[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 30 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E375-E376]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     CELEBRATING THE SCHOMBURG CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 16, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible 
work happening at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. 
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Schomburg Center, a 
milestone worthy of celebration. Over the past 80 years the Schomburg 
has organized many firsts in African-American history including the 
first orchestra of classically trained black musicians (1971); 
established a scholar in residence program attracting many of the 
world's most renowned scholars and intellectual leaders; collected and 
exhibited hundreds of thousands of items for collections and galleries 
organized around important themes from the history and lived legacies 
of African-Americans and the African Diaspora. It is with great pride 
that I recognize the accomplishments of the Schomburg over the past 80 
years.
  This past summer, from June 19th through July 18th, the Schomburg 
held its second Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute. A joint 
venture between the Schomburg Center and the Mellon-Mays Foundation, 
the Humanities Summer initiative is designed to increase the number of 
minority students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in the 
humanities in fields related to African-American and African Diaspora 
Studies. The Summer Institute identifies carefully selected prospective 
scholars and develops and nurtures their interest over the course of 3 
years. Providing students with requisite intellectual skills and 
presenting them with challenges and orientations helpful in the pursuit 
of humanities careers, the summer institute fills a much needed role in 
attracting, retaining, and supporting the next generation of scholars 
and researchers concerned with issues relating to African Americans and 
the African Diaspora.

[[Page E376]]

  The students, culled from schools throughout New York City as well as 
from Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the 
country, spent the summer exploring the theme ``Africana Age.'' They 
engaged in discussions, visits, and projects that compelled them to 
explore the dominant political, economic, and cultural periods of the 
20th century; black achievements in social, artistic, and cultural 
realms that challenged the myth of white supremacy; efforts to forge 
political and cultural relationships among African peoples across 
boundaries; and commonalities and differences across time and 
geography. More than 25 distinguished scholars from around the country 
conducted seminars, facilitated conversations around works of art, 
tours of significant African-American landmarks, and aided in 
conducting research related to the aforementioned themes and subjects. 
Participating scholars created a research prospectus to aid them in 
fulfilling academic requirements during their senior year. They also 
worked both independently and collectively on research projects.

  The Schomburg-Mellon Summer Institute continues to provide minority 
students with opportunities that are instrumental in becoming 
personally and professionally ready to compete in the ever expanding 
global marketplace. By providing minority students with mentors; 
providing them with requisite skills such as conducting research and 
writing research papers; creating rigorous academic programs rooted in 
historical truths about the contributions made by people of color; and 
championing them to fulfill their full potential, the Schomburg-Mellon 
Summer Institute its part to continue the legacy of producing 
compassionate and capable intellectual leaders.
  The Schomburg-Mellon Summer Institute is but one of many initiatives 
aimed at uncovering and preserving truths in black culture. There is 
the annual book fair, a plethora of programs commemorating significant 
events and themes throughout African American history, and symposiums 
on important matters such as the African Burial Ground. This fall marks 
the sixth year of the Junior Scholars program. A program similar to the 
Summer Institute teaches history and culture while using insights 
gained to devise solutions to improving quality of life, for African 
Americans in particular, today. Another program dedicated to connecting 
youth with living legends, authors, scholars, artists, and business 
people in ways that show them they can choose to be anything they apply 
themselves to becoming while providing them with tools that will prove 
necessary along the way, the Junior Scholar's program epitomizes the 
Schomburg's commitment to preserving the legacy of descendants of 
Africa.
  While celebrating the Schomburg and its achievements over the course 
of 80 years it is important to continue to invest in the production of 
even more scholars, thinkers, and leaders committed to the same goal.

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