Great Men and Final Thoughts

DuBois was a trailblazing genius who would be like Cornell West on steroids today if he was still alive.  Who do you consider today’s DuBois?

Carter G. Woodson, a forgotten black historian who doesn’t get enough credit today.  Why does Melville J. H get more credit than him today?

Booker T. had a vision and a following; however, he’s still an Uncle Tom in my book.  I respect and appreciate what he did for blacks in the South, but I think there is way of making moves and still keeping your integrity.  I am also shocked that he didn’t get lynched in the South with all he was trying to do for blacks.  In your opinion, knowing what you know about the South during his lifetime, what caused him to be successful and avoid lynching by Southern white males?

I’ve gained a new respect for Langston Hughes’s work after participating in this Institute.  I think he was a talented writer who was trying to reach the common man through his writing.  I also heard he was gay. Why is that topic something that seems to get hidden when talking about great writers of the period who were gay?

It’s really interesting to see the strength and influence of the NAACP in the period of the Renaissance.  I never would have thought they would clash with Garvey’s UNIA movement, but it makes sense.  It’s also strange to read about them being some powerful during the 20s, 30s and 40s considering the organizations little importance today.  Do you think the NAACP is still relevant today?

I have a lot of respect and admiration for what Marcus Garvey did for Black America; however, there are still too many parallels between his vision for Africa and Animal Farm by George Orwell.  I just don’t see him giving up the power and allowing other people to run the country. 

-- Barrett Taylor