Tuesday night, David Wilson, who went through a powerful journey tracing back his ancestors, spoke in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium about his life.
Wilson spoke about the progress of the African-American race since the civil rights movement and the work still needed to be done. His thoughts on racism accompanied the events he experienced as he traced his lineage back to his family’s native African land.
He began his story by telling about his childhood where he was one of seven children raised by what he described as loving parents. However, the part of Newark, N.J., he grew up in had some bad external influences.
“Poverty, drugs and violence were all synonymous with being black,” he said.
Wilson said he had an urge to investigate his family’s history. As he learned about the successes of his ancestors despite being enslaved, he wanted to know even more.
Wilson said he had an urge to investigate his family’s history. As he learned about the successes of his ancestors despite being enslaved, he wanted to know even more.
“I held on to the hope that I was a part of something greater,” he said.
He traced his family back to the plantation where his ancestors were enslaved. He said he then learned the plantation was owned by a descendent of the family who had enslaved his ancestors. Coincidentally, the owner’s name was also David Wilson.
Wilson said he decided he must meet this other David Wilson; however, he did some research on the how African-Americans viewed themselves first.
He showed a clip from his recreation of Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s “Doll Test,” which was used in the 1940s to show how African-American children view skin color. The test resulted in the Caucasian doll repeatedly being attributed with positive characteristics. Wilson’s recreation of the test showed the same results.
“Our children are still being robbed of their dignity,” he said.
Samantha Musil, assistant director of the Colvard Student Union, said the video clips from this experiment were very powerful.
“I was really shocked at the results,” she said.
After he completed research, Wilson finally met the other Wilson. The conversation was played at the presentations. Both Wilsons talked about a wide variety of topics dealing with slavery and racism,
“The conversation was the most nerve-wracking experience of my life,” he said.
Angela Thomas, a sophomore sociology major, agreed a similar conversation would be hard, but she said she doesn’t believe it would cause anger between herself and the other person.
“[Slavery happened] a long time ago,” she said. “There would be anger, but it would be toward the ancestors.”
Wilson said the problem that faces the African-Americans is no longer segregation but favoring materialism over segregation.