From Acorn to Oak

FROM ACORN TO OAK: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES (NAAAS)

Pansy E. Jacobs Jackson, a Founder

A TREE GROWS IN ETTRICK

In early autumn of 1992, a young, relatively recently appointed dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at Virginia State University, Ettrick, Virginia met with six SHSS faculty members to share a vision: the founding of a national scholarly association which would ultimately become a stellar international organization. He presented his obviously much-worked-on format, and he displayed a completely unbridled enthusiasm in support of it. The seed planted there from that day took root in the fertile mind-soils of all six members. The young visionary dean was Dr. Lemuel Berry, Jr. The six SHSS members were the following:

Professor Gary Baker
Chairman, Department of Political Science;
Dr. Valery Y.R. Bates-Brown
Department of Art & Design;
Professor Juanita B. Evans
Department of Languages & Literature;
Dr. Joseph Goldenberg
Chairman, Department of History & International Studies;
Professor Pansy E. Jacobs Jackson
Department of Languages & Literature;
Dr. Wallace McMichael
Department of Political Science.

The First Annual Conference was held on February 9-13, 1993, using as its theme: "Facing the Rising Sun of our New Day Begun". More than three hundred (300) attendees converged on campus for the occasion. Presenters came from more than one hundred and forty (140) colleges and universities from across the country. Among them were: Loyola, NC State, Elizabeth City State, Carlton College (MN), Northwestern State (LA), University of Idaho, Central State (OH), Howard University, Fisk University, National University (CA), Clark Atlanta University, Auburn University, Fitchburg State College (MA), University of Notre Dame, Texas Christian University, Duke University, University of St. Thomas (MN), Virginia Union University, Spelman College, Miami-Dade Community College, University of Toronto, Randolph-Macon College (VA), University of Virginia, Union College (NY), Bethune-Cookman College. Additionally, representatives of various institutes, publishing houses and cultural organizations attended. Some of these were: ECA Associates (VA), Bettwansuela Collections (NJ), Fashion Institute of Technology (NY), and the African-American Culture Center (IL).

Though research projects, scholarly papers, artistic offerings and group discussions highlighted the Conference, there were tours to historical sites, a formal closing banquet, a "vendors’ paradise" for shoppers of African garb, dolls, fragrances, oils, jewelry, sculptures, portraits and other paintings. African, Creole, Southern and "Down Home" cuisines were flavorly in abundance. Books, magazines and posters were well sold. These comprised the first NAAAS Bazaar.

The social activities, though enjoyable, in no way eclipsed the plenary and the sixty-four concurrent sessions held, a real scholarly "smorgasbord". The diversity of topics was academically significant. Among them were the following:

Trial of Democracy: A Reinterpretation of the Republican Party’s Motivation in Establishing Black Suffrage, 1860-1870
Dr. Xi Wang, University of Rochester

African-American Images in Advertising From 1870-1993
Dr. Valery Y.R. Bates-Brown, Virginia State University

Native Son and d’Estranger: A Remarkable Coincidence
Dr. Frederick I. Case, University of Toronto

Justice Thurgood Marshall’s Opinions of the First Amendment
Dr. Charles E. Simmons, California State University

Esterfication of 20-Carbon Fatty Acids into Phospholipid and Neutral Lipid Fractions of Different Cell Lines
Professor Karen L. Felton, Elizabeth City State University

Robert F. Williams and the Roots of Black Power
Professor Tim Tyson, Duke University

Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Professor Peaches M. Henry, University of Notre Dame

The Power of the Cross Poems: Assertive Womenhood and the Church
Dr. Donna Akiba Sullivan Harper, Spelman College

A Symbology of Coloration and Brutalization: Portraits of Poverty, Perversion and Imprisonment "Painted" on a Literary Palette
Professor Pansy E. Jacobs Jackson, Virginia State University

Publishing Strategies for Scholars: Problems and Solutions
Professor Nkongo Ba’Nkongo, IAAS Publishers, Inc.

Negritude and Music Revisited: Old Wine or New Bottles
Dr. Christopher A. Brooks, Virginia Commonwealth University

A STOUT AND STURDY TRUNK

From its inception and through the next two years, NAAAS broadened and thickened. Each year brought more and more presenters, from more and more colleges and universities, from Africa, Asia, Europe, South American and some islands. The conferences were being peopled expansively. This, of course, pushed the Founders to the limits of their energies to make each annual meeting a reflection of scholarly excellence, the foundation of which NAAAS had been built. During that time numerous keynote speakers of state and national acclaim addressed the Conference. This group included: Dr. Germaine S. Fauntleroy, first Black female Superintendent of the Public Schools in Petersburg, Virginia, the Honorable Rosalyn Dance, Black female mayor of Petersburg, and the Honorable L. Douglas Wilder, former Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first Black elected Governor of the state in the country.

NAAAS was strengthened considerably by administrative support at Virginia State University under the acting presidency of Dr. Nathanael Pollard and the subsequent presidency of Dr. Eddie Moore. Dr. Vernon Clark, dean of the School of Education will long be remembers as a staunch support of NAAAS. The faculty, staff and especially the students were most instrumental in ensuring not only the survival but also the thriving of our organization.

FRUITED BRANCHES

When Dean Berry accepted a position as dean of the Caudill College of Humanities, at Morehead State University, in Morehead, Kentucky, he continued his work with NAAAS. A reading journey through the pages of the 1999 Conference booklet reveals just how the Association has become. Some of the revelations are these:

The National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies (NAHLS) has met jointly with NAAAS for four years. By the year 2000, NAAAS will have joined with the National Association of Native American Studies (NANAS) and the International Association of Asian Studies (IAAS). The completion of this alliance will present an organization unlike any other in this country. What a plum!

The memberships of these organizations cover all states in the United States, as well as members from seven foreign countries.

The number of concurrent sessions of presenters has grown from the sixty-four of the Conference’s birthyear to the current 286, more than double the number.

In the last few years, the Conference has been convened at the elegant Adam’s Mark Hotel in Houston, Texas.

Many students, faculty members and other associates of NAAAS and NAHLS have been provided opportunities to study/teach abroad, especially in China.

The dean who first had a vision of what could be not only possible, but doable, is now Executive Director of the organizations.

The year 2000 will be the year of the peoples across the world.

TENDER GREEN LEAVES

Of all the great things about NAAAS, none is more appropriate than the organization’s involvement with high school and college students. There is a concerted effort on the part of the memberships to train youth in the areas of scholarly research, leadership skills, and appreciation for heritage. It is only through this type of most significant concentration that NAAAS, NAHLS, NANAS and IAAS can guarantee continuity and perpetuity of its goals, ideals and appreciations. The young are greened with innocence and naivety. Under the leadership of lovership of these organizations, they will thrive magnificently. As the Executive Director, the Board members, the Founders, the State Chairpersons, Area Coordinators, and all the other adults whose work is germane to success of the Conference begin to brown, to yellow, to orange, to red and to burgundy under the sway of autumnal seasons, it will be a solace to them knowing that the greening of our youth is effective and rewarding. The new millennium is theirs to build. They will do so as a result of their having been nurtured, taught and loved by those of us from the past millennium.