Bronzevillian supplement march 2015 edition by aaas cec

March 2015

n a i l l i v e z n o r B e th

nt Suppleme A newsletter from the An electronic newsletter from the Department of African African American American and and African African Studies Studies Community Extension Extension Center Center Community

Women’s History Month By: Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D.

Features Pages 1,3: Women’s History Month – Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D. Page 5: In Memoriam Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan Upcoming Events Page 4: Health Care Disparities Among Ethnic Groups Page 6: 2015 Senior Movie Matinee Page 7: Ideological Repositioning: Race, Social Justice, and Promise Page 8: Girls Go Techbridge Page 9: The Math and Science Program Page 10: 2015 Summer Residential Program Page 11: 2015 Summer Enrichment Camp

In commemoration of Women’s History Month, participants in the Rites of Passage Mentoring Program examined the lives and careers of nine dynamic and pioneering Black women. From educators Anna Julia Cooper and Mary McLeod Bethune to sports stars Althea Gibson and Wilma Rudolph to civil rights activists Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Fannie Lou Hamer, the boys presented the biographies of each trailblazer and explored several things these champions of humanity had in common. The most robust discussion focused on the remaining three women: Charlotte Forten Grimke, Bessie Coleman, and Lusia Harris. Several qualities impressed the students about Forten Grimke, Coleman and Harris. From 1854-1864, Forten Grimke was a dedicated teacher with a fervent commitment to racial justice and the education of Black children. In her first teaching job at a White elementary school in Salem, Massachusetts, she became the first African American hired in that district to teach White students. She used this position to debunk the notion of Black inferiority. What’s more, Forten Grimke joined other Northern teachers, both Black and White, who traveled to South Carolina to teach Black youth. She used journaling in diaries and poetry as her instructional method. Whereas Forten Grimke used pen and paper to help advance the race, Bessie Coleman utilized aviation. Coleman developed a passion for flying airplanes after she learned about the careers of French female pilots. Due to racial discrimination in the United States, Coleman left the US and traveled to France to pursue training and a career as a pilot. 1n 1921, Coleman earned continued on page 3

Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43203-1413

Phone: (614) 292-3922 Fax: (614) 292-3892 http://aaascec.osu.edu aaascec@osu.edu

2 the Bronzevillian Supplement March 2015

of the CEC 12Core Programs 6 T he Ohio State University’s AAAS Community Extension Center is the outreach component of the Department of African American and African Studies. The CEC is one of the few off-campus facilities of its kind in the nation. Originally housed at two different locations on Ohio Avenue, the CEC moved to its current location in 1986. The CEC plays an integral role in enhancing the life chances of those who live in and around the Mount Vernon Avenue Area. Toward that end, the CEC offers an array of programs at no or nominal cost to the public. Programs include, but are not limited to, the following: conferences, symposia, computer classes, credit and noncredit courses, summer programs, lecture series, and film series. People from all walks of life have participated in these programs. Based on evaluations of our programs and personal testimonies, the CEC is having an impact on residents living in and around the Bronzeville Neighborhood.

1 Black Veterans Day Salute During the salute, Black men and women from Ohio who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces are publicly recognized. Since the salute’s inception in 2006, the CEC has honored Vietnam War veterans (2007), Korean War veterans (2008), African-American servicewomen (2009), World War II veterans (2010), Gulf War Era veterans (2011) ,Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans (2012) and Black Civil War Veterans (2013)

2 Ray Miller Institute for Change & Leadership This 10-week long leadership course trains young Black professionals from the Columbus community in various areas of leadership. The Institute was founded in 2006 by former State Senator and Minority Whip Ray Miller. Miller has built a reputation as a strong advocate for those who have historically not had access to power. Admission to the Institute is highly competitive. The Institute is offered during OSU’s autumn and spring semesters with the support of OSU’s Office of Continuing Education. Participants who complete the course receive three CEU credits.

3 Senior Citizens Movie Matinee The movie matinee is a chance for senior citizens to watch a film that otherwise might be cost prohibitive in an accommodating environment. A discussion, usually led by an OSU professor or administrator, is held at the end of the film.

