We, The Sons And Daughters Of AFRICAs Great Sperms And Ovum, Let Us This Day Of 6086 N.Y. / 1986 C.E. Speak As One Voice Academically

(A paper for, or an address to, the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization)

By Yosef A.A. ben-Jochannan

360°, H.P., O.E.E.A./4|90

Elder of A.S.C.A.C.

Symbolic as the preceding information is, let it remind us of our obligation to FINANCE young scholars to do ORIGINAL RESEARCH, and our elder sages to review said LABOR in harmony with the FINDINGS, SCHOLARSHIP, yes!; but with, or without, Western Academic qualifications that demand acceptance only by virtue of another symbol entitled "DEGREE,"¹ etc. For once again our African brothers and sisters, remember that "HE WHO PAYS THE FIDDLER CALLS THE TUNE," and that BY OUR OWN DEEDS WE SHALL KNOW EACH OTHERS BEFORE STRANGERS². Surely these FACTS, call them "TRUTH" if you prefer, are not subject to DEBATE at any time.

I have crossed over the BRIDGE beyond the most; passed down the AISLE OF RAM-HEADED SPHINXES; and through the GREAT PYLON I did enter the GREAT HALL OF THE NILE PEOPLE; the HYPOSTYLE HALL sheltered my way to the portal of the HOLY OF HOLIES; my KHAT³ awaits its KA⁴, as the BA⁵ discovers its true reality positioning itself for the NETHERWORLD. Surely this KNOWLEDGE must become the subject of YOUNG AFRICAN SCHORLASHIP as our proteges enter the WOMB OF WISDOM. My AFRICAN BROTHERS and SISTERS of MOTHER ALKEBU-LAN/"AFRICA"—this is your BROTHER'S TRUE NOUS/MIND. Thus BLESSED BE THE SPERM FROM WHENCE I ORIGINATED and THE WOMB/HEAVEN FROM WHENCE I CAME—MY MOTHER: JULIA SEPI-CRUZ bas-JOCHANNAN, Truly "GLORY" if the LAW OF OPPOSITE—thus EQUALIBRIUM being my reality of GODDESS MAAT as PEACE and JUSTICE be the SYMBOLS in my very own MOTHER'S [Alkebu-lan/"Africa"] HOUSE. This too must be RESEARCHED by our younger brothers and sisters whose task it is to make sure that we are still on the CORRECT ROAD to the NOUS—that STATE OF PEACE we must have as we journey to make us free our ENSLAVEMENT by the self-appointed MASTERS of our ultimate reality.

Never before have I placed my FAITH, and FATE, in the Alkebu-lan/"Africa" at the control of my intellectual colleagues. This occurred primarily because of the conglomerate mixture of ACADEMICIANS here today—from no "D'S" to "Ph.D's." Yet, to say I do not have some misgivings will be less than truthful. However, I am willing to reasonably work-out the few areas of concern and reservation still existing in my mind; for "STUDY" remains the true course of this institution.

Unfortunately our FORERUNNERS like the late masterful Professor HUBERT H.H. HARRISON—the so-called "Walking Encyclopedia"⁶ Professor JOEL. A. ROGERS—the "Pullman porter historical sleuth"⁷, Political Activist and Author GEORGE PADMORE,⁸ et al., can't be here along with our Professor JOHN HENRIK CLARKE,⁹, JOHN G. JACKSON,¹⁰ CHANCELLOR WILLIAMS,¹¹ FRANCES CREST WELSING,¹² ELEANOR SMITH,¹³ et al., to equally engage in the launching of this HISTORIC CONFERENCE, the likes of which they spent most of their adult life in suffrage of this most VALIANT CAUSE. To them, as all of those who have led us thus far along the road to African Glory¹⁴; I BOW MY HEAD IN REVERENCE. I ask that like my former student at the AFRICANA STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTER,¹⁵ Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, Brother LARRY M WATSON in his Master's Degree Thesis, many more young AFRICAN SCHOLARS will take precious time to write BIOGRAPHIES of these past and present AFRICAN SAGES and SCRIBES in the form and order of GOD TAHUTE—DEITY OF SCRIBES in the order of the orient in which we reside. Brother Watson's The LIFE OF JOEL A. ROGERS,¹⁶ in spite of many who interrupted his progress mainly because Brother ROGERS had no Western-style ACADEMIC DEGREE behind his equally Western SLAVE nomenclature, will inter the archives of the GREAT AFRICAN ["Black" if you prefer] SCHOLARS. I feel so elated that the miniscule role I had in assisting Brother WATSON, now a Dean at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., did contribute to A GIANT IN AFRICAN INTELLECTUAL CIRCLES. The numerous books by Joel A. Rogers have become basic to many entering our history.

