interview Dr. Kai, but we did leave early to interview other faculty members. My group member and I Melat Gebre went to the biology building to interview someone about the aids epidemic in D.C.
We were able to interview Dr. Barpha S. Mirtha and get a biochemist perspective of the aids epidemic in D.C. When asked why the number of African Americans affected by aids is so high, Dr. Mirtha expressed that there are many variables like lifestyle and economic background. It is also not something that has been researched. Dr. Mirtha contributed a lot of helpful information to my group.

African Burial Ground by Tashiana Hudson @02652609

The African Burial Ground located at 290 Broadway Ave. in New York, New York was rediscovered in 1991, as construction workers were trying to build a new federal building. There was some debate about what should be done, and the local Black community had to fight to make the site a memorial and a national landmark. The bones of the buried Africans were sent to Howard University for research before being sent back to the site and creating somewhat of a cultural celebration along the way.
I visited the burial ground on October 17th. We entered a small museum with some information about the discovery of the bones and the years leading up to the building of the memorial. There was also information about how slaves lived in New York at that time, including a video and some very lifelike statues. We also explored a sort of memorial statue that was an unfinished pyramid on one side and a ship on the other. We all went inside of it in order to imagine the horror and discomfort of the trip to America for slaves. We then learned about some African symbols representing things like endurance, love, and courage. There was also a fountain built in honor of the slaves and their burial ground.
I thought this was a great experience. I really felt closer to seeing how slaves were as people, rather than as I usually see them, abstractly. I thought our speaker, however, talked for so long that everyone lost interest and had a very negative attitude. I felt that he treated us like young children, rather than just acting as a tour guide or allowing us to explore the memorial ourselves. Overall, it was an important experience, and I’m very grateful I had the opportunity to go.

Dr. Dana Williams' Lecture on Research and Methodology by Tashiana Hudson @02652609

Dr. Dana Williams spoke about research and methodology. She explained that the purpose of Freshman Seminar is to encourage students “to pursue a lifetime of independent discovery” and “cultivate a commitment to academic excellence”.
She went on to explain the basic components of research. These are the statement of a problem in order to advance knowledge, solve the problem, or inquire. She reminded students that when researching they must ask themselves if their question is specific enough, broad enough, and doable in the time allotted. She also reminded students to find out the current state of research on the topic, including thinking about what has already been said and whether the student’s research will reveal something new on the subject.
Moving on to methodology, she advised students to conceptualize a research design, listing examples such as reference period, retrospective, and prospective. Next, she advised students to determine the method of data collection. Finally she asked students to choose a disciplinary approach; the different types include discipline-specific, multi-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary.
Next, Dr. Williams asked students to decide on a method of presentation, suggesting either an expository report, and informational presentation, or a persuasive scholarly paper and to display this presentation using PowerPoint, charts, graphs, tables, video, music, handouts, or a mixture of these.
Dr. Williams asked students to articulate a thesis and provide detail and, finally, to draw conclusions about what has been revealed, what limitations students encountered, and what future studies should happen.
I found Dr. Williams’ presentation to be the most organized and easy to follow. I really appreciated her straightforward method, and I especially liked that she listed our objectives for the day, as I have been very confused in previous lectures. She was clear, concise, audible, and overall a great lecturer.

Dr. Dana Williams lecture on Research and Methodology, by: Melissa Moise @02644455

The topic of Dr. Dana Williams lecture was Research and Methodology: Inscription as a liberating practice. Dr. Williams began by discussing the purpose of freshman seminar which is independent discovery and to conduct meaningful research. When I think of independent discovery I think of individuals researching on their own and always seeking to learn new things. Then we began to discuss the components of research.
First you must know what your purpose is and what you are searching for. Then you must review what has already been said about your topic and what materials you will need to complete your research. The next component is methodology which is how you will address your topic and how you will collect your data. Then you must determine how you will present your project whether it is a power point or paper. Next your thesis must provide convincing and detailed points. Finally your conclusion should include what new things you discovered about your topic. Your conclusion should also restate your thesis.
Finally Dr. Williams discussed the purposes of freshman seminar this year; which included an awareness of our African ancestors and of course research. Some approaches to achieve this goal include the blogs, mbongis, lectures, African burial ground, and the group project.
This lecture was by far the most helpful because I learned the actual purpose of freshman seminar. In the beginning I thought it would be all about study skills and how to survive college but I quickly realized it was more related to African studies. It was also helpful because we went into detail about the project. I also liked how Dr. Williams used a power point and was engaged with the audience.

