Eloquence of Scribes

Aisha J. Brownlee
Freshmen Seminar

This week’s freshmen seminar was very fascinating. Dr. Tritobia Hayes Benjamin spoke to the class about the “Eloquence of Scribes”. The people she discussed in her lecture were people who founded many attributes that continue to make Howard an amazing university. Her lecture was centered on Howard’s founders and the people who founded the buildings that students attend class in. Dr. Benjamin began her lecture on discussing who a scribe is. A scribe is someone who writes books and contributes to the African experience of learning. The scribes she talked about in her lecture have greatly contributed to the academic success of Howard students. She talked about people who the buildings were named after on Howard’s campus. One of the people discussed that intrigued me was Inabel Burns Lindsey, who was the first dean of the School of Social Work. Because of her many contributions and dedications to the school, it was named the second accredited school in the nation. Another person discussed whose history I found remarkable was Prudence Crandall. Crandall is a dorm that is part of the Harriet Tubman Quadrangle. She fought for girl’s education and opened the first integrated school for girls. Her zeal and drive for all women to be educated helped shape the course of history. This lecture was very informative in knowing the history of Howard University and to know about the people that open the doors to many educational opportunities. Before this lecture I did not know many of the people that these buildings were named after. I did not know of their tribulations and devotion to educating blacks, and how they not only contributed to the history of Howard, but also to the history of this country.