April 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
Mr. James Madison Features Page 1: Mr. James Madison – Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D.
By: Judson L. Jeffries, Ph.D.
Pages 3,5: James Madison The Last Surviving Bronzeville Cabinet Member – Willis Brown, M.A. Pages 4-5: James Madison, 100 Years Young – Willis Brown, M.A. Upcoming Events Page 6: 2015 Senior Movie Matinee Page 7: Train Up A Child: An Intergenerational DialoguePART II Page 8: Girls Go Techbridge Page 9: The Math and Science Program Page 10: 2015 Summer Residential Program Page 11: 2015 Summer Enrichment Camp Page 12: A Call to Action Effective Steps Towards Resistance Part 3
On Saturday, April 18, 2015 Mr. James Madison, one of the architects of Bronzeville, Columbus passed away. A renaissance man and a champion of the downtrodden, Madison, a centenarian, lived a full life spending the twilight of his life in a Maryland suburb, just a half hour’s drive of the nation’s capital. The last time I saw Mr. Madison was at his 100th birthday, a joyous, foot-stomping and handclapping occasion. Friends, relatives and loved ones from across the country came to share this momentous occasion with this historical figure. We dedicate this issue of the Bronzevillian Supplement to this man who was humble and unassuming in appearance, but towering and unwavering in his makeup.
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
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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.
James Madison The Last Surviving Bronzeville Cabinet Member
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“When I was a cabinet member, Bronzeville was moving and shaking.” -James Madison, Former Bronzeville Leader By: Willis Brown, M.A.
O
n April 1, 2011 at 3:30AM, I along with three others stuffed our knapsacks, video equipment and other belongings into the trunk of the car and embarked on a much anticipated 400 mile road trip to a sleepy town along Maryland’s eastern shore where Mr. James Madison, the last remaining Bronzeville Cabinet member, has lived for the past six years. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Madison was born on December 10, 1911. As a youth he attended Champion Middle School as well as the storied East High School. Almost 100 years old, Mr. Madison has lived an eventful and full life. From East High School he matriculated to The Ohio State University. After graduating from OSU in 1934, Mr. Madison took a supervisory position with the Department of Recreation, a position he held from 1935-1940. In 1940, he served as resident manager of Poindexter Village, purportedly the first Public Housing Complex in the U.S. The trip to Maryland had been planned several months in advance; it was originally scheduled for mid January, but due to circumstances beyond our control the trip had to be postponed on at least two different occasions. This jaunt would be the second one in sixteen months. However, this trip was very different from the first. For starters, this one involved two sorely needed additions — a videographer and an academic. What’s more, the weather was more cooperative this time around than it was New Year’s Eve 2009 when just days earlier, the East Coast had been hit with a moderately heavy snowfall, making driving conditions less than ideal. The roads were especially adventurous along the mountainous terrain of West Virginia and Maryland. With the exception of a light drizzle the weather held up beautifully this time. The trip’s first few hours were occupied with talk of Mr. Madison,
Bronz evi lle ’ s rightful place in history, and the importance of documenting Black life in Columbus. Three hours into the ride, things had quieted down considerably as one of the occupants lay comatose in the van’s back row; another seemed to be in the twilight, while a third kept going in and out depending on the speed at which the van was travelling. We made two quick stops along the way. Before anyone realized it, we had crossed the Maryland state line. Thanks to one of the newest members of the team, a six hour and forty six minute drive (according to MapQuest) was done in six hours and five minutes. Whether MapQuest overestimated the trip’s travel time or our quick arrival was the result of our seemingly skilled driver is unclear. Once there, breakfast was the first order of business. We spotted several eateries, but settled on Denny’s. The excitement of seeing Mr. Madison dominated the discussion. After breakfast we hurried over to the nursing home where Mr. Madison has been residing for several years. Based on the reception we received from the front desk, other staff members, and residents, it was clear that not only was Mr. Madison expecting us, but others were as well. Rumor had it that a film crew from Ohio was coming to interview Mr. Madison for a movie. Apparently, our first visit [back in December 2009] turned Mr. Madison into a celebrity. Perhaps the most memorable moment came when we were interviewing Mr. Madison
within the cozy confines of the nursing home’s library. The scene was picturesque. At a mahogany table sat Mr. Madison and behind him were (what seemed liked endless) shelves of books, some of which are considered classics such as War and Peace and Moby Dick. Others were contemporary works by such authors as Stephen Ambrose, Tom Clancy and J.K. Rawlings. Twenty minutes into the visit we noticed that several residents had brought over chairs, plopped down in them and positioned themselves as if they were viewing a talk show. And there they sat for more than an hour. The next day we requested a secluded area in which to conduct the interview. To our delight we were given an office. Comically, within minutes we spotted two residents trying to peer through the curtain covered windows of the office door. Before our visit, Mr. Madison had undoubtedly lived there in relative obscurity, but now he was well known, the Big Man on Campus. When we were taken to the third floor to see Mr. Madison, he was as delighted to see us as we were him. We immediately noticed that Mr. Madison was slower than he was in 2009. He now moves about with a walker rather than the cane he used during our first visit. His memory is also not as sharp. At times he continued on page 5
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James Madison, 100 Years Young By: Willis Brown, M.A.
