On September 23rd, Dr. Felder presented a lecture to our Thursday Freshman Seminar class. The main objective of his talk was to display how Jesus of Nazareth's teachings have more than religious value. They also have moral value in the areas of freedom and righteousness. According to Dr. Felder, freedom explicitly means the ability to exercise choice. Addressing us students directly, he explains that choices can either be positive or negative correlate directly with the consequences we are given. The conversation is then directed to the origin of man and original sin. Adam, says Dr. Felder, was given a choice, and having chosen the less more one, was given a consequence. This well known story is an example of how man abuses the power that is generously given by God. The misuse of power is the reason African Americans were in slavery for so many years. Dr. Felder emphasizes this fact and explains that the Garden of Eden, having been in Ethiopia, is not a fictitious place. In fact, distortion of history is why Eden is even thought to be just a place out of a book. I concur with Dr. Felder on this concept. In English speaking lands, to have rights or say in a governmental body, a race or group of people must have a history. Depriving African decedent people of a history allows for the deprivation of rights. Therefore, we African Americans are left to investigate for themselves, which is why institutions like Howard are so important. This is when Dr. Felder segues into figures of black history, specifically Sojourner Truth. Here is when I really enjoyed the lecture. Dr. Felder recites part of Sojourner's famous speech "Ain't I a Woman?" and explains that she gave this oration in front of many white people and received applause. She also received an accusation that she was a man, to which she bravely exposed her chest. Felder then stated boldly that such a brave woman should be as admired and remembered (if not more) as much as popular rappers and other superficial idols. Like many other presenters, Dr. Felder urged us to remember what is important while we are here at the Mecca.
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