The Howard University that belongs to, and has greatly benefited the African Diaspora, enjoys a hopeful, brilliant and achieved interim President in Dr. Wayne Frederick. Shamefully, my friend Courtland Milloy, a celebrated Black columnist, injected a pejorative statement (not attributed to anyone in particular) in his recent Washington Post column about Dr. Frederick, which referred to Howard as brain-dead. Why? Why write a comment that demeans the entire University versus one or more of its individual leaders, an aspect of its leadership, or one or more of their questionable decisions? Brain-dead? Really? Words are powerful and influence thinking. Courtlands inclusion of this unsourced brain-dead reference contaminated his article, as well as Howards aspirations to evolve and perfect its imperfections. It missed the mark. As the article notes, Howard just graduated 2500 mostly black domestic and international students from its liberal arts, social work, fine arts, business, engineering, architectural, nursing, dental, medical, religion, and law schools. Despite challenges and growth pains, rooted in a changing global economy, and attempted castigation to second class academic citizenship, Howard continues to robustly contribute to the fabric of American society. In exemplary fashion, its graduates generate analyses and ideas in their professional lives that uplift communities across the globe, and especially the least among humanity. To Howards credit, many of its graduates are significantly service and purpose driven. The vast majority of them are good productive American citizens. Howard University and most HBCUs share the struggle that we all face. She must retool, rethink and re-strategize in this post industrial, technological age and shrinking global economy. Howard’s progeny, beneficiaries and believers, epitomized by the presence and success of this vibrant, visionary, achieved interim President, triple alum, understand her challenge. The Brain-dead comment was simply unnecessary and useless. Brain-dead Howard University is not!!! D. Temple.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 09:28:57 +0000
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