Eighteen years ago, the Howard University administration
took the position that it would be improper for me to travel to Trinidad at
Carnival time because: 1) Trinidad is the land of my birth; 2) My trips to
Trinidad at Carnival time stir up the envy of my colleagues who view them as an
annual winter vacation; 3) Trinidad is English speaking and I am a professor of
Spanish. I intend to travel to Trinidad for Carnival 2016. However, this should
not pose any problem, since, as of July 2015, the Howard University
administration has placed me on leave with pay.
While in Trinidad for the 2015 Carnival, I saw a report on a
local TV station about a visit to the country by President Wayne A. I.
Frederick and his family. I subsequently discovered that President Frederick
frequently “comes back home” for the Carnival. It has been brought to my
attention that some Howard University faculty members have expressed their
discontent at the appointment of a “foreign Black” as president of the
University.
It will surely not be long before the position taken by the
University administration 18 years ago resurfaces as a criticism of President
Frederick. Since I have earned the respect of the national and international
academic community for my work on Carnival, I wish to offer a series of
scholarly reflections on the major significance of Carnival, “The Ultimate
Pan-African Festival.”
ALL OF MY POSTS FROM NOW UNTIL ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10,
2016 WILL FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE
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