The University News » Entries tagged with "African Americans"
Past is prologue to chancellor: Leo Morton contrasts upbringing with racial realities today
UMKC Chancellor Leo E. Morton looks the part of a suave, prosperous chief executive who has spent a lifetime rushing between board meetings, fundraisers and high-profile civic events. He is, in fact, living testimony to what hard work and determination can accomplish. Morton is the epitome of success achieved despite a harsh upbringing at a time when it was impossible for most African Americans to imagine moving beyond the position of janitor. Morton, the first African American to lead UMKC as chancellor, grew up in Birmingham, Ala., during the Jim Crow era of the 1950s and 1960s. This was mostly a period in which it was illegal in that region for blacks to attend the same schools as whites, sit together on a bus or drink from the same water fountain. Early this … Read entire article »
Filed under: News
‘Black history is American history’
As we all know, February is Black History Month. But what exactly does that mean? For some, the month serves as a reminder of the important contributions made by African-Americans throughout history. Many of those contributions have been ignored, or the credit for them has been inaccurately documented. For some, it’s about setting the record straight. It’s about saying, “No, he actually invented that,” or, “Remember that chapter in your fifth grade history book? Turns out, it was wrong.” For some, the month honors past leaders who fought for civil rights. For others, it’s time to move on. Morgan Freeman referred to the designated month in a 60 Minutes interview as “ridiculous”. “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?” He asked Mike Wallace. “What do you do with yours? Which month is White History Month?” “I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
Who’s afraid of the Big Black Panther?
Black History Month is legendary for celebrating African-Americans like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Booker T. Washington. W.E.B. DuBois – who shares a birthday with me on February 23 – and Frederick Douglass are also popular people of study. To my amazement, one of the most famous groups in Civil Rights history is constantly (and probably intentionally) overlooked: The Black Panthers. “Why is this?” I ask myself. Year after year, I shake my head in disbelief at the lack of education taught concerning The Black Panthers. Perhaps I am a bit partial given the family ties; my father was a member of the group’s Kansas City chapter. Regardless, I feel that more information needs to be given. I also believe that there are fears and misconceptions about The Black Panthers that … Read entire article »
Filed under: Forum
America I Am: The African American Imprint
“What is perceived dismantles the taught idea of a savage, barbaric people unable to operate in a refined, cultured manner. In fact, just the opposite is exposed. “ On October 22, 2011, Union Station introduced to Kansas City its most racially radical exhibit to date, America I Am: The African American Imprint. The display was presented by Tavis Smiley, a Black author, advocate, and philanthropist who is popular for his radio shows and television broadcasts. The … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arts & Entertainment
Crime in Kansas City: Facts, myths and student perceptions
Crime can be a problem in most major cities, and Kansas City is no exception. In 2010, homicides occurred, on average, once every three and a half days in Kansas City, Mo., and aggravated assaults averaged nearly 10 per day. But such numbers are not unusual for a city the size of Kansas City, nor do they spell panic or alarm. Crime rates in Kansas City have actually gone down over the past several decades, as they have throughout the United States. The U.S. crime rate is at its lowest level since 1973, but polls show Americans believe crime has become worse. In 2010, Gallup.com, a website of polls and public opinion, found 66 percent of Americans believed crime was increasing. But exactly how violent is Kansas City? “It’s just like any other big city,” Kansas City … Read entire article »
Filed under: News
Dr. Joe Seabrooks presents ‘Hip Hop’s Effect on Consumer Trends’
On Thursday, Jan. 3, UMKC alumnus Dr. Joe Seabrooks presented a slideshow titled “Hip-Hop’s Effect on Consumer Trends” to a handful of students in the Student Union. The bulk of the talk targeted African-Americans. Throughout his presentation, Seabrooks played excerpts from popular Hip-Hop songs. After each came a slide with the song’s lyrics typed on it. Seabrooks dissected each song’s message, and stated his opinions of the musician’s artistic intentions. Many of the songs featured endorsements for products. Seagram’s Gin made an appearance in Snoop Dogg’s hit track “Gin and Juice,” and Run DMC had a popular song about Adidas shoes. Lyrics to that song went “Now the Adidas I possess for one man is rare/myself homeboy got 50 pair.” Seabrooks joked about how nobody in their right mind would want to own 50 pairs of shoes. Each … Read entire article »
Filed under: News
‘Kansas City Murder Factory’
Documentary challenges community members On Tuesday, Jan. 25, students and community members crowded into the Student Union theatre to watch “Kansas City: Murder Factory Act I.” The film was presented by the AdHoc Group Against Crime and the UMKC Criminal Justice and Criminology Club. AdHoc is a local organization working to support youth and families who are affected by criminal behavior. AdHoc was first founded in 1977 by local activist Alvin Brooks after community members came together to address the unsolved murders of nine African-American women. The documentary was directed, produced and cut by Mike B. Rollen, a concerned community member. “I wanted to peel away the layers of homicide as it happens,” Rollen said, explaining that he originally began filming to make a difference in urban communities. Rollen went on to preemptively respond to criticism that … Read entire article »
Filed under: News
Letter to the Editor
Hello. I’m sure it has already been brought to your attention the controversy surrounding the “Do I have a booger” article. I do not believe the writer wrote with the intention of being racist or coming off as bigoted. As an African-American student at UMKC, I understand the complaints being raised from other students. However, I think this is an opportunity to explore the larger issue at hand. I think that African-American students are embarrassed by how the writer portrayed the characters in her article. It is only my theory that the source of the embarrassment comes from the reality of the situation. Do many African-Americans speak in the dialect the writer portrayed? Yes. Isn’t it true that this dialect is many times viewed at as uneducated or inferior to “standard … Read entire article »
Filed under: Forum
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