Black Leadership Symposium

Abstract

Any meaningful study of African-American History requires an in-depth look at the leadership which has struggled for equality and change in,the American experience. In this regard the disciplines of the Humanities provide an excellent vehicle for analyzing the careers of black leaders who seek in diverse ways to advance Black Americans and overcome the racial barriers and oppression that pervaded American society. The humanities call for imagination, literary taste and critical standards. They also demand the philosopher's insights and judgments. Thus the first black leadership symposium was designed to reflect the humanities content. Many aspects of black leadership were examined from the humanities perspective: intellectual, political, social, economic and spiritual leaderships. Considerable emphasis was also placed on black family leadership. Panel discussions were led by black academic humanists from the Kansas Regents Institutions of higher learning and Washburn University. Two keynote speakers, Dr. Broadnax of Harvard University and Councilwoman Collins from Kansas City, Missouri made valuable contributions to the humanities emphasis.

Of course, it was not possible to include all aspects of black leadership in the symposium. We decided at the outset that in order to achieve a better perspective, it would be wise not to treat all aspects of black leadership in American history. In addition time limitations and the current state of research in black leadership helped shape our choices. We hope that the 89 black leaders who attended the symposium returned home with renewed dedication and enthusiasm to resolve many of the issues raised at the meeting. These issues included the future of the black family, the youth, the problems of education, teenage preg­nancy and other health related issues, to name just a few.