Social Change with Alton B. Pollard

In this weeks freshmen seminar class we listened to a presentation given by Alton B. Pollard who is the dean of the Howard University School of Divinity. The main focus of Dr. Pollard’s presentation was the powers of the younger generation and what we can accomplish. Dr. Pollard first started by explaining that for a lot of adults, the younger generation (mine) is indefinable. We are a generation that is made up of cell phones, iPod’s, computers, and media. However, Dr. Pollard explains that this does not hinder our abilities to make changes in this world. That just by being students at Howard University in this day in time we will become stronger people and make marks in changing the world. To further explain his emphasis on the importance of the younger generation Dr. Pollard brought us back to the civil rights movement. 

Throughout the civil rights movement many petitions, sit ins, marches, and so on were done to bring equality for minorities in America. To sit and think of who actually participated in the civil rights movement names such as Huey P. Newton, Malcolm X, Dr. King, and Rosa Parks might come to mind. While these people did make great strives in our civil rights we have to remember how young they were when they did this, and how even younger the civil rights volunteers were. Volunteers of the civil rights movement were mainly college, high school, and elementary students who believed it was time for a change in America. Dr. Pollard also expressed that voicing change wasn’t only through civil rights actions but in the music of the time such as The Isleys, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and so forth. 

Today we are still making our voices heard and taking strives for our civil rights. Dr. Pollard explained that having a black president isn’t enough to make living in America equal for us, so we must keep pushing forward to make it. Dr. Pollard believes that our movement and strength can be seen in Hip Hop Music. When you look at positive artists such as India Arie, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Talib Kweli, and so forth you can see the step forward we are making. We are making our voices heard in the music that we listen to. I learned a lot from hearing Dr. Pollard speak, I agree with his beliefs that it is the younger generation who has to make the change for the next generation to live in. In other words we must help create a better America and then “pass the torch”. Overall I truly enjoyed Dr. Pollard presentation and found it very engaging.

-Safisha Seifullah