wish I had as a young
black male. I began the bulk
of my undergrad work in
history around the time
President Obama was
elected into office. At this
predominantly white
the week, my mind was
surging with ideas and
possibilities about my own
work.
D r. F a r a h J a s m i n e
Griffin’s seminar on her
work Harlem Nocturne was
them.” People are more than
academic and political
theories. They are sites of
many possibilities and
understandings.
The experience at
Columbia University was
conservative school I dealt
with comments about black
people, President Obama,
and past Civil Rights
leaders. Learning history
from professors that did not
always look like me was
challenging at times but it
made me aware and
constantly reflective of my
intellectual abilities and
whether or not this wa s a
field for me. Being around
D r. R o b e r t w a s b o t h
refreshing and inspiring. If I
could have a similar impact
one day I would credit the
mentorship of Dr. Roberts. I
know I want fill that role to
black students one day and
help them to navigate a
college campus where they
may not be in the majority.
In addition, by the end of
the missing link to my
current master ’s work.
There is no doubt that she
does the type of work I want
to do. For me there exists
this longing to be free. At
times it feels that so much
of the black experience is
tied to this notion of
becoming. Becoming
human, becoming a woman,
becoming a man, and for the
most part becoming free.
My current work explores
James Baldwin, Eldridge
Cleaver, and Amiri Baraka.
In her work, Griffin states
that: “Attending to the
artists and their work helps
us to remember that people
are always bigger than the
theories, narratives, and
histories that seek to
explain, define, and contain
the best academic
experience I have
encountered in my life. I
recently returned to New
York for research at the
Schomburg. I have
continued to reap the
benefits of the summer
institute. Connecting with
Dr. Roberts again allowed
me to receive much needed
guidance and support for the
pending doctoral application
process. I am still making
connections and using that
week as transformative
turning point in my
academic career. It is
something I will cherish for
the remainder of my life. –
Biko Caruthers Twitter:
BikoRising
IG:
BikoBeingFree
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