On December 14th, Fulbright Scholar Dr. Renford Reese gave a speech on Obama and Race Relations in America at UIC. He Said, the reason why Obama became the president is that he fundamentally believed you got what you gave. You gave respect, you got respect, and you gave love, you got love.
The lecture began with a warm welcome by Prof. Wilkinson Jeff and a brief introduction about Dr. Renford Reese who delivered speeches in 55 countries. Dr. Reese is not only a professor in the Political Science Department at California Polytechnic State University but also an author and the founder of a multicultural human relations program named Colorful Flags.
Being dedicated in race researches in his life time, Dr. Reese set the story dating back to 1856-1876, which is a significant time in the history of American slavery. In 1856, the slavery issue reached the peak time and sharpened with the outbreak of American Civil War. The white and the color were prohibited to talk, eat, study together and even sit besides in the public. The existance of race segregation greatly influenced the life of the color. Dr. Reese repeatedly talked about contraditions and paradoxes on American race issues. When he mentioned the discrimination and the African-American civil rights movement, he said that the impact of Martin Luther King,the prominent leader of the African-American civil rights movement, is obvious and significant , "King was not just an American citizen; he was brought to the world to show us an outline. All about Martin Luther King was about peace, hope, compassion and love."
Dr. Reese shared us with a video when he anchored Prison Race, a cable TV Show in Los Angeles and he aslo published his book with the same name as he particularly focuses on the study on race and crimes. The prisoner Trey Devil on charge of 3 attempted murders bore an American dream to be a scientist and was eager to go to school when he was young. But he was denied. Even at prison, he never gave up and found his way to finish schooling after being released.
Although the American dream came true with Barack Obama's winning the 44th presidential election, the young black men are more likely to go to prison than the white when committing the same crime. "The paradox is here, on one hand you have the White House, but on the other hand you have the young black men."Moreover, high school-drop rates and unemployment rates of the black still exist.
UIC associate Vice-President Dr. Wendy Chan also attended the lecture. Every seat of the hall was occupied by staff and students.
String correspondent: Lucy Liu
Four-Point reporter: Tang changh
Photo by: Richard Xu
Editor: Sunny Xiao
MCO
