MAY 10, 2016
He described the university as a
“centerpiece of African-American intellectual life, and a central
part of our larger American story.”
Arguing that the U.S. — and the world
— is a “better place” than when he graduated from college in
the early 1980s, he said there is still work to be done, citing
employment, achievement and justice gaps for African-Americans.
“Be confident in your heritage. Be
confident in your blackness,” he told the graduates. “There’s
no one way to be black. Take it from somebody who’s seen both sides
of the debate about whether I’m black enough.”
Obama told the graduates to remember
the ties that connect African-Americans: “That is our particular
awareness of injustice, and unfairness, and struggle. … That means
we cannot sleepwalk through life.
“We have cousins, and uncles, and
brothers, and sisters, who we remember were just as smart and just as
talented as we were but somehow got ground down by structures that
were unfair and unjust, and that means we have to not only question
the world as it is, and stand up for those African-Americans who
haven’t been so lucky.”
That empathy should extend to “all
people who are struggling,” he said.
Finally, he advised the grads that
creating change requires organization and strategy. That strategy has
to include voting, Obama added:
“People try to make this political
thing really complicated … you know what? Just vote. It’s math.
If you have more votes than the other guy, you get to do what you
want.”
Moreover, he said change requires
compromise and “listening to those with whom you disagree.”
Obama said when he received a
bachelor’s degree in 1983, there were no Black CEOs of Fortune 500
companies and few Black judges. He said it was important to note the
progress America has made in race relations since then.
“To deny how far we have come would
be a disservice to those who went before. There’s still so much
work to do, so many miles to travel,” Obama said.
On Saturday, at the Howard University
in Washington D.C, Nigerians made history. Of the 96 graduating
Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, 43 of them were Nigerians and of the
27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians.
IT did not make headlines. For
major news network, it also did not get any mention. Even when major
newspapers reported the event, what caught their attention was on
what President Barack Obama said when he delivered the commencement
lecture at Howard University, Washington DC. But there was a major
highlight that was ignored. A report said of the 96 graduating Doctor
of Pharmacy candidates, 43 of them were Nigerians and of the 27
awards given, 16 went to Nigerians.
Howard University also awarded a Doctor
of Humanities degree to actress and activist Cicely Tyson, a Doctor
of Laws to Ambassador Horace G. Dawson, a pioneering member of the
U.S. Foreign Service and founding director of the Howard’s Ralph J.
Bunche International Affairs Center, and a Doctor of Science to Dr.
L.D. Britt, chairman of the Department of Surgery at Eastern Virginia
Medical School.
It awarded more than 1,300 bachelor’s
degrees, more than 300 master’s degrees, and over 100 Ph.Ds. The
top five areas of concentration were psychology, history, political
science, social work and mathematics. Additionally, more than 400
students received professional degrees in law, medicine, pharmacy and
dentistry.
Howard University has the only dental
and pharmacy colleges in the District of Columbia. The graduates
represented 46 states and 35 countries. The youngest graduate at the
ceremony was 20-years-old and the oldest was 74.
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a
private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and
colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to
undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the
University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a
Marshall Scholar, 30 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows.
Howard also produces more on campus African-American Ph.D. recipients
than any other university in the United States.
Speaking at the event, Obama emphasized
that his election has not created a “post-racial society” despite
improved race relations.
Stressing the need to keep pushing for
change, he gave the students at the historically black university
impassioned advice on how to “shape our collective future.”
Chief among that advice: Vote, “not
just some of the time but all of the time.” He added: “When we
don’t vote we give away our power.”
“America needs you to gladly, happily
take up that work.”
Howard University President Wayne A. I.
Frederick said President Obama was awarded a Doctor of Science degree
(not doctor of laws or letters) to underscore how much the Affordable
Care Act means to this country as a whole. He urged graduates to
embrace Obama as a personal role model and to emulate his trademark
graciousness.
In his remarks, Obama addressed “a
justice gap when too many Black boys and girls pass through a
pipeline from underfunded schools to overcrowded jails.” However,
he emphasized that passion alone was not enough to cement lasting
change.
“If you care about mass
incarceration, what are you doing to pressure the Congress to pass
the pending legislation that might alleviate it?” Obama asked.
“Passion is vital, but you’ve got to have a strategy. And your
plan better include voting, not just some of the time, but all of the
time.”
Obama credited two Howard University
legal icons, Thurgood Marshall and Charles Hamilton Houston, for
their leadership in overturning Jim Crow segregation laws.
“The seeds of change for all America
were sown here,” Obama said.
Speaking from his own experience, Obama
encouraged African Americans to continue to embrace their heritage
and to “be confident in your Blackness.” Even so, he noted that
there was no one way to be Black, and no litmus test for
authenticity.
“Look at Howard,” Obama said. “One
thing most people don’t realise about Howard is how diverse it is.
You shatter stereotypes.” -
via THE NATION
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OPINIONS:
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Odia Ebose:
What Good is it to have all these successful Nigerian Graduates when are people back home in Nigeria are suffering and smiling when are brother and sisters back home in Nigeria have to deal with the over rampant corruption lack of fuel attacks from Nigerian Delta militants Fulani Herdsmen and the big elephant in the North known as Boko Haram lack of smooth road which destabilizes and frustrates Local Nigerians when it comes to every day transportation and everyday business we have a non-existent power system where only the rich get constant light Hospital's and clinics across Nigeria are being either consolidated or totally shut down We have universities where teachers are going on strike due to lack of increase in wages So what are really happy about when all these talented Nigerian American graduates will graduate work and use talents in various field's to help and develop America America a country that never gave damm about Nigeria. When these fellow Nigerian-American g smart talented ambitious driven patriotic Nigerian-American graduates can be helping our beloved home country of Nigeria So my fellow Nigerian elders and youth what are we really happy and proud for ????????
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