FYI

-----Original Message-----
From:   P D Bellegarde-Smith [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Monday, April 08, 2002 12:02 PM
To:     Akyea, Aggo
Cc:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Thanks!


Aggo:
        My heartfelt "thanks" to you and the leadership of the African Association of Madison for having me over last Friday night. I do not mind returning when the time comes for a repeat performance!

        Concerning some issues that were raised after my presentation, to wit, the communication issues between African Americans and American Africans, may I make a suggestion?

        I did say that a massive instructional effort needed to be done, and this was unlikely to occur in the schools. My recommendation is that the AAM, together with local chapters of the NAACP, the Urban League, various student groups of African, Caribbean and Black students create a
regular forum for youngsters --Africans, Black and Caribbeans, in which major topics can be introduced in palatable form. It might be important, say, to introduce musical genres, lyrics, drumbeats and talk about the presence of song, dance and poetry in societies. U.S. rap has connections to Jamaica. Zouk, to Haitian konpa. The blues to Malian forms. Calypso and reggae are significant in political and oral traditions. And jazz... You follow my drift. One can do the same for languages, here and there, etc.

        Please transmit these suggestion to your Board.

                                Your brother,

                                Patrick

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