WATCH: Renovated African American Cultural and Resource Center Reveals UC’s Black History
The grand reopening celebration took place on Jan. 15, which marked the 84th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Date: 1/17/2013 12:00:00 AM By: Dawn Fuller Phone: (513) 556-1823
Photos By: Dottie Stover
A packed house of UC students, staff, administrators, alumni and community members formally celebrated the grand reopening of UC’s African American Cultural and Resource Center (AACRC) on Jan. 15. The $325,000 renovations expand the AACRC to more than double its original capacity. The center had been closed for renovations since last August.
Revered alumna Marian Spencer (A&S ’42), University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono, and assistant AACRC director Ewaniki Moore-Hawkins (’02 and ’06, LCOB) performed the ribbon-cutting that formally kicked off the grand reopening ceremony. Eric Abercrumbie, director of the AACRC and Ethnic Programs and Services, performed the libation ceremony of pouring water on a plant to symbolize the past, present and future.
“We know we’re not here because of us, so this is why we’re going to start with libation,” said Abercrumbie. “Libation is a ceremony where we recognize our ancestors, those who’ve gone on before.”
“I’m so proud that the university has a place like this to come together,” said President Ono. “I will say to you today that I am absolutely committed to continuing this dream.”
Monday, February 13th 7:30PM-9:00PM 508 Swift Hall
In preparation for an upcoming conference presentation, Wil Pierce will be doing a "practice run" of his presentation that is open to the community.
Come learn about:
RAPP's storied history at UC,
The academic fields that are the foundation of our work,
The current structure through which we work on our mission of fighting oppression through individual awareness and collective action.
Wil is a graduate of RAPP XXV, Social Justice League member 2010-present, and Peer Leader with RAPP XXVII. He is a doctoral student in Educational Leadership.
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” the best-selling novel of the 19th century, has had an enduring impact on film and popular culture. In a year when we observe the 200th anniversary of author Harriet Beecher Stowe’s birth, a UC researcher is presenting on the novel’s impact, interpretation and reinterpretation on the silver screen.
Date: 9/26/2011 12:00:00 AM By: M.B. Reilly Phone: (513) 556-1824
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe was the best-selling novel of the 19th century, and almost immediately upon its publication in 1852, it made its way to stage, vaudeville, music and minstrel shows. In fact, it gave birth to an entire genre of minstrel shows called “Tom Shows.”
And, appropriately enough, it was the subject of one of the earliest films, a 12-minute motion picture made in 1903 by mechanic-turned-movie director Edwin S. Porter, which introduced the first black character – though played by a white actor in blackface – ever depicted in American cinema. VIEW a short clip, just below, from this first filming of Stowe's novel.
University of Cincinnati researcher Sharon Dean, associate professor of English and women’s studies, has studied the impact of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in film and popular culture for decades and points out that while more than 100 films, plays and musicals have recreated and reinterpreted the novel, many more reference its characters, plot and themes in some way.
According to Dean, “The 1915 silent movie ‘The Birth of a Nation’ borrows characters and the slave-cabin setting from Stowe’s novel. Bugs Bunny cartoons from the 1930s and ‘40s reference the novel. The musical ‘The King and I’ also contains a subplot from Stowe’s book. And even the 2002 film ‘Gangs of New York’ contains a scene where characters are at a stage play of ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin.’”
She will present on her research during a Sept. 30-Oct. 2 conference, the Stowe Bicentennial Commemorative Conference, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, one-time home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Dean will present at 1:45 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.
FILM VERSIONS OF “UNCLE TOM’S CABIN” PROVIDE FOCUS ON ATTITUDES ON RACE AND HISTORY OF SLAVERY “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in film or as popular culture objects – like advertisements, comics, Sambo coin banks and Topsy Turvy dolls – reflects the arc of racial attitudes and equality over the decades, explained Dean.
She added that in the early part of the 20th century and even well into the 1930s and '40s, Hollywood films were actively demeaning of and toward African Americans, largely because Hollywood tapped into the already popular formula of the Tom Shows. There was a brief respite from these characterizations, provided by the 1920s and '30s race films. Race films were movies produced by, directed by and starred in by African Americans for an African American audience.
In the 1950s, Hollywood began to react to the growing civil rights movement and to attract more diverse audiences. Thus, films took more care, generally, in depicting diversity and with characterizations of diverse groups. Stated Dean, “The ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ scene in ‘The King and I’ would exemplify this much more sympathetic treatment of African American characters, with a harsher judgment delivered regarding the practice of slavery.”
