DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009 | 1970-11-19 Daily Iowan Article: "African History Lecturer Begins Afro Center Series"

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University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009

1970-11-19 Daily Iowan Article: "African History Lecturer Begins Afro Center Series"

[handwritten]
11/19/70 DI

African History Lecturer Begins Afro Center Series

The first of a series of African lectures was given Wednesday night by Dr. Yaw Akyeampong, program coordinator for the University of Iowa's Afro-American Center. 
  Akyeampong, who holds advanced science degrees from Britain and his home Ghana is a scholar of African history. His introductory lecture, " What is Africa?" gave the audience background information on the continent.
   Akyeampong said most people are only aware of Africa in terms of the slave trade. hopefully the series will correct this by giving students a comprehensive view of African society and history.
    The single most striking feature of modern Africa according to Akyeampong, is that it produces less than 1 percent of the world's total income, yet its potential richness is vast. 
  Akyeampong sees Africa as having gone through a long period of cultural ascendancy starting with the dawn of man in Egypt.
   Long before the Islamic invasions. Africans maintained flourishing centers of culture and trade, he said. Records from 800 A.D. support this. 
   They also show that student exchanges were taking place between African and European countries, such as Spain as late as the fourteenth century, Akyeampong said. 
    Akyeampong and the Afro-American Center plan more African lectures in the future dealing with important points of African history such as the slave trade era and colonization. Other facets of African life will be discussed, including African cookery, dress, folk plays, travel ceremonies and popular dance. 
   The center's goal for the series is to promote ideological awareness among minority students and help them discover their origin and purpose in the Western World

[pjoto]
DR. YAW AKYEAMPONG 
  - Photo by Howard Haase

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[handwritten] 11/19/70 DI African History Lecturer Begins Afro Center Series The first of a series of African lectures was given Wednesday night by Dr. Yaw Akyeampong, program coordinator for the University of Iowa's Afro-American Center. Akyeampong, who holds advanced science degrees from Britain and his home Ghana is a scholar of African history. His introductory lecture, " What is Africa?" gave the audience background information on the continent. Akyeampong said most people are only aware of Africa in terms of the slave trade. hopefully the series will correct this by giving students a comprehensive view of African society and history. The single most striking feature of modern Africa according to Akyeampong, is that it produces less than 1 percent of the world's total income, yet its potential richness is vast. Akyeampong sees Africa as having gone through a long period of cultural ascendancy starting with the dawn of man in Egypt. Long before the Islamic invasions. Africans maintained flourishing centers of culture and trade, he said. Records from 800 A.D. support this. They also show that student exchanges were taking place between African and European countries, such as Spain as late as the fourteenth century, Akyeampong said. Akyeampong and the Afro-American Center plan more African lectures in the future dealing with important points of African history such as the slave trade era and colonization. Other facets of African life will be discussed, including African cookery, dress, folk plays, travel ceremonies and popular dance. The center's goal for the series is to promote ideological awareness among minority students and help them discover their origin and purpose in the Western World [pjoto] DR. YAW AKYEAMPONG - Photo by Howard Haase