We, all of us here who know to manipulate a QUILL PEN, need to write about these STALWART UNLETTERED AFRICAN AUTHORITIES who have kept the FLAME OF AFRICANICITY ALIVE and in the FORWARD MOVEMENT when most of us were not even existing in the HEAVEN OF OUR MOTHER'S WOMB! In their Honor must be meaningful SCHOLARSHIPS established for annual sums of no less than FIVE THOUSAND [5000] DOLLARS per grantee. In other words; we, all of us, must increase our FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS in the removal of ourselves from the unjust ACADEMIC ENSLAVEMENT of European-["WHITE"]- Academics and Academia.

As we begin publishing the results of ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION, particular those deemed "CONTROVERSIAL" by our European-British-European American-Asian adversaries and their Negro-Colored" understudies and proteges, we must surely be ready for the FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, and THEOLOGICAL reactions from European American Academia. Let's be prepared for all eventualities in terms of the warning by Brother Walter Rodney,¹⁷ Sister Drusilla Dunjee Houston,¹⁸ Sister Amy Jacques Garvey,¹⁹ et al. About knowing who our "enemies" are.

We have reached the FINAL PLATEAU in adulthood so far as MATURITY IN SCHOLARSHIP IDEALISM is concerned; whether or not we will act as such is another cause to examine. Thus this calls for the establishment of as NATIONAL ACADEMIC CENTER somewhere along the VALLEY OF THE NILE RIVER where our younger SCHOLARS can concentrate while engaged in the true RESTORATION OF YESTERDAY FROM TODAY AND TOMORROW. With the pending conclusion of the construction of the "AFRICAN UNIVERSITY" being built outside of the CITY OF ESO-WON, Upper Ta-Merry-Nubia, what better real estate could we have had to establish our CENTER? Let us think about it. OUR RESEARCH CENTER in Egyptian-Nubia; just as it were in ancient times!

We must record by every means available to us the WISE TEACHINGS of our Elders who are up in age; those whose LIVES hold for us untold HISTORICAL DATA no one else may have. Along with this must be our assistance to ARCHIVES like the Gil Noble's "LIKE IT IS" television show,²⁰ Garry Byrd's "THE G. B. EXPRESS"²¹ radio show, etc. throughout the entire nation of the United States of America and other foreign lands wherever our people settled. In this light African-owned periodicals such as "BIG RED,²² BLACK AMERICAN,²³ HARLEM WORLD,"²⁴ etc., from every aspect must be analyzed and evaluated in terms of their contribution and impact upon the cause of the SOCIA-POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, RELIGIOUS, etc. life of our people.

Lastly, and I do hope I have not bored you thus far, for the time being all of us with our PRIVATE LIBRARIES must make them available to the full membership of A.S.C.A.C. for MAJOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. All forms of WRITTEN DATA about African People stored in our hide-away places must be scrutinize along with those of friends and casual acquaintances. We must seek these people out, in so doing advertise for them to turn-over for RESEARCH all data concerning the so-called "BLACK EXPERIENCE"⁶ here and everywhere else. We must PUBLISH jointly without interest in whose name is to appear on the document, but instead that of A.S.C.A.C. WE DID IT, instead of I DID IT, should become our hallmark of distinguishment, just as our ancient SCRIBES acted.

My AFRICAN BROTHERS and SISTERS, I hope I've not surprised you any with my seldom seen ACADEMIC POSTURE. For today my EMOTION is somewhat restrained in light of the magnitude of our undertaking here these few days. Probably you have seen the other side of me that was always trying to reach-out to you. I was calling for our REVOLUTION against selfish "BLACK ACADEMIA," which unfortunately too many of us hypocritically adopted from "WHITE ACADEMIA" in our haste to be APPROVED by "White Academicians," et al. When we are the ones who pay the PIPERS, they will have no choice but to play our own tunes. Thus I must admit:

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE AN AFRICAN ACADEMICIAN HERE TODAY!