In the 1960s and 1970s, films of and entertainment industry references to “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” largely disappeared due to the civil rights movement. Interpretations of and references to the book’s narrative did not return until a 1987 television movie depicting the book. The more modern versions and references to the work generally employ it as a vehicle to explore and depict racial and economic injustice.
“The story, its characters, stereotypes and themes continue to be the lens through which we define America’s history of slavery and our interpretation of the struggle for equal rights. And while interpretations and reference to the book have certainly evolved, some elements have remained both consistent and intriguing,” said Dean.
For instance, two girl characters in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” are Eva and Topsy. Eva, a white child, is intelligent and angelic, while Topsy, a black child, is the opposite. (The current focus of Dean's research is the history and representation of Topsy.)
“Yet,” according to Dean, “from the earliest film versions, these characters were consistently played by twins. This brought in a subtext to these movies that didn’t exist in the book. The films were bringing a new dimension, looking at our duality as human beings, the multifaceted sides one individual can have.”
MORE ON THE STOWE BICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE CONFERENCE Other UC researchers participating in the conference are
Deb Meem, professor and chair of the Department of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS), served as conference organizer.
John Douglass, associate professor of history at UC Blue Ash College, will present “Slavery vs. Freedom: The Wharton Jones vs. John Van Zandt Case and the Fugitive from Service Act of 1793.” He will present at 3:45 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at the National Underground Freedom Center, 50 East Freedom Way.
Lisa Marie Hogeland, associate professor of English and WGSS, will present “The Problem of Feeling Right in Your Heart” as part of a session titled “Sentimental Stowe.” She will present at 2 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at the National Underground Freedom Center, 50 East Freedom Way.
Theresa Leininger-Miller, associate professor of art history, will present “J.P. Ball, African American Daguerreotypist in Cincinnati.” She will present at 9:15 a.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at the main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library, 800 Vine St., downtown Cincinnati.
Nikki Taylor, associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies, will present research related to how slave women’s resistance was more closely tied to the destiny of their children than has previously been acknowledged. She will present at 10:45 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.
The Stowe Bicentennial Commemorative Conference is sponsored by Friends of Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Cincinnati Museum Center, The Mercantile Library, National Underground Freedom Center and the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County. For information about conference registration, call 513-751-0641 or 800-847-6075, or e-mailStoweConference@gmail.com
Over the next few weeks, we'll be highlighting outcomes of the RAPP 25 Year Reunion that was held this past weekend as a part UC Alumni Weekend.
Many people helped us achieve this first one. As described previously, RAPP is still on a long road to finding previous participants of the program. This weekend, we made some great strides toward eventually having a complete list!
Photos of all the previous RAPP groups were on display at the reunion and a list of the names of folks we know so far was included with the photos. We asked for RAPPers to take a few minutes to help us continue building the list.
RAPPers from groups I-X really answered that call! They generously took time out of their partying & mingling to add to the list. In total, we now know the names and/or RAPP years of 39 more people than we did before! That's an almost 10% increase!
The updated information can be found on the RAPP History page in the RAPP university website. As this is a continuing project, any RAPPer can help at any time by checking the site out and contacting us with corrections and updates!
A snapshot of RAPPers from groups I through X at the reunion
We're 3 days away from when we most need your registration for the RAPP 25 Year Reunion and 16 days out from the reunion itself!
If you haven't yet, register online for the reunion at this link!
Toni of RAPP X said "I am attending to see How things have changed in the past 10 years and to hopefully impart some wisdom to the next generation."
Abigail of RAPP VIII won't be able to attend but said she wants to be there because "RAPP is single-handedly one of the greatest experiences in my whole life" - she still talks about her experience regularly today as a motivational speaker.
I'm going because I've been in awe of this phenomenal program since I started at UC in 1998 and have wanted to be connected to the whole community of RAPP for a long time.
Why are you attending the reunion? Or, why do you wish you could? What has RAPP meant to you in your life?
The graphic above demonstrates a point I've been recently encouraged to share broadly in our RAPP community.
I estimate that approximately 600 people have completed the RAPP year experience. By mail, we've only been able to find 216 of these people. We likely are reaching a few more by email and Facebook, but the only hard number I have is those 216 by mail.
When I came into the RAPP Program Coordinator position, I made the unfortunate discovery that we didn't have a record of who had completed RAPP. No one around at that time was able to pinpoint why and it really doesn't matter why - what mattered was starting to gather that information.
