Less than a week ago, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. On Jan. 20, on Nov. 4 and on every other significant date from Obama's campaign and presidency, this campus has erupted with happiness at his accomplishments. As the first African-American president, President Obama scored a historic victory, and this campus recognized and celebrated this fact.
I am dismayed at Tufts, however, because many Jumbos have not taken an interest in the movement that laid the foundation for Obama's ascendancy in national politics.
The Black Power Movement planted the seeds for Obama and defined a generation of African-Americans. This semester the Experimental College is offering a course called "Black Power: The Student Civil Rights Movement," taught by George Davis, who was an active participant in the movement. I eagerly enrolled in this course as soon as registration for the Experimental College began, and I expected a decent amount of competition for the 20 spots. The first class had only two students, and by the second class, we had gained only two more. The total lack of interest in a course that is so pertinent and important is extremely disappointing.
According to Davis, Professor Gerald Gill spearheaded this course fifteen years ago because he recognized the value of studying the modern civil rights movement. Davis has often taught this class, and as a participant in the Black Power movement, he has a lot of wisdom and valuable lessons. In class, Davis has discussed his work as a former Black Panther in California and with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee throughout the South and how he knew prominent leaders in the civil rights and Black Power movements, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X; he understands the movement. He tells amazing stories and spins the Black Power tale delicately and with care. His stories are engaging and incredible. Combining dancing, music listening, role-playing, debating, storytelling and discussions, this is perhaps the most amazing class I have taken in my short tenure at Tufts.
I write this as a plea to my fellow students to recognize that the Black Power movement is a significant area of study. Four more students are needed to avoid cancellation, and it is high time for my peers to recognize that they are missing something great. You will not learn this material from anyone with as much expertise and passion as Davis. The class is fun, high-energy, relaxed and unbelievably informative. This movement is an under-studied area of history, especially here at Tufts; do not miss the opportunity to take something great. The class is just not about Black Power, but it is about "collective action," the power of students and the power of people. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. put it best: "Let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody will shout ‘White Power!' — when nobody will shout ‘Black Power!' — but everybody will talk about … human power."
"Black Power" is held Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. in Jackson 5. Sign up on SIS — the call number is 10907.
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Benjamin Cohen is a sophomore majoring in history.
