About 15 students gathered in the main lounge of Cutter-Shabazz Hall last night for a discussion about "The meaning of history, what it means to Us,"-- the first in a series of informal intellectual forums sponsored by Concerned Black Students at Dartmouth.
A subcommittee of the Afro-American Society, CBS hopes to make the weekly intellectual discussion a permanent event, committee Chairman Pace Duckenfield '96 said.
"I am trying to make it a regular program," he said. "I like the format. It is informal, and people can speak their mind."
Duckenfield said the idea of the forums came from former CBS chairperson, Tiffany West '97.
Although a topic will be suggested for each forum, "I want to talk about what people want to talk about," Duckenfield said.
"I think it's a great idea," Afro- American Society President John Barros '96 said. "It creates an intellectual forum that wasn't there before."
Last night's topic was chosen because February is Black History Month, and Duckenfield proposed that the group take a look at its origins.
"The significance of having the first discussion on Jan. 31 is to show that Black History is not only important for one month," he said.
The discussion began with Duckenfield offering a definition of history and passing around the first volume of "Journal of Negro History" and the second volume of Ebony's "Pictorial History of Black America."
The group discussed where and when black history really starts and emphasis was placed on the importance of perspective in history.
"Wherever you start our history, that really makes a difference" in how it is viewed, Lewis Berry '97 told the group.
Tanawunda Brown '99 pointed out that African history is very different from black history.
"We have an extremely different culture," she said.
As the discussion progressed, the group talked a lot about the importance of education and self-motivated learning.
"The inherent problem with multiculturalism is that you can teach it to children, but then the only thing of use to them in this Euro-centric society is the white portion," Berry said, citing his own educational experiences.
Kyle Roderick '99 stressed that individuals must take it upon themselves to learn about their history.
Jennifer Daniel '97 added, "There is not enough about us, about black history" in curriculum.
"I think it went well," Roderick said after the forum. "It seems like we got a lot accomplished."
"It gets different people talking together who might not have intellectual discussions otherwise," Daniel added.
The forums will be held every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in the main lounge of Cutter-Shabazz Hall, and "the community is welcome," Duckenfield said.
Next week's topic will be "Who or what was a motivating factor in your life?" and will also concentrate on lesser known figures in black history.