I've been hard at work since November 2008 compiling names. Countless individuals have helped in that process. Dr. Abercrumbie, Bleuzette Marshall, Kimberley McGinnis - to name a few - sat down with photos and try to reconstruct groups. The community on Facebook doubled our list of names by tagging RAPPmates and friends. A dozen RAPPers have answered the pleas on our history site to contact us with names. Robin Selzer and the staff of the Alumni Association and UC Foundation assisted in finding people through UC records. Plus, I've kept detailed records of everyone since my RAPP year of RAPP XXII.
All of that, and we've found just over a third of who we think we're looking for.
For that reason, if you're a RAPPer and are in contact with any of your RAPPmates - please take a few minutes to check in to make sure they know about the upcoming reunion!
If you have a few more minutes, head over to our history page and check out your RAPP group. Who are we missing?
In preparation for the RAPP 25 Year Reunion, we're out looking for RAPPers!
One of the challenges we've faced in RAPP in recent years is a lack of records. Rather than giving up, though, we've worked to connect with the RAPPers we'd "lost." As of now, we have gathered the names of almost 300 people who completed RAPP in the two and a half decades of the program - and nearly half of these were found in the UC alumni database.
You can find the names of the RAPPers we've connected with their years on the RAPP History site.
We need your help to find the rest of RAPP! We also need your help getting you to the RAPP 25 Year Reunion!
Your help in the following ways is greatly appreciated:
1. Were you in RAPP? Please send your mailing address to Rebecca Lehman, RAPP Program Coordinator, at lehmanrl@uc.edu or 513.556.6119. Your contact information will only be used for information about the RAPP Reunion.
2. Do you know other RAPPers? Please help us fill in gaps around names by checking the years you know on the RAPP History site and emailing/calling Rebecca with the names of folks you know.
3. Are you a fan of RAPP on Facebook? That page and this blog are the easiest ways to stay up to date on RAPP and what's happening around multiculturalism and social justice at UC. Fan us! And recommend other RAPPers you know do the same?
The reunion is five months away! Please help us connect with as many folks who could be there as possible!
In 1990 - back when RAPP's full name did involve two p-words ("Pilot Project") - CBS Evening News explored issues of racism in higher education. Below is the segment, which used the University of Cincinnati as its source for exploring the subject. Of course, RAPP was highlighted in the segment!
The second photo disc discovery was made by the SALD Assistant Director who supervises my work with RAPP, Vicki Calonge. She found the group photo disc for RAPP XIX.
Here are three of my favorites that weren't selected for the official group picture:
I've been doing lots of digging through drawers and files and boxes lately. I found two gems of photo CDs. The first are these "fun" poses from the RAPP XXII photo shoot. We got a great group photo in the end that wasn't nearly as wacky as these - I just hope the photographer had as much fun as we did! Miranda was our resident break dancer! She taught us all a little. I have a feeling I had something to do with this "junior prom" pose...
When I was in RAPP in 2006-2007, there was no RAPPORT. I vaguely remembered that the group had existed under that name because I'd had friends who were in it in the late 1990s, but the program wasn't around and no one who was there really remembered what it was or what happened to it.
In 2007-2008 my RAPPmates and I decided to get it going again and were able to do so with the guidance of our amazing advisor (and RAPP coordinator) Un Kyong Ho.
It's been up and running since then in various forms and with varied success. This year RAPPORT will be a major focus, with the goal of elevating it much like we elevated RAPP two years ago with RAPP XXIV.
Despite the work we've been doing, still no one could figure out what happened. I took to comparing RAPPORT to the lost colony of Roanoke in that it just disappeared and we didn't know when or why.
UNTIL NOW!
Digging through some files in a lost file drawer, I found a print-off of an email thread that finally explained to me what happened. Here's the initial email:
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 Subject: Goodbye Rapport
After long discussons among staff, it has been decided that RAPPORT has perhaps outlived its usefulness. Due to lack of interest from the majority of rapport members and the sporadic involvement of few, rapport is no longer able to maintain its initial role and participate actively in Diversity education programs. Those members still interested in helping RAPP are welcome to do so. Many opportunities for involvement are still available. If you are interested in facilitating or doing other forms of outreach please contact the office and speak to either Rema V. or Jody M.
Saved in the file are five responses of RAPPORT members who were upset with the news that RAPPORT was dissolving. The emails clearly demonstrate how valued the program was by those who had previously been very active within it.
