Worcester State recently brought more than 60 high school and college students from across the Commonwealth to campus to celebrate the National African American-Read-In. Now in its 12th year at the university, the read-in is part of a broader movement established by the National Council of Teachers of English to highlight the literary accomplishments of Black authors.
Dr. Dariel T. Henry, the author of “College Debunked” and director of TRIO services at Bristol Community College, delivered the day’s keynote remarks.
A self-described once-troubled teen who attended college on a football scholarship before earning a PhD, Henry challenged the gathered students to study and understand history as a roadmap for unlocking their own potential. By way of example, he shared how reading two books in particular transformed his own life. The books were “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” and “The Mis-education of the Negro” by Carter G. Woodson.
“Woodson had a great quote,” Henry shared. “He wrote: ‘If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one.’”
Henry urged the students to reject such mentalities. “I just want you to understand that you can do anything. Learn the excellence within your own culture. Because when you learn your history, you realize your possibilities.”
Following his presentation, students pushed the dialogue into academic territory during a thoughtful question-and-answer session.
In one notable exchange, a student asked about the “Talented Tenth” principle, a topic Henry had touched on earlier. Made famous by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1903, the theory posited that ten percent of African Americans should be educated and adopt leadership roles in the Black community. The student questioned whether that percentage should have been significantly higher. Henry agreed, noting that limiting education to a select group was a byproduct of the inequitable social standards of Du Bois’ era.
Along with the National African American Read-In, the day served as a joint observance of ALANA Preview Day and National TRIO Day. Preview Day gives ALANA/BIPOC (short for African, Latine, Asian, Native American and/or Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and first-generation students a glimpse at university life. National TRIO Day serves as a celebration of the federally funded initiative designed to strengthen graduation outcomes for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
As a result, the students in attendance included those from Worcester State’s Upward Bound Program, which encourages students from Worcester Public High Schools to pursue post-secondary education after graduating, as well as students from other colleges and universities in Massachusetts who benefit from TRIO services.
Observing the three initiatives together was intentional, said Sonia Root, TRIO coordinator at Worcester State.
“In combining these initiatives, we’re bringing more students together and really making this a day-long celebration of literary exploration, academic access, and cultural diversity,” said Root. “We wanted to make this an inclusive day for everybody.”