DuBois kicks off lecture series

English prof Houston Baker recounts childhood The setting was very similar to a library full of children during story time. One could have heard a pin drop in the W.E.B. DuBois College House Multipurpose Room Wednesday night as approximately 40 students listened to English Professor Houston Baker, director of the Center for the Study of Black Literature and Culture, recount stories of his childhood and his schooling. Baker was the first speaker in an ongoing the lecture series, entitled "It takes a village to raise a child." The title comes from a Swahili proverb. Sponsored by DuBois, the series was created to foster interaction between students and faculty. "If it takes a whole village to raise a child, what does it take to raise a village?" Baker asked the audience. Baker told of growing up in segregated Louisville, Ky. where every responsible black man and woman in the community helped to discipline the children of the neighborhood. "There was camaraderie in our community," he said. "We had a need to stick together for survival purposes. Everyone helped to teach the children." Baker talked about the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision of 1954 that decided separate was in no way equal. He said that among the case's positive effects there came the dismantling of powerful black villages, institutions and values. "All of a sudden, I had access to the intellectual world," he said. Baker, who has published poetry and a number of studies of African American literature, went on to talk about his high school years at a private school and his college years at Howard University where he met his mentor, Charles Watkins. Watkins taught at Howard and inspired Baker to improve his analytical skills. Watkins also inspired him to get a doctoral degree and teach English. "I wanted to be just like him," Baker said. When Watkins died, Baker dedicated his book, Singers of Daybreak, to the memory of the professor who encouraged his growth. "We, as a community need to search out village elders on Penn's campus," Baker said. "Their mentorship can enhance our own selves and make our world a better place to live and work. "My job at Penn is to be committed to mentoring and fostering intellectual life?to be a rock in a weary land," he added. "Generations of people have passed through the doors of this village," Baker continued. "Your job is to memorize the history of the black struggle inscribed on these walls and carry that history in your bones." Baker concluded his lecture and storytelling with a question-and-answer session. "I am deeply honored to be able to kick off the series and be part of an institution that has been so integral to campus life and to me," Baker said. "It is symbolic for the strength of the house." DuBois Assistant Dean in Residence Sonia Elliott is one of Baker's former students. "He was my teacher when I went to Penn over ten years ago," Elliott said. "He has always been a reference and a resource for me. Students should know that resources are out there in the many different forms and they have a lot of wisdom and experience to share." DuBois Faculty Master Michael Cunningham said he was aware of Baker's reputation long before he ever met him. "He is one of the key black senior faculty here at the University," Cunningham said. "He touched on a wide variety of issues that engaged the audience by relating to everyone." College sophomore David Aaron was one of many students to attend Baker's lecture. "I feel privileged to have received the wisdom of such a brilliant distinguished man," Aaron said.