Sigma Gamma Rho sorority introduced a novel concept to MSU by bringing the university’s first black community forum titled Black in America: MSU Edition to McCool Hall. Though the mostly black audience filled only a minority of the Taylor Auditorium Tuesday, the racial dialogue led by three esteemed black MSU orators nearly realized discourse capacity by virtually spanning the one and a half hour program.
Black in America moderator and senior communication major Tristal Neal said the three orators, namely assistant communication professor Brenda Webster, sociology graduate student Deadric Williams and director of African-American studies Stephen Middleton, were chosen for their unique perspectives on issues facing the black community. Issues addressed in the forum included a perceived disappearance of black men, the black community’s relationship to the media and the meaning of being black in America.
Explaining the program, Neal said “We [Sigma Gamma Rho] actually originally took the idea from the [namesake] CNN specials they were doing [during Black History Month]. We want to kind of bring something like that to MSU: talking about topics we thought would be relevant to us as students and black people.”
Middleton said he believes one of the greatest issues facing black people is education, which can affect many aspects of an individual’s life.
“We are training our children to drop out of high school,” Middleton said. “That’s what’s happening to blacks. If you’re not drawing from strength from each other and not really a sharp sword, then you’ll break.”
As Middleton talked, Williams nodded in agreement. Williams said failures in education support a conventional, unbounded belief that black men are in danger of disappearing as paternal figures from the nation’s familial plain.
“There is a 40 to 50 percent chance that a black man will encounter jail in [his] lifetime. And that, to me, is frightening,” he said. “But black men are ever present. To talk about deadbeat dads but fail to consider dads who are highly involved [doesn’t] get the whole picture.”
Webster, who teaches history of African-American media, said from a journalistic perspective she attributes perceived issues of paternal absence differently. A lack of ownership in the media by the black community is responsible for the way it is portrayed, she said.
“This all goes back to the media for me. The media tells you black men are gone – [and] as of last year, there are only three African-American news directors in the country; there are few who own television stations,” she said.
In the forum, senior physical education major Jeremiah Short said parental absence has personally affected him.
“As far as my position on where have all the black men gone, I was raised by a single mother. A lot of single mothers have two or three jobs; they can’t raise their kids, [and] a woman can’t teach a man to be a man. That’s why there’s no men: They’re all boys,” Short said.
Webster said since slavery, the disempowerment of blacks has affected their employment potential and their families, which have both indeterminably veered from the trajectories of their African ancestors by Western culture.
“We’ve made great progress, but understand purposeful oppression of not only those African or Asian descent but also of white female Americans was a part of the blueprint for the country,” she said. “We aren’t that many years removed from the beginning of this country.”
Middleton said he encourages students to take courses in African-American studies.
Webster said, “Tell your friends that don’t look like you [to take courses in African-American studies].”
Middleton, Webster and Williams agreed events like Black in America are important for students of all races, especially in Mississippi.
Middleton said events like Black in America are opportunities for people who are interested in racial harmony, religious harmony and ethnic harmony to come together with discussions or concerns that affect them.
Webster said if students graduate from Mississippi State with no clue what role African-Americans have in this country, than the university has done a disservice to them.
Williams said participating in social discussion and being informed on race is especially important for students to be able to understand the world they live in.
Senior business administration major Kristina Hodges said she liked how the orators provided three distinct perspectives.
“I think they covered it well,” she said.
Participating in events like Black in America, learning more about different cultures and being open-minded will help progress society, Hodges said.