I MET YOU IN PEACE,

I BEG LEAVE OF YOU IN PEACE, MAAT BE PRAISED;

OUR HOUSE REMAINS ONE.

Figure here

ALL OF THIS DONE IN HONOUR OF The MOTHERS OF OUR "AFRICAN RACE"!

End Notes from the Dedication:

1. A step, limit in a process, ran in order, unit of measurement, etc.
2. Paraphrasing a common usage from Biblical text.
3. The "deceased body."
4. The "Body-Soul" that remains with the "deceased body"—"khat"—in the tomb or earth.
5. The "Heart-Soul" that leaves the deceased body at the moment of death to seek acceptance in the Netherworld before God of Resurrection Asaru, and for its "Deification."
6. This came from people who were members of Marcus M. Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League [U.N.I.A.].

   End Notes from the Conclusion:

7. When he began his writing career he was a "Pulman Porter" on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
8. Born in The Barbados, B.W.I., and transplanted in the United States of America. He joined the Communist Party of America [C.P.A.], which he left before he became a member of President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of the Republic of Ghana, West Africa, Exclusive Cabinet upon independence from British Imperial Colonial reign in 1957 C.E. A very prolific author of many works.
9. African and African American historian, author, poet, political activist, co-founder and former contributor to Freedom Ways magazine. From Alabama by was of Atlanta, Ga. Ex-chairman of the Black and Puerto Rican Studies Department, Hunter College [C.U.N.Y.]. Founder and co-founder of numerous African and African American intellectual organizations through the years.
10. Former New York City Transit [Subway] Conductor and/or Motorman, author and historian that specializes in :African American" subjects, etc. Avowed atheist, author, etc. A noted authority on the British scholar—Gerald Massey—teachings. His major work was with professor Willis Huggins, An Intriduction to African Civilization, New York, 1969.
11. Retired Professor of History at Howard University, Washington, D.C. Author of The Destruction of Black Civilization: From 4000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., and of other books and articles on African people.
12. Psychiatrist, expert on the "melanin" content in humans, proficient lecturer and political activist who fought the archaic academic system in Howard University, Washington, D.C. Author of the "Crest Theory of Color Confrontation."
13. Head of the Black Studies Department at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, author, lecturer and political activist.
14. See book of said name by Ghanian Professor J.C. deGraft-Johnson, published by Watts and Company, Ltd., London, 1954.
15. Dr. James Turner, Executive Director, 310 Triphammer Road, Ithaca, New York.
16. Author of numerous books relative to paleontology and the "Negro," lecturer, amalgamationist.
17. Dr. Rodney was a political activist, author of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, and of many aarticles on colonialism, neo-colonialism, socio-political dynamics, etc. He was murdered in his native Republic of Guyany, South America. It is widely accepted "he was assassinated" by enemies.
18. Author of Wonderfull Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushitic Empire, Black Classic Press, Baltimore, Md., 1985, Vol. I [originally Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushitic Empire, 1926].
19. Second wife of Marcus Moziah Garvey, political activist with the U.N.I.A., Editor of The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, mother of Garvey's two sons—Julius and Marcus, Jr. The first Mrs. Garvey's name was Amy Ashwood Garvey.
20. Former leader of the Gil Noble Trio combo, W.L.I.B. Radio Disc Jockey and Reporter, political activist, author of Black is the Color of My T.V. Set, stern lecturer on the public media, and T.V. host of "Like It Is," Channel 7, W.A.B.C., etc., etc., etc.
21. Note Missing
22. A community-based newspaper that began giving information on the local daily "policy," otherwise called "the numbers," etc.; now covers everything important for the African communities in Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Queens in New York City, N.Y. primarily.
23. A very strong non-local community-based politically active African oriented and owned periodical.
24. Generally geared to the social nightlife of the Harlem, The Bronx, and Brooklyn African American communities.
25. Another pseudonym for the history and heritage of African people everywhere.