Pope Francis, Tragedy, and Friends

Six of us Highlands '58 grads.

Six of us Highlands ’58 grads: l-r Susan, Joette, Nancy, Don, me, Brenda

Highlands Classmates Join Me at Joseph-Beth Booksellers

My visit to Cincinnati was wonderful. I enjoyed six days with my sister Beth and our friend Stephanie in Steph’s lovely home in Fort Thomas KY. I saw several friends.

Even more came to the talk at Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Tuesday evening.

Together we were six classmates from the 1958 graduating class at Highlands High School, Fort Thomas KY.  I knew two who were coming. Nancy, a tireless and efficient organizer, had been in touch.

Three more came too. One came with his wife and son who was our impromptu photographer. It was such fun to see them all!

Harriet, a Highlands grad from another class, and several friends of my sister’s and Stephanie’s, were present.

Julia, classmate's friend

Julia, classmate’s friend

Kathy and me

Kathy and me

St. Aloysius student Barb and me

St. Aloysius student Barb and me

Another Highlands classmate who lives in Philadelphia had informed his Cincinnati friends. They came!

If you’ve read my memoir, you may remember that I worked at Head Start the summer of 1969 in Newport KY. I met my friend Kathy then. We stayed friends for a while and reconnected a few years ago. She came with her husband.

After that summer I taught 4th grade at St. Aloysius School in Covington KY for the 1969-70 school year. One of my students came!

Mount Holyoke alums from Cincinnati

Mount Holyoke alums from Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Mount Holyoke Alumnae Club had posted info about the talk to their Facebook page. Two women came as a result of that. Other friends showed up too!

John and Ann Deering

John Deering, my senior year English teacher, and his wife Ann

Last time I promised to post the photo of my high school English teacher John Deering.

I received several suggestions of other possible speaking opportunities, a lovely dinner invitation, and Stephanie’s request for a do-over (she was sick for part of our visit). I’m ready to go back!

Nigeria: Slavery to Superrich

I’m teaching a six-week class at the Lifetime Learners Institute, for people age 55 and over, at Norwalk Community College. I’m calling the class Nigeria: Slavery to Superrich. The first session is next week. Seventeen people have registered.

I said I would cover the 1600’s to 1800’s in the first class, but I can’t resist giving my students a little background of empires and kingdoms in pre-European Africa.

How can I talk about Nigerian history and not include Nok culture,1000 BC to around 300 AD? Then Benin and Ife, with the amazing brass heads and other figures?

Nok sculpture in the Louvre

Nok sculpture in the Louvre

I have a poster in our downstairs entry of a Benin brass plaque of Portuguese soldiers. Maybe I’ll take a picture of it to put in the PowerPoint to add to the Benin head and Nok figure.

The slave trade will be a major part of the first class. Did you know that at least 12 million people were shipped as slaves? Even more were purchased, according to Wikipedia, by Portuguese, British, French, Spanish, and Dutch (in order by volume of slaves). The trade continued from mid-1500’s to mid 1800’s.

My friend Anne offered a course on African History in Boston last year; I spoke to her class several months ago. She kindly sent me notes and extremely helpful books.

Friendly Pope Francis

Have you been watching Pope Francis on his U.S. tour? I love watching him! He looks so friendly and unassuming.

I saw a few minutes of his arrival in Washington, and clips of his talk to the joint session of Congress.

And I saw the whole service at the 9/11 Memorial today. The pope only spoke for a few minutes. Before him were ten or twelve other speakers representing the world’s religions. I found it to be emotionally powerful; I can imagine for those who lost loved ones it was even more moving.

The Young People’s Chorus of New York City sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Their website has their picture at the Memorial service.

Earlier the pope was at the UN covering a wide range of topics, including climate change, refugees, and poverty. If you missed everything else, you can watch part or all of his address to the UN General Assembly.

Buhari at UN

President Buhari will also address the United Nations General Assembly. He arrived in the U.S. on Thursday and will speak on Monday. I haven’t been able to find the time of his talk, but have found the website that I can run all day.

Tragedy in Mecca

You probably heard the terrible news from Mecca. Yesterday more than 700 people died and many more were injured when crowds of pilgrims stampeded.

CNN’s article today says, “Among the suggested causes: pilgrims rushing to complete the rituals, heat, masses of faithful pushing against each other in opposite directions, even confusion among the many first-timers on the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and Mina.”

The causes are under investigation as are solutions to prevent future tragedies.

The pope offered his condolences and prayers.

Poll on Calhoun College Name Change

I’m the only one who voted! I just added a Don’t Know option in case you want to go back and answer!

To new subscribers – my last post had an article about Yale College and a residence hall named for a famous slavery advocate. I asked my readers if they thought the name should be changed.

Author: Catherine Onyemelukwe

Author, blogger, speaker. Born in New York, grew up in mid west United States, lived in Nigeria for 24 years, back in U.S. since 1986. Advocate for racial justice.

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