E-Portfolio Entry #1-Dr. Carr's Lecture

n September 2nd, in our second week of formal classes, Dr. Carr delivered the first lecture of six to the Freshman Seminar class. His message, "Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience" was very passionately conveyed through Dr. Carr's booming voice and excitable articulation. Though I walked into the class about ten minutes late, I was taken right into the world of ancient Egyptian knowledge and the hieroglyphic meanings that Dr. Carr expertly transcribed. Values such as ma'at, (which translates to "truth") and Medew Nefer ("good speech") are things that were stressed in Egyptian teachings and are also held in high esteem at Howard. Wisdom, which is what builds upon the foundation of knowledge, is the next step in acquiring a good education. Employing wisdom means to knowing exactly what to do with the knowledge you gained. This is something the ancient Egyptians understood very thoroughly, but their understanding of such an important postulate for success was shielded by historians who wanted to display their own version of history. Dr. Carr emphasizes that it is imperative for Howard students to know where they came from, and to therefore believe in their own potential and to, most importantly, exercise it. Overall, I really enjoyed Dr. Carr's lecture. It was extremely informative and motivating. It made me want to go the library and learn! I can tell Dr. Carr is very enthusiastic about African and African American history and culture; I wish my other professors were as fiery as he is. His lecture made me look forward to the others to come, and hope that they were all as interesting and inspiring.