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n the autumn 2011 issue of The Bronzevillian, readers were introduced to Mr. James Madison, an OSU alum and Bronzeville’s last remaining cabinet member. A graduate of East High School, Madison had the honor of running track with Jesse Owens at The Ohio State University, graduating from OSU in 1934. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Madison assumed a high level position in Mayor Rev. N.L. Scarborough’s seven member cabinet, as head of the department of recreation. Other cabinet positions included president, Dept. of Public Welfare, Dept. of Finance, Dept. of Public Relations, Dept. of Legal Affairs, and Dept. of Better Business Relations. As a member of this all-black cabinet from 1935-1940, Mr. Madison played an integral role in the affairs of Bronzeville, the historic Black neighborhood of 70,000 residents between the boundaries of Woodland Avenue to the East, Cleveland Avenue to the West, Broad Street to the South and the railroad tracks to the North. On December 10, 2011, Mr. Madison celebrated his 100th birthday with nearly as many friends, family members and acquaintances. I, along with three other colleagues, made the seven hour drive to the sleepy town in which Mr. Madison resides. In April, I had promised Mr. Madison that I would return for his historic birthday, and it was a promise that I intended to keep. Guests flew in from across the country, including Mr. Madison’s daughter, a doctor who resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. The atmosphere was both festive and reflective. Mr. Madison’s bash was intended to be a surprise, hence only the guests and those charged with pulling off the event were in the know about the occasion leading up to the big day. Anticipation filled the air as guests filed in one by one. When Mr. Madison was finally escorted into the room; those who were sitting rose, while those who were standing moved closer to get a glimpse of the guest of honor. I was nearly blinded by all the cameras going off. It appeared that everyone in the room was snapping photos of Mr. Madison as he made his way to the front of the room. Members of Kappa Alpha Psi, Mr. Madison’s fraternity, kicked off the event by serenading him. A number of friends and relatives told of their special relationship with Mr. Madison. One family member presented Mr. Madison with a scarlet and gray leather OSU jacket. Others gave cards and other gifts. I spoke of the research project in which I am engaged and how instrumental Mr. Madison is to that endeavor. When the formalities were over an extravagant birthday cake awaited everyone. As the evening was coming to an end, Mr. Madison motioned for me and my colleagues to sit at his table. We talked as we ate dessert. He Top: Dana Moessner, Near Eastside Commissioner, helps Mr. Madi- seemed happy that we made the trip. When I asked him if he was surson celebrate his 100th Birthday. Middle: Mr. Madison looks on as prised to see us he replied, “I knew you were coming, I kept the faith.” guests take photos. Bottom: Mr. Madison and daughter share a Over the course of an hour, Mr. Madison entertained our questions about laugh. Bronzeville, Jesse Owens and his experience at The Ohio State University. As in the previous three visits, I learned a lot. Before we departed, I
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promised Mr. Madison that I would do my best to preserve the history of Bronzeville and in the process, share it with as many people and audiences as possible; and that is yet another promise I intend to keep.
The Last Surviving Bronzeville Cabinet Member cont. needs prompting about a particular person, place or thing, but once he gets going he is a treasure trove of information. However, he looks exceptionally good for his age, more like seventy nine rather than ninety nine. During our two day visit a range of issues were discussed, from Mr. Madison’s days as a member of the Bronzeville cabinet to the election of an African American president and the progress or lack thereof at OSU where race is concerned. Madison recalled his days as a student at OSU vividly. Mr. Madison said, “there was only a handful of Black students and we were not allowed to live on campus. Since I was raised in Columbus, Ohio it wasn’t so much a problem for me, but for students who came from out-ofstate finding housing in the community could be quite a task.” Madison also noted that there were no Black professors at OSU at the time. When asked what it meant to him that one of his interviewers was a professor at his alma mater, he smiled broadly and replied, “Amazing, that is really amazing.” Madison was no less flabbergasted when the conversation turned to Barack Obama. “I never thought I would live to see the election of a Black president.” In December, Mr. Madison will turn 100 years old and while he has lost a step he apparently is still a voracious reader. Black history is his favorite subject as is evident by the photo therein. About Bronzeville Mr. Madison says that when he was a cabinet member Bronzeville was “moving and shaking.” “The Bronzeville cabinet was comprised of seven members, including me,” said Mr. Madison. “They were Dr. Henry W. Dryer, president, Anna Allen, Dept. of Public Welfare, Pompey Davis, Dept. of Finance, E.L. Nixs, Dept. of Public Relations, Charles W. Warfield, Dept. of Legal Affairs, George Mays, Dept. of Better Business Relations and of course me as chair of the Dept. of Recreation. Rev. N.L. Scarborough was Bronzeville’s mayor. With the help of Mr. Lazarus we got a lot done in that area.” “I was proud to be a part of it,” Mr. Madison continued. As our time with Mr. Madison was coming to an end, the idea of leaving was much tougher than any of us had anticipated. Although this visit marked the second such visit for two of us, this time was different. Mr. Madison appeared to get emotional when asked certain questions, thus prompting an emotional response from us. As we collected our belongings we promised Mr. Madison that we would return to celebrate his 100th birthday, thereby lessening the impact that our departure may have had. Before leaving though we promised to return for his 100th birthday giving both him and us something to look forward to in the coming months.
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2015 Senior Movie Matinee
the Bronzevillian Supplement April 2015
Train Up A Child: An Intergenerational Dialogue- PART II
For more information visit http://aaascec.osu.edu or call 614-292-3922
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Girls Go Techbridge
. For more information visit http://aaascec.osu.edu or call 614-292-4144
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The Math and Science Program
The next Math and Science Club Session is Monday, April 27, 2015. For more information visit http://aaascec.osu.edu or call 614-292-3922 or 293-8357
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The 2015 Summer Residential Program
We are now accepting applications for the 2015 Summer Residential Program. For more information visit http://aaascec.osu.edu or call 614-292-3922.
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The 2015 Summer Enrichment Program
We are now accepting applications for the 2015 Summer Enrichment Program. For more information visit http://aaascec.osu.edu or call 614-292-3922.
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A Call to Action Effective Steps Towards Resistance Part 3