Dr. Howard Wade Tells Capacity Audience
at BSC How to Protect African and
African-American Heritage

( Bluefield)—Dr. Howard Wade’s Black History Month presentation to a capacity audience at Bluefield State College powerfully addressed topics ranging from more than 250 years of slavery to how and why the African-American heritage must be protected. Wade, who returned to southern West Virginia and began teaching at BSC in 2002, shared his insight with BSC students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders, and several area high school students.

“Years ago, Carter G. Woodson discovered that the history of African-Americans was being neglected in the schools of America,” Wade recounted. “Since the year 1619, African-Americans have been contributors in a great way to America. Thus, Dr. Woodson wanted to bring African-American history to the classroom. To accomplish this during segregation, he had to begin in Black schools. “He chose February as the week (later expanded to one month) for this effort, because his great respect for Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, both of whom were born in February.”

Wade noted that African slaves arrived in Virginia in 1619 as indentured servants who could earn their freedom by working for seven years. “When Europeans saw the land, animals, and resources in America, they needed someone to do the work,” he continued. “They tried unsuccessfully to enslave Native Americans, then they decided to enslave a race by color—the first time in history that people were enslaved as a result of skin color.”

Wade expressed deep appreciation to Woodson and W.E.B. DuBois for their work in documenting the contributions and accomplishments of African Americans. “When integration came to the United States,” he added, “we did not come ‘to the table’ empty handed. We had a culture. However, in our desire to have a seat at the ‘table,’ we made a mistake. We forgot our culture.” The impact, he said, was that African-Americans lost their drive for education, music, and the respect men held for women. “If men don’t respect their women, they can’t expect others to respect their women. If we remember our culture, we have nothing to fear—therefore we must teach our children who they are.”

His presentation was sponsored by the BSC student organization “Minorities on the Move (MOM),” which extended special recognition to Wade, Bluefield Mayor Garry D. Moore, Dr. Carolyn Browning, Deirdre Guyton, Dr. Anthony Woart, Dr. Cravor Jones, Gene Wyatt, Robert Shanklin, Anthony Dillard, Dr. Felica Blanks, Ophelia Sims, and MOM advisor Terry Thompson.

February 20, 2006