Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 2-19-19

Feature HBCU
Library To Host ‘Sankofa 2019 Celebration’
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Saturday, February 23rd, the Robert W. Saunders, Sr., Public Library, 1505 N. Ne- braska Avenue, will host the “Sankofa 2019 Celebra- tion.” The event is part of the Library’s month-long Black History Celebration. It will take place from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
The program is the grand finale of the library and will feature African Art, drumming, dancing, a fashion show, skits, spoken word, and special guests. One of those guest is Ms. Royal McIntyre, “Miss Teenage Tampa.”
It is being presented by a five-member committee con- sisting of Ms. Carol Brown, Milford Chavous, Sonji Telfair, Margie Edmead, and Shevella Carridice.
Ms. Brown said the cele- bration began several years ago, but has been consistent since 2003. “We started it be- cause we saw a need to cele- brate Black History.”
Using many venues, the program teaches others that you must go back to your roots in order to move forward.
Many may never have heard of the word “Sankofa.”
Ms. Carol Brown, one of the committee members offering the program explains it. “Sankofa means, “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.”
It is a Ghana, West African word from the Akan tribe. The bird, Sankofa, symbolizes the Akan people’s quest that is based on critical examination, and intelligent and patient in- vestigation.
Sankofa is symbolized by a bird whose feet are facing forward. However, its head is- turned backwards and it has an egg in its mouth. The egg sym- bolizes the future generations.
The Akans believe that there must be movement and new learning as time passes. As this forward march pro- ceeds, the knowledge of the past must never be forgotten.
They further believe that the past must serve as a guide for planning the future.
Ms. Brown said this is the fourth year the event has been hosted by the library.
She feels that Sankofa must be shared with future generations. “We must go back for what is lost, forgotten, for- gone, or terminated, and striped of. It must be revived, reclaimed, preserved, and per- petuated.”
SANKOFA
Facing Loss Of Accreditation Over Finances, Women's HBCU Raises Millions
For one of the nation's only historically black col- leges for women, this week will be crucial for survival.
On Monday, Bennett Col- lege, in Greensboro, N.C., will argue its case for maintaining its accreditation at a hearing before the Southern Associa- tion of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACS.
Bennett has been on pro- bation for two years due to fi- nancial instability — SACS does not offer a third year of probation, so Bennett's hear- ing will either result in its probation being lifted, or the loss of its accreditation. Rev- ocation would cut off Ben- nett's access to federal funds, which would all but certainly close the school.
Representatives for Ben- nett plan to argue at the hear- ing that the school has secured the funds necessary to maintain its accreditation, its president, Phyllis Wor- thy Dawkins, told Michel Martin in an interview for NPR's All Things Considered.
In December, SACS voted to strip Bennett of its accred- itation because the school failed to demonstrate "sound financial resources" and a "stable financial base to sup- port the mission of the insti- tution and the scope of its
The Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel is seen on the campus of Ben- nett College in Greensboro, N.C. The college, one of two historically black colleges for women, is fighting to maintain its accreditation. Bennett College
programs and services." Ben- nett appealed the decision.
"We were only called on one standard ... and that stan- dard is on financial re- sources," Dawkins said. "They did not question the quality of our academic pro- grams, the credentials of our faculty and staff, or the lead- ership on our campus."
In response to the SACS decision, Bennett launched a fundraising campaign aimed at raising $5 million. A #StandWithBennett cam- paign went viral on social media, thanks in part,
Dawkins said, to support from celebrities like Jussie Smollett and his family. Do- nations soon began to pour in.
"[W]e've raised at least ... over $8.2 million that we an- nounced on February 4th," Dawkins said. "But since then, we've raised about 8.7 million since February 4th."
Dawkins is depending on this appeal to overturn the agency's decision.
"We will win this appeal. We will remain accredited, as we are accredited right now," Dawkins explains.
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