I hope that they, and those who might not have replied or whose may have sent emails that weren't printed and saved, are happy to see the direction RAPPORT is taking. We're striving to make it the great outreach program it was previously but in ways that match the current climate.
Since we unveiled our new logo on Sunday, I thought it might be nice to give a little background on the history (as I know it) of RAPP logos.
Above is a poor remake of the original RAPP logo. To my knowledge, this logo has been used since the inception of RAPP - it's visible on the t-shirts of RAPPs I and II, the committee who created RAPP and the first group to go through RAPP respectively: Based off of t-shirts in the official group photos, it looks like the original logo was in use from RAPP I&II (1986-'87) to RAPP IX (1993-'94).
The next logo was short-lived due to unfortunate placement of hands on the logo. I unfortunately don't have a digital copy and haven't been able to recreate it, but it can be seen in the group photo of RAPP X:
This logo is seen on RAPP t-shirts for only two years: RAPPs X (1994-'95) and XI (1995-'96).
The RAPP XII (1996-'97) group photo shows a chalkboard design with the letters for RAPP on it. I have been unable to verify whether this was used as a general logo for the program or only for the shirts.
The next logo stuck around for many years, from RAPP XIII (1997-'98) to RAPP XX (2004-'05). It brought back the globe+peace sign image and had people dancing around it:
With RAPP XXI (2005-'06) we saw the most recent logo, which continues the globe theme. It's my understanding that this logo was designed by UC alumna Lisa Link. It has been in use for five years. I'm excited about the radically new direction our new logo takes us, but I'll admit I'm sad to see my trusty old friend "head in the box" go!
Linda Bates Parker, A&S ’70 (presented posthumously)
Linda Bates Parker was the director of UC’s Career Development Center for 22 years until her passing on December 10, 2009.
“A piece of Linda lives on in the hearts and minds of those she touched, and because of that, the world will be a better place,” said Dr. Bleuzette Marshall, senior director of development for UC’s Provost & Student Affairs offices, who nominated Parker.
Parker grew up in Cincinnati’s West End and was able to attend college at the University of Dayton solely because of a scholarship she received. She would repay that scholarship by earning a master’s degree at UC and becoming a pioneer in business and higher education, as well as a passionate ambassador for diversity and equality.
A cherished fixture on the UC campus for more than three decades, Parker was well liked and respected in her work throughout the UC community and recognized as an excellent leader and engaging teacher. A Distinguished Faculty Fellow who helped develop some of UC’s first distance-learning courses, Parker also taught a popular Managing Diversity in the Workplace course within the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences throughout most of the last decade. Her recommendations helped lay the groundwork for the university-wide Diversity Task Force, and her commitment and follow-through earned her many awards as a champion of diversity in principle and in action.
Please join us for The Linda Bates Parker Scholarship Celebration Luncheon Celebrating & Continuing the Legacy Duke Energy Center 525 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Saturday, April 10, 2010 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Patricia Russell-McCloud, JD Keynote Speaker
*A portion of all proceeds will be designated to the LBP Scholarship. To learn more about the LBP Scholarship, please visit: www.lindabatesparkerscholarship.org
As mentioned earlier, I've been working to find the names of people who've completed RAPP and have benefited greatly from the RAPP community in this (though I still need your help).
Today I finished looking up the 277 names we have gathered so far in UC's alumni database. I'm excited to announce that I found 153 RAPPers in there! That's half of the people so far - and it's worth noting that a good 30+ of the people on the list were in RAPP in the last three years and are still in their undergraduate studies (so they're not alumni yet, and thus not in the alumni database).
There's still much work ahead - we have another 300-400 people to find who've finished RAPP!
You can find the current lists of names on the RAPP History website. Check out your year and see if there are any blanks you can fill in or names whose spelling needs to be corrected. Then shoot me an email (lehmanrl@uc.edu) or give me a call (513.556.6119).
I typically don't do any news not directly related to current events at the University of Cincinnati. I feel embarrassed at how slow I was to find this story. Regardless of both of those, I want to highlight what's happened and is happening at University of California San Diego. Those familiar with RAPP's history may find the story sadly familiar.
The second weekend of February, members of a campus fraternity held an off campus "ghetto-themed Compton Cookout." The party was held to "celebrate" Black history month and the invitation included a wealth of offensive racial stereotypes about Black people.
