Blackness has mental, physical and cultural dimensions that are irrevocably intertwined.
That was the theme of Thursday night's Black History Month discussion, "What is Blackness?" A panel of seven Brown students shared its experiences of what it means to be black, both at Brown and in the outside world. Makini Chisolm-Straker '05 led the discussion.
Nods of agreement and the shaking of heads could be seen throughout the auditorium as panelists and those in the audience discussed flaws and ways to improve the black community at Brown. "A strong black community would be one that focuses on each other's success," said panelist Chazz Woodson '05. He added, "I don't think that it's the case at Brown."
One of goals for the discussion was to "get people to start talking" and to "have it mean something," Chandra Singh '05, co-programmer of Black History Month, told The Herald.
Singh said she wanted to address topics that were silenced in the black community and start a discussion that would unite the Caribbean, African and African-American students at Brown as one group.
"We want to use this as a way to enhance the dialogue within the black community," agreed co-programmer Basirat Ottun '05.
Patience Agbenyadzie '08, a first-year born in Ghana who moved to New Jersey as a child, questioned whether blacks on campus want to identify themselves with the black community. She said black students at Brown have the opportunity to understand their backgrounds but don't always have the drive to do so. She cited that only two students in her Africana studies class are black.
"Do we really care?" she asked.
Panelists and audience members argued whether attendance in an Africana studies course or a black student organization could really reveal how a person feels about being black. Audience member Jamal Shipman '07 said he didn't need to take courses in Africana studies to understand his "blackness" because he learned what it means to be black from his parents.
Although arguments ensued over how to define and determine blackness, most students said the state of the black community at Brown needs improvement, especially in terms of faculty-student relations.
Panelist Shanna Bowie '05 said professors cannot be blamed for "falling by the wayside." Given that the Africana Studies Department was established through a late-1960s student movement, if students want more out of it they have to push for it, she said.
By the end of the discussion, the question of what blackness is could not be answered in one neat package, but the discussion was "as good as it could be," Chisolm-Straker said.
Agbenyadzie said she had hoped for a more diverse crowd at the event, but generally thought the discussion was effective.
The event was co-sponsored by the Third World Center, the Organization of United African Peoples, the Students of Caribbean Ancestry and the African Students Association.
Singh said the TWC does a good job of bringing minority communities together, but she said she hoped there would be more co-sponsorship among even more diverse student organizations in the future to expand the scope of the discussion.
"I hope the conversation continues after this event," Singh said.
