WSU CLAS professors among Detroit Today panelists examining missing links in Black history

What are the missing links between Black history and American history? Host Bankole Thompson was joined by a panel of experts to discuss the relationship between the two narratives and how they function together.

Guests include Wayne State University History Professor Kidada Williams, Wayne State Lecturer in Africana Studies Kefentse Chike, Principal of Paul Roberson Malcolm X Academy Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Juanita Moore, and Rev. of the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church Tellis Chapman.

The panel also examines the prominence of Detroit, a city that has served as the backdrop for many crucial moments throughout Black history in the U.S. "I think Detroiters have a sense of this history, but there are times I wonder and I worry whether or not some of that has been lost by some of the younger people. So, I worry that young black Detroiters don't know the rich history of protest and struggles and advancement of the city," said Williams.

Chike adds that poignant conversations about Detroit's Black history, an inclusive education model and taking action to preserve that legacy is when things can move beyond theory and make a real difference. "I think the key is, again, moving from theory or knowing, to being and doing," says Chike, "and I simply challenge people of African descent to be African period."