After the party, student activists mobilized a campus-wide response urging the administration to respond to the party. This involved student-ledprotests and support from their allies among university staff and faculty. Students led a walk out during a university organized teach-in, stating that the meeting was unproductive and not hitting at the core issues.
UCSD's Black Student Association has been leading a rally call for the creation of a truly inclusive environment at their university. They have successfully worked with the administration to create and sign an action plan. UCSD has also launched the website Battle Hate.
Twenty-four years ago our campus was in similar turmoil in response to a fraternity party called the "MLK Day Trash Party," with similar advertisements despite the limited media of the day - flyers with comments like "bring your father, if you know who he is." Coupled with the student body president's public dismissals of the need for ethnic-specific student groups (particularly, the United Black Association and the Society of Black Engineers), our campus exploded into student action. From this was born the Committee for Dialogue on Racial Awareness, who created RAPP.
Please keep UCSD on your radar! They're also looking into intergroup dialogue as part of a long-term solution. They also show that, sadly, RAPP's history isn't part of long-gone history - it's still relevant and happening today.
Don't worry - this is NOT a telethon fundraising plea (though, if you have any money you want to give, the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship is a great place to start!). I'm asking for your help on two projects. In return, I'll give you some exciting and useful information. First, the pleas:
1. We're working hard on getting the names of everyone who's been in RAPP. After a year working on this, we've got just over 250 names - meaning we're likely just over 1/3 of the way. The current listing is kept by group on the RAPP History website. If you have a good memory for names (or even just know one name I don't know), please shoot me an email (lehmanrl@uc.edu) or give me a call (513.556.6119). If you have a RAPP memory book that lists the names of everyone who finished with you, please scan the list and send it to me. Every additional name (or, corrected spelling on a name, really) helps push us further toward our goal!
2. Our RAPP 25thReunion committee is up and running! There are two ways in which you can help us out: a. Join us! Check out the committee charge to see what we're up to and get in touch if you'd like to help organize this amazing event. Keep in mind - you don't need to be in Cincinnati to help with this. b. Send us a theme suggestion! We're hoping to set a fun but meaningful theme that encapsulates the 25 years of amazing work that's been done by all our members - both during their time in RAPP and since. Email (lehmanrl@uc.edu) or call (513.556.6119) me with your ideas!
Now, on to the enticement... The exciting and useful information...
Though the official "save the date!" message will go out in a month or two, you can have a sneak peak on this now!
The RAPP 25th Reunion will be on Saturday, May 20th, 2011!
This is part of Alumni Weekend, so there'll be heaps of fun activities to do while you're here for our reunion - college reunion events, MainStreet Stride, a special campus tour for RAPPers, Sigma Sigma Carnival, and more!
So, to review this long post:
Help us find your RAPPmates! Help us get an awesome theme for our 25th reunion! Hope to see you on Saturday, May 20th, 2011!
As part of just generally benefitting ourselves and as part of getting ready for our RAPPReunion, I'm still trying to dig up names of people who've completed RAPP.
More than just digging up names, I'm trying to find ways to contact people. Thankfully, many of us have connected through Facebook. Others have found the RAPP history website and sent me an email or gave me a call. Recently, I enjoyed a visit from Bradford H of RAPP VIII - which involved both a fun conversation as well as garnered a few more names for the list.
Robin Selzer of the UC Alumni Association (and previously of the UC Women's Center) has been beyond helpful in the quest for RAPPers. With her help, I've been searching the names we have in the University system. Today was an exciting one for me: I've found two-thirds of the people based on the first 70 names I have!
The search will continue over the next year as we're trying to get in touch with people for our reunion. If you're a former RAPPer (or happened to know some former RAPPers), you can help! Check out the RAPP History section of our website and help fill in missing names or correct misspelled names by emailing me at lehmanrl@uc.edu.
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe was the best-selling novel of the 19th century, and almost immediately upon its publication in 1852, it made its way to stage, vaudeville, music and minstrel shows. In fact, it gave birth to an entire genre of minstrel shows called “Tom Shows.”
Above is a poor remake of the original RAPP logo. To my knowledge, this logo has been used since the inception of RAPP - it's visible on the t-shirts of RAPPs I and II, the committee who created RAPP and the first group to go through RAPP respectively:
Based off of t-shirts in the official group photos, it looks like the original logo was in use from RAPP I&II (1986-'87) to RAPP IX (1993-'94).
This logo is seen on RAPP t-shirts for only two years: RAPPs X (1994-'95) and XI (1995-'96).
It's my understanding that this logo was designed by UC alumna 
