HOWARD SURPRISES

A FEW OF MY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SURPRISES Howard U. surprised me in many ways where I studied 1969-1976. Howard's vast diversity of foreign and African American students was echoed in their accents, music, dances, and abilities. Africans and Caribbeans trended toward the hard courses in "death valley" like chemistry, zoology, physics, pharmacy. African Americans trended toward Liberal Arts like political science, education, psychology. I was shocked that a girl from Washington, D.C. in my African American Literature class could just barely read. This too was part of Howard's diversity: with students of varying proficiency. My next surprise was that the Howard Blues Festival in 1971 was well over 90% white! Howard students did not like the blues! As a St. Louisan, which is famous for the blues, I was flummoxed by this discovery. Yet, before I could get too excited about that, they turned right around to launch the awesome Howard University Gospel Choir, also in 1971. Among many other surprises was one for especially for me. I had helped to found the Amani Gun Club in 1970, without guns, bullets. or firing range. After our first meeting, a solution occurred to me: Why not enroll in Howard's riflery as an elective.? We did. Some stuck with riflery, becoming members of the ROTC, later Army officers, under the command of a very grateful riflery instructor, needing recruits!