Dr. Dana Williams's lecture on Research and Methodology Inscription as a Liberating Practice By: Melat Gebre @02640216

The central idea of Dr. Williams's lecture was about the appreciation of research and importance of discovery. I feel that the main purpose of Dr. Williams lecture was to give us a better understanding of the purpose of freshman seminar. The lecture also informed us on how freshman seminar is not just curriculum; it is a class that provides us with vital skills. These vital skills can not only be used inside of the classroom, but also in the real world and everyday life. Dr. Williams spoke out the two main objectives which include, to identify the principle components of research and to relate these components to the group project. The purpose research is to advance knowledge, solve a problem, and to inquire. Dr. Williams also spoke about the many lectures we had throughout the class thus far. She explained how the lectures are all connected to each other, some way or another. She also said how we can use what we learned in the lectures for our group project. Then Dr. Williams then began talking about methodology and the group projects. She mentioned the many ways to approach the group project. She said the purpose of the group project is not only to come up with a solution for a real social issue, but also to learn how to work in a group. She mentioned how learning to work in a group is a skill within itself. Overall I feel like the lecture was very informational and Dr. Williams did a good job in getting the content to use in a clear and organized fashion.

African Burial Ground Trip- Sara Tosi @02647875

I was very excited to attend the African Burial Ground trip this past weekend. Despite not having gotten any sleep the previous night, and suffering from a severe chest cold, I was in high spirits as I waited with my classmates outside Crampton Auditorium at 5:00 AM on Saturday. When we finally boarded the bus and got going I fell asleep almost immediately, waking just in time to glimpse the iconic city skyline as we entered the city. After our chaperone provided us with granola bars and orange juice we were let off the bus at the Burial Ground site. We congregated around the memorial near where the bodies of those studied here at Howard are now buried. Dr. Carr led a simple prayer and libation for our ancestors buried there. I was glad that I was wearing dark sunglasses because Dr. Carr’s words moved me to tears. Being at the memorial was a very spiritual experience. An employee of the burial ground explained the significance of the memorial to us and then Dr. Carr took some time to explain the meaning of some of the symbols carved on the memorial. Then we got to go inside and see a short movie about the burial ground and some exhibits with information about the people buried there. When Howard University was mentioned during the movie my classmates and I cheered with bison pride. One of the employees explained to us that the burial ground comprises about 5 city blocks and is mostly under the municipal building, the courthouses, and police plaza, in other words, the buildings associated with justice in New York. I learned from the exhibits that 40% of the 20,000 bodies buried in the burial ground were children under two years of age. That was probably the most sobering fact about the place. Despite being a very small and simple memorial, the burial ground was a very powerful place. After a couple hours at the burial ground we got back on the bus and were driven up to Harlem and were given some free time. I was very glad to be in my home state of NY and met up with one of my best friends from high school for lunch. I am very grateful that we freshman were given this opportunity and wish I could go on this field trip every weekend it is offered.

The African Burial Trip, By: Melissa Moise @02644455

On Saturday October 3, 2010 the freshman seminar class attended The African Burial in New York City. When I learned that I had to wake up at five in the morning, and I wasn’t returning until ten at night I wasn’t so pleased. I thought to myself “there goes my weekend”. Then I realized some of my good friends were going to attend the trip with me; and we were going to have free time after, so I began to think more positively. While at the African Burial I learned more about my African/Haitian heritage and myself.
I learned that 15,000 to 20,000 Africans were buried there and the remains of about 400 Africans were preserved there. While walking through the museum I discovered most of the remains belonged to children. I am most proud that the black community decided to have students of Howard University study the remains, because it adds more history to the school; and as a student it makes me proud to attend Howard University. Howard University was able to detect some of the remains, gender, age, and other things. While walking through the memorial and viewing the symbols, I realized that some of them relate to Haitian Voudon like papa Legba and manman Brigitte. I learned that most Haitians were descendants of Africans that came from congo, Yoruba and other places; prior to that day I only knew they came from West Africa. This added to my Haitian pride and made me feel more connected to my African Ancestors.
Overall I’m glad I attended the trip, I truly learned a few new things about my African/Haitian heritage. I also felt connected to my African ancestors when we gave a moment of silence and poured water. I also enjoyed the free time in New York City with my friends, because that was another experience itself as well. I thank Dr. Carr and everyone else who gave me this opportunity.

