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From: Jonathan W. Williams
Date: 10/4/00
Time: 6:22:21 AM
Remote Name: 216.68.169.14
October 3, 2000
Marshall Magazine Keith Spears, Ph.D., Vice President for Communications P.O. Box 384 Huntington, West Virginia 25708
Dr. Spears,
Congratulations on the publication of a most professional looking magazine.
I attended Marshall as an undergraduate from 1972-76. I graduated with a B.A. degree in Political Science. During my junior and senior years, I worked at WMUL-TV and Radio. The programs I produced projected the voice of African-Americans at Marshall and in the tri-state area. While serving as Director, you gave me a chance to host such a program, weekly. I called it "Night Moods in Audio Color".
As I reviewed Volume II of Marshall Magazine, I was reminded of the reason I met you nearly 25 years ago. However, “after further review" I was disappointed to see that the only people of color who were photographed in this magazine were athletes? There are many people of color who do good things for (or about) the University who are not involved in sports. They should be recognized in this publication too. I saw the picture of Colin Powell. His visit to MU is insignificant comparatively speaking.
Over 25 years later, I come to you again for help to bridge the communications gap between whites and people of color that continues, after all these years, to be far too wide considering that we are now in the 21st Century.
From my experience with you and many other people at Marshall, I don't think that is the image of our culture that you or the University wants to project. I ask that you revisit the sense of equity and fairness that you personified to me “back in the day”. Work with someone who will fix this problem.
I believe Marshall's Black Alumni is a great place to start! I’m sure that Janis F. Winkfield; President of the organization will be a valuable resource to build a stronger relationship that will help market the school. To compete globally, we must show that student/alumni life and other events at MU clearly reflect a more racially and ethnically diverse population of students, teachers, supporters, and others who benefit from affiliation with MU is more important than ever before. Marshall’s Black Alumni has done a great deal to reunite Marshall's Sons and Daughters of color. The organization was established because many of us felt left out of Marshall’s big picture. After reviewing this magazine, some feel the same way today.
There are thousands of people of color who have ties with Marshall who could appreciate your help. I am interested to learn what will be done to address this concern, beyond this letter into the next century. Frankly, I’m tired of history repeating itself.
Please respond by email or U.S. Mail on or before October 10, 2000, if possible. That will give us an opportunity to connect before I return to Huntington for this year’s "Home Coming" on the 20th. Maybe we can get together on Friday for lunch or at some other point in the day. I certainly hope so.
Thanks for your time and attention to this message.
Sincerely,
Jonathan W. Williams
cc: Marshall Black Alumni, Inc.