Abstract
For most, it was unthinkable. To others, it was just a dream. Yet for some African American students at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), traveling to Africa is now a reality. It all started in 1997, after I led a group of students to Tanzania. My travels were a part of Operation Crossroads Africa, a 42-year-old program designed to promote an understanding between Africa and the African diaspora through cultural exchanges. As word of my journey to East Africa spread throughout campus, African American students visiting the Black American Studies program asked me some probing questions. Two students who came into my office devoted much time and attention to a picture of some Crossroaders pinned to my bulletin board. “Where’s the Black students?” one said, mumbling under her breath. “Yeah,” the other student said in agreement, “Why don’t you take us? We are the ones that need to learn about Africa!” The students’ observations were indeed true.
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