Negro Digest - Freedom Archives
Negro Digest - Freedom Archives Negro Digest - Freedom Archives
In Chicago, movement toward the Black University is taking place on two frouts : both outside and inside the traditional public educational structure . The Communiversity, though drawing most of its staff and some of its students, from the established system of education, is completely independent and therefore free to divest itself of conventional approaches to education . Its policies and programs, consequently, are designed to deal directly with the problems of the community, with the all-important proviso that the people from the community participate in the generation and the execution of educational programs and approaches . Community cooperation is the keynote . The descriptive paper which follows on the next page, for example, was prepared by a representative group of staff members, parents and students . At the conclusion of their work, the paper's writers made the following statement: "It would not be suffzcient to conclude a proposal for AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION without making some reference to the most fundamental aspect of this entire treatise: That an ideological seed can now fend the nourishment to germinate to take root and grow-as only an ideology can emerge and grow-from out of the myths, out of the rituals, out of the symbols, out of the natural and rhythmical flow of the lifestyle of any people . . . Across town from the Communiversity, the Malcolm X Community College operates under very different conditions . The institution is only one of several similarly constituted units in the city's far-hung City College system, and it is, naturally, subject to the general regulations which control all the colleges in the system . Nevertheless, Malcolm X Com- munity College is blessed with a strong and imaginative Black president, Charles G. Hurst Jr ., a man who recognizes the ultimate futility of imposing on Black youngsters an educational format which was not created with their needs and prospects in mind, and he is proceeding to recreate-within the limits of his powers-a format which will serve the interests of the Black Community . Together, the two educational institutions are bringing new hope to Black Chicago . March 1970 NEGRO DIGEST
An Alternative Independent System BY THE STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS Background : A National Conference for Black teachers was held in Chicago in April, 1968 . Educators came from all sections of the country and from all levels of educational involvement (from wayside rural classrooms to widely acclaimed and distinguished colleges and universities) . The primary concern of those assembled was to become united around the causes and effects of crises in education and to recognize that the solutions to these problems could and would only come from Black educators who re-commit and re-dedicate their lives to these ends . A basic structure was put together, specific tasks were delegated and the word went forth that the newly-organized A.A.A .E . (Association of Afro-American Educators) would begin to deal with and search for all means to educate in the Black community, qualitatively . In Atlanta, Georgia the following year (August 20-24, 1969), the guiding principles were clarified to express that, in order for a real and lasting educative process to have support and acceptance (legitima- NEGRO DIGEST Morch 1970 cy), it must have as its base the total involvement and total dictates of each LOCAL area or community . In order to achieve total involvement, with the entire Black community participating, the Madison Avenue style of executive management and hierarchal omnipotence had to be ruptured. This style of management was the cause of the initiation of the conference . The Black Communiversity evolved fram a month-long concentration on the historical evolution and development of the Black manfrom-A frica through our present situation in America . During the month of February, 1969, in Chicago (Black Liberation North) many groups and individuals worked in unison to bring culturally-expressive programs to all segments of the Black community . The project was a success! From out of this endeavor, a Black Congress was formed and from out of this Congress, a Black Communiversity came into being . Classes were scheduled, teachers volunteered and black students en- 25
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- Page 177 and 178: aising a question regarding in exac
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- Page 189 and 190: (C) Consistency of Thought and Acti
- Page 191 and 192: J. .JICLCfj ._Jd .L'~ .FU~~e ; one
- Page 193 and 194: must carry a greater sexual burden
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- Page 197 and 198: and that prepares them to deal effe
- Page 199 and 200: THE DUKE NATURAL S ET EASY COMB let
- Page 202 and 203: BLACK HISTORY BLACK POWER U .S .A .
- Page 204 and 205: ~re~atorc~ ~o~e~- THE BLACK UNIVERS
- Page 206 and 207: "1lTew Creation or Familiar Deatla"
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- Page 212 and 213: Response to Vincent Harding 12 BY R
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- Page 216 and 217: e done without some base of support
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- Page 222 and 223: Institute of the Black World : Basi
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- Page 228 and 229: stand and serve as a bulwark, or re
- Page 230 and 231: Educating For Liberation and Humani
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- Page 234 and 235: Step 2-A deliberate effort is made
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- Page 238 and 239: 38 Charlie Cobb, one of the key org
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- Page 242 and 243: 1 . Independent African Civilizatio
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- Page 272 and 273: ~omrrcurtiverdiEc~- (Continued from
An Alternative Independent System<br />
BY THE STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS<br />
Background :<br />
A National Conference for Black<br />
teachers was held in Chicago in<br />
April, 1968 . Educators came from<br />
all sections of the country and from<br />
all levels of educational involvement<br />
(from wayside rural classrooms<br />
to widely acclaimed and distinguished<br />
colleges and universities)<br />
. The primary concern of those<br />
assembled was to become united<br />
around the causes and effects of<br />
crises in education and to recognize<br />
that the solutions to these problems<br />
could and would only come from<br />
Black educators who re-commit<br />
and re-dedicate their lives to these<br />
ends . A basic structure was put together,<br />
specific tasks were delegated<br />
and the word went forth that the<br />
newly-organized A.A.A .E . (Association<br />
of Afro-American Educators)<br />
would begin to deal with and search<br />
for all means to educate in the<br />
Black community, qualitatively .<br />
In Atlanta, Georgia the following<br />
year (August 20-24, 1969), the<br />
guiding principles were clarified to<br />
express that, in order for a real and<br />
lasting educative process to have<br />
support and acceptance (legitima-<br />
NEGRO DIGEST Morch 1970<br />
cy), it must have as its base the total<br />
involvement and total dictates of<br />
each LOCAL area or community .<br />
In order to achieve total involvement,<br />
with the entire Black community<br />
participating, the Madison<br />
Avenue style of executive management<br />
and hierarchal omnipotence<br />
had to be ruptured. This style of<br />
management was the cause of the<br />
initiation of the conference .<br />
The Black Communiversity<br />
evolved fram a month-long concentration<br />
on the historical evolution<br />
and development of the Black manfrom-A<br />
frica through our present<br />
situation in America . During the<br />
month of February, 1969, in Chicago<br />
(Black Liberation North)<br />
many groups and individuals<br />
worked in unison to bring culturally-expressive<br />
programs to all segments<br />
of the Black community . The<br />
project was a success!<br />
From out of this endeavor, a<br />
Black Congress was formed and<br />
from out of this Congress, a Black<br />
Communiversity came into being .<br />
Classes were scheduled, teachers<br />
volunteered and black students en-<br />
25