Portland Observer. July 6, 1983 Page 5
Black Studies hosts professors
D r*. W ayne W illiam * £» M elaku Lakew visiting
professor* to the Black Studies Dapt. at Portland
by Nathaniel Scott
The Black Studies Department at
Portland State University, for the
summer quarter, has been enhanced
tenfold by three visiting professors.
From the University o f Washing
ton, Wayne W illiams, with a Ph.D .
in Linguistics and African Studies,
is teaching Linguistics and Afro-
American
Communication.
Dr.
Williams is Director o f the A fro-
American Studies Department at the
University o f Washington.
Steven M illner, Assistant Profes
sor of Sociology and Southern
Studies — “ a center for the study of
southern culture” — from the U n i
versity of Mississippi — “ Ole Miss”
— is teaching Racism and A fro-
American Film. Professor M illner is
also writing a book about M artin
State University,
Luther King's involvement in the
bus
boycott
at
Montgomery,
Alabama.
Melaku Lakew, with a Ph.D . in
Economics, is no stranger to Port
land or to PSU. Before accepting a
teaching position at Stockton State
University in New Jersey last fall, he
taught Economics and Black Studies
at PSU in 1981 and 1982 Aside
from teaching. Dr Lakew is writing
several papers.
Dr Williams said Afro-Am erican
communication is the language of
the black community. Sometimes
called “ black dialogue.”
“ One o f the things I teach in the
class room ,” he said, “ is that
language is not just communication.
It's culture.”
It's “ extremely” important to
keep the black dialogue, because if
(Photo Richard J. Brown)
the language goes, the culture goes,
he said. "T h e black dialogue is a
systematic language like any other
language
II
has
rules
of
grammar and rules of pronuncia
tion. It is historically derived from a
large number of African levels of
the educational process. Adding
that, “ Language is not only a
culture identity, it's a tool of the
white power structure."
One o f Dr. W illiam s' goals is to
establish a national language policy
for black people. His rationale is
that there are bilingual programs for
other people For instance, Spanish.
"W e need to teach black kids to
separate standard English from the
African American language (black
dialect),“ he said “ Brothers and
sisters don’t be working together
unless they know who they is.” is an
Reagan boosts aid to Africa
The Reagan administration has
quietly moved to double its military
aid to sub-Saharan African coun
tries. Assistant Secretary o f State
Chester A. Crocker, head o f the
African Bureau, said military aid
now makes up about 20 percent of
the aid to the area.
In 1980, military aid to the nations
of the sub-Sahara totaled $78 million
compared to an administration re
quest for $201 million for 1984
Economic aid increased from $694
million to $965 million.
The administration is selective
with its aid. The greatest benefac
tors have been big pro-Western
nations such as Sudan, Kenya,
Somalia and Liberia. In addition,
the U.S. has tripled economic aid to
Zimbabwe from $24.7 million in
1980 to $75 million in 1984. H o w
ever, aid to Tanzania, headed by
Julius Nyerere. has fallen from $28
million to $14 million.
The stated reason for the military
build-up is "Soviet Union, Cuban
and Libyan involvement in the re
gio n ." There are an estimated
20,000 Cuban troops in Angola,
where they are helping protect that
government from South African in
cursion, and Cuban military person
nel in Ethiopia, where they have
been since the 1970’s. Libya sup
ports the recently overthrown gov
ernment o f Chad, now represented
by a guerrilla movement, and the
Polisario independence movement
which claims western Sahara against
Morocco.
The Congressional Black Caucus
has criticized the "m ilitarization of
our approach to African assistance”
but its main concern is the adminis
tration's policy in South Africa.
The administration policy —
called "constructive engagement”
— has brought closer diplomatic ties
with South Africa. It is based on the
idea that a closer relationship with
the U.S. will inspire South Africa to
reform its apartheid policy, cease
harassment o f neighbor states, and
end its occupation o f Namibia.
Reagan has increasd the number
o f U.S. military attaches in South
Africa; provided visas to South A f
rican military and intelligence per
sonnel to visit this country; perm it
ted sale o f a computer that has po
tential for nuclear related equip
ment; and allows U.S. companies to
broker sale of nuclear fuel, and
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example o f black language
Professor M illner, brother of
Darrell M illner, head of PSU's
Black Studies department, examines
“ racism in us classic forms: slave
era, sharecropping era, ghetto era,
and the new forms o f racism as they
appear in the media, as they function
in the government, and other social
institutions."
He contends that we have to rec
ognize the "new form s" o f racism.
"T he forms o f racism in the
m edia," he said, “ is in many cases a
rerun o f what appeared as early as
1915.” Citing a study done at Michi
gan Slate University, he said,
"Black kids watch T V 20 percent
more than white kids o f comparable
ages " Adding that, "w e have to
spend more time with our kids and
if we can’t, we have to offer them
alternatives, not basketball, that's
also a dead en d ," he said. “ There is
a daily struggle to maintain one's
sense of dignity in a Deep South
slate like Mississippi."
Concerning his book about the
late M artin Luther King's involve
menl in the Montgomery, Alabama
bus boycott, he said, he wants to
"be realistic and objective." Main
taming that “ no social movement is
based on one personality.
"T h e m y th ," he said, "is ihai
M artin Luther King. Jr. was the
principal and early leader (o f the
bus boycott). The reality is that a
group o f grassroots leaders: E D
Nixion, Jo Ann Robinson and Rev
crend J.H . Cherry were the real
leaders in the boycott. They had
been working for change in Mont
gomery for decades before King
arrived on the scene," he said.
"King's contribution was important
but it was just one part of an elabo
rate process."
Dr. 1 akew's visit brings biller
sweet memories. “ I miss this area
and old friends b u t," he said, as he
recalled that it was the fear of losing
his position to budget cuts which
prompted him to seek employment
elsewhere. Well-versed in the field
of Economics, he is teaching Com
parative Economics, Marxian Eco
nomics and African
Economic
History
loosened controls on sales of police-
related items such as electric-shock
batons. The U.S also used its veto
to blsK'k United Nations resolutions
condemning South Africa.
The administration is fighting a
bill that is to come before the House
of Representatives in July that
would bar the U.S. from voting in
favor o f a $1 billion International
M onetary Fund loan to South
Africa.
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Namibia continues to be the main
source of conflict. The U.S. and
South Africa are thwarting the
United Nations resolution that
South Africa withdraw and allow
Namibia to become an independent
nation. At U.S. suggestion. South
Africa has refused to withdraw
unless Cuban troops leave Angola
Angola’s rejection of this option is
supported by the Organization of
African Unity and other African
nations and organizations.
Failing in its attempt to force
Angola to give up Cuban aid in the
face o f repeated South African in
vasions and a South African sup
ported rebel movement, the U.S. is
arming its allies.
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