Freedom

Dr. Pollard spoke to our Freshman Seminar class about topics that mainly revolved around religion. At one point, Dr. Pollard stated that religion is a huge part of Black culture. I find that to be true in some cases, but maybe not in others. I do realize that there are a large number of Black people who find religion to be important, but I do not know if I would call it vital to the culture. Dr. Pollard did also speak about how freedom had changed for Black people over time. As times and the needs of people changed, the necessity for freedom never left, but what freedom was being fought for did change. Every generation has its own definition of freedom. As a result of his references to the importance of freedom, Dr. Pollard played part of a song by the O’Jays that was about slavery. This song was significant since musicians do not make a habit of singing about slavery. Dr. Pollard also spoke about different influential figures. One person, for whom the lecture was named, was Howard Thurman, who had been the first dean of the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. Howard Thurman told his daughters at one point that they were so important that the laws in the state that they lived kept the girls out of the playground the wanted to go to. Howard Thurman worked to have his daughters see themselves positively and offered them a form of mental freedom. Dr. Pollard also spoke about Jarena Lee, who was a woman who wanted to be a minister for God. This woman was able to show that she had a gift and that she was anointed by God and was able to receive the respect that she deserved as a minister. She made sure that she was free to believe in her own abilities and achieve her goals.
Shayna McCormack