4 Computer Literacy Program Throughout the academic year, the CEC offers free and reduced-cost computer technology courses. The program is geared toward seniors but open to everyone. Courses include the following: Senior Computer Orientation, Internet, Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher.

5 Lecture Series Presentations given by OSU faculty, students and/or community members about topics pertinent to the Black community.

Math and Science Program

The Math and Science Program was established in partnership with the OSU Medical Center in 2003. The Math and Science Program exposes students in grades 4 through 12 to the wonders of math and science using hands-on activities. The purpose of the program is three-fold: 1) To increase competency in math and science among students of color; 2) To expose students of color to math and science related careers; and 3) To encourage students of color to major in math or science. The program meets on the fourth Monday of each month from October to May.

7 Summer Residential Program The Summer Residential Program (SRP) was established in 1999 and is designed to provide students with both an appreciation for and an understanding of African-American and African culture and history. The SRP also helps students strengthen their computer literacy skills. Past themes include: “Entrepreneurship in the Black Community and Economic Freedom” (2013), “The Underground Railroad” (2012), “All Eyez On Me: Deconstructing Images of African-American Women in Hip Hop” (2011), “letz b down: Social Justice Advocacy for Blacks During the American Revolutionary War Era” (2010), “The Low Country: Black Culture, Literacy and History in Charleston, South Carolina” (2009). The program is held every June and is for rising 11th and 12th graders. Students live on OSU’s campus.

8 African Affairs Symposium This one-day symposium brings members of the African American and African communities together to discuss issues of particular interest to Africa. The inaugural symposium in 2007 examined the life of South African civil rights activist Steve Biko. “Africa in the Age of Globalization” was the theme of the 2008 symposium. The 2009 symposium examined the life of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, West Africa. In 2010, the focus was on Pan-Africanism and the Diaspora. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the theme of the 2011 symposium.

9 Summer Enrichment Program This week-long, non-residential day program is designed to help rising 9th and 10th graders improve their reading and writing skills. The program, which was founded in 2009, is hosted annually in June and accepts approximately 15 students.

10 History of Black Columbus Conference This one-day conference celebrates the rich history of African Americans in Columbus and increases awareness of the significant contributions African Americans have made in all areas of city life. This annual conference is held in the spring.

11 Black History Month Forum The forum is in its fourth year and is focused on celebrating African descended peoples from all over the world. This year, documentaries about the following influential Black historical figures were shown: John Henrik Clarke, Kwame Nkrumah, Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, Minister Elijah Muhummad.

12 Enemies of the State The annual event features activists from America’s most notorious radical organizations, people who pressured America to live up to its highest ideals. In past years, activists from The Revolutionary Action Movement (2013), The Us Organization (2012), and the Black Panther Party (2011) were invited to speak.

About Bronzeville During the 1930s, African-American leaders in Columbus named the predominately African-American neighborhood between the boundaries of Woodland Avenue (East), Cleveland Avenue (West), Broad Street (South) and the railroad tracks (North) “Bronzeville.” The population was approximately 40,000 residents. In 1937, the same African-American leaders elected a mayor of Bronzeville and created an eight member Cabinet to address social, political and economic issues in the neighborhood. Now, as a result of the establishment of several Neighborhood Civic Associations such as the Woodland Civic Association (East) and the Discovery District (West), Bronzeville was reduced to its current boundaries: Taylor Avenue (East), Jefferson Avenue (West), Broad Street (South), and I-670 (North). The Bronzevillian is inspired by this rich history.

CEC Advisory Board Paul Cook Wanda Dillard Francisca Figueroa-Jackson Mark S. Froehlich Ray Miller, former State Senator Lupenga Mphande, Ph.D. William E. Nelson, Jr., Ph.D. (Deceased) *Ike Newsum, Ph.D. and Chair Rick Pfeiffer, City Attorney Thomas Simpson, Ph.D. Reita Smith Charleta Tavares, State Senator Nana Watson

CEC Director *Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D.

CEC Staff Sarah Twitty Senior Program Coordinator & Fiscal Officer Kevin L. Brooks, Ph.D. Program Coordinator Alecia Shipe Technology Program Coordinator

Address Department of African American and African Studies Community Extension Center 905 Mount Vernon Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43203-1413 *Ex officio members.