Dr. Gbadegesin's Lecture- Sara Tosi @02647875

Dr. Gbadegesin’s lecture was very interactive and interesting. Dr. Gbadegesin began by teaching us about the Egyptian Goddess Ma’at and how she predates Aristotle, Jesus, and Moses. He taught us the importance of the values of Ma’at, such as truth, justice, and harmony, with particular emphasis on personal character. To demonstrate this he told us a story about Iwa (character), granddaughter of the god of patience. Iwa was married to Orunmila (wisdom), on the condition that he did not stress her, else she would leave. Orunmila became very prosperous but took Iwa for granted and she left, and when she did Orunmila was no longer as successful. Dr. Gbadegesin says this is because a man who has no character has nothing. Dr. Gbadegesin did a dramatization of the story for us complete with a drum and taught us a poem about the importance of Iwa which when translated means, “Honor may vanish from your house, Cosmetic beauty may fade, Iwa is what endures even into the grave, Take care of your Iwa”. He also said that Omo Olu Iwa Bi is a child begotten of the source of Iwa, with character and discipline who serves the community and makes personal sacrifices for the community and that we should all strive for this because it is our responsibility to serve the community through our education. He said that good character is beauty and it is the essence of religion, and that if you do not have Iwa your children will belong to someone else. Dr. Gbadegesin finished with a quote from Mordecai Johnson about the importance of education and told us that we need to educate ourselves so we can serve our community. I really enjoyed Dr. Gbadegesin’s story about Iwa and thought his lecture was fun and engaging.

Dr. Gbadegesin lecture, by: Melissa Moise @02644455

Dr. Gbadegesin’s lecture was on self-actualization and communal responsibility. He began the lecture by telling an ancient African story that his father once told him. The story began with Iwa, the goddesses of character; who was married to Orunmila the god of wisdom. The only one condition of their marriage was Orunmilla could not stress out Iwa or she would leave him for good. Orunmilla did not listen and began to stress Iwa about cooking and cleaning, so she left and Orunmilla had to beg Suru Iwa’s father for her return. The moral of the story is too never lose your character, because if you do you lose everything. Character is the traits and qualities, like honesty and courage that a person has. If you lose qualities like honesty, you cannot be depended on or trusted.
Then Dr. Gbadegesin began to discuss about those who were before Jesus Christ which includes goddess Ma’at, Vizier Ptahhotep, and Pharaoh Amenemope. Also before the Ten Commandments, there were the principles of Ma’at which were about truth, justice, order, and harmony. Some other texts included the book of instructions, the pyramid texts, and the coffin texts. Some principles of Ma’at included, I have not committed sin, I have not told lies, or I have not made anyone cry just to mention a few.
Finally Dr. Gbadegesin discussed how Ancient Egypt related to Africa. They relate physically, spiritually, and philosophical. I learned that every individual has the responsibility to remake themselves through education and not just through books, but through elders as well. One also has the responsibility to serve the community by educating the younger generations. Overall I enjoyed Dr. Gbadegesin’s lecture, because he shared a personal story, used the drums to explain to us how they are used as a form of education. The power point also helped while taking notes.

Dr. Gbadesin's Lecture on Self-Actualization and Communal Responsibility by Tashiana Hudson @02652609

Dr. Gradegesin opened with a story about gratitude. The story was about Iwa, the granddaughter of patience, who married orummila, the god of wisdom. Iwa told orummila that she would only marry him if he did not stress her. Through marrying Iwa, Orummila gained honor and fortune, but was still unsatisfied. He began to stress Iwa about cooking and cleaning until he left him. After she left, clients stopped coming to him and he lost some of his fortune. Orummila searched for Iwa, apologized, and convinced her to return to him. Iwa is a symbol or character in the story because if you lose it, you lose everything.
Gradegesin went on to talk about Ma’at, representing truth, justice, order, balance, and harmony. Principles of Ma’at include no sinning, robbery, stealing, killing, swindling, lying, cursing, ignoring truth, adultery, making people cry, being depressed without reason, assaulting, polluting oneself, disobeying the law, acting hastily, working evil, cursing, disrespecting the dead, etc.
Gradegesin also told a story about a man who prosecuted his own father, to Plato’s great confusion, and posed the philosophical question, “Do the gods love what you do because it is the right thing, or is it the right thing because the gods love it?”
He went on to speak about Ptahhotep, a principle meaning that “a man of character is a man of wealth, and he talked about the Coffin Texts, written from 2200-1800 BCE for the tombs of nobles. These Coffin Texts inspired Moses. He also spoke about Iwa as character and existence.
I thought this was one of the most interesting lectures thus far. I really enjoyed the stories, and the African talking drums. The speaker did go off on a lot of tangents that made his lecture hard to follow, but it was full of good advice and kept my attention.