Penn’s Center for Africana Studies hosted a discussion of "Beloved" by Toni Morrison on Sept. 30.
The conversation — which was the latest installment in the Africana Classics Lecture Series — was led by English professor Herman Beavers to encourage "genuine" discourse regarding Morrison, her novel, and Black experiences in the United States.
“I didn't want to lecture, which is why I tried to make it a little bit more interactive,” Beavers said. “People have read the book, and I wanted to leave space for people to say what they wanted to say.”
A point of conversation at the event was whether a novel or physical memorial is a more effective way to remember the more than sixty million African people who died as a result of Atlantic slave trade.
“Well, the memorial doesn’t exist, so that’s the other problem,” Beavers said. “[1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump] talks about Frederick Douglass in the present. So that tells me that in this political climate, it ain’t getting done.”
The discussion touched on how "Beloved" is sometimes excluded in current school systems.
“It’s an easy target because Morrison doesn’t shrink away from representing what the experience is,” Beavers added. “In this present moment where they’re literally shunting African American history into the dust bin of history, we are electing to pass on what is really important information, all because we worry about white children feeling bad about themselves because they’re having to read about slavery.”
Professor of Africana Studies Marcia Chatelain said that the conversation about "Beloved" is a "part of a number of conversations that are happening about Toni Morrison and her legacy.”
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“In light of all of the terrible and misguided policy around the content of education, bans on books, and other types of reactionary actions, it's really important to talk about substantive literature that is being attacked,” Chatelain said. “A book like 'Beloved' particularly was so important for inspiring a lot of fictional reflections on the brutalities of slavery and on the experiences of women during slavery.”
Chatelain added that she would be "saddened to think that we might be approaching a time when the majority of Penn students have not read that book in high school, or won't have opportunities to read that book because of the backlash against great art and great literature."
Another important idea that was stressed throughout the event was for the audience to push themselves to continue learning.
“There is so much more beyond Toni Morrison's books,” Bernita F. Mapp, a Philadelphia resident who attended the discussion, said. “If we all align ourselves with love, unity, and harmony, maybe we could go beyond some of the hurt and pain that our ancestors, and some of us still, endure.”
