hilltopics images people features friday, february 9, 2001 for comments, contact kristielliott at 864-4924 or features@kansan.com
Students discuss issues of African-American origins. Jacob Byers, Stillwell junior; J. R. Roland, Grand View, Mo., senior; Conway Ekpo, Lawrence senior; and Jessica Pea, St. Ann, Mo., freshman; participated in the "Walk Through History" display at the Partors Room of the Kansas Union yesterday.
history in motion
interactive display helps bring Black History Month to life
photos by j.e. wilson
hat's the best way to bring a booklet about African-American history to life? For Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, it was to incorporate its self-written publication "A Lone Story" with a chronological display.
Conway Ekpo, Lawrence senior, said when his fraternity first started to think of ideas to celebrate African-American History Month, it considered organizing a panel discussion or booking a speaker.
But then it decided the best way to celebrate was to "bring the book to life" by creating the display "A Walk Through History," Ekoo said.
The display began in the year 8,000,000 B.C., when scientists believe modern humans first originated from present-day South Africa. From there, "A Walk
Through History" took visitors through a time warp of African-American history, including stops in the slavery era, the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement.
This model was created to illustrate Kansas as free state during the Civil War Era.
Interspersed with
upright cardboard displays, each representing a different era, were props of inventions developed by African Americans.
The hair brush was invented by Lydia O. Newman in 1800. Forty years later Edmond Berger created the first spark plug. And more recently, Henry Sampson invented the cell phone in 1971.
Ekpo said the display did a good job of raising awareness of African-American history. About 50 people took the tour yesterday, and Ekpo made many of them learned something new.
One of those people was Angie Carr, coordinator of greek programs, who was most intrigued by the information about the slavery era. Also, Carr said she wasn't aware that the modern-day products on display were invented by African Americans.
Depending on the time of day people took "A Walk Through History," they were also treated to jazz music and various movies, including Amistad. Glory and Malcolm X.
Ekpo ssid the display had been in the planning stages since October, and the past two or three weeks had been spent setting it up. Yesterday was the exhibit's last day.
Danny Phillips
Copies of "A Long Story...," which details African-American contributions to American history, was written by members of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The cellular phone is displayed as one of many modern conveniences created by an African-American inventor.
This model illustrates the struggle of African Americans searching for escape from the streets, which were designed to oppress them.