The Fire Within: Conversations with our Past

African American Student Exhibition in the Baker Berry Library - Spring 2010

Panel by Ryan Williams French - Designed by Dennis Grady

In conjunction with the Black Theatricality Conference, the Dartmouth College Library invited four students to explore the history of African American students at Dartmouth. The exhibit stems from research on the past 40 years of African and African American  Studies at Dartmouth. It covers students' frustration with various aspects of the  social and academic climate as it pertains to race at Dartmouth both in 1969 and  even today through the study of the Afro-American Society, affirmative action,  and creative protest through the arts

Danielle Coleman

Hannah Giorgis is a '13 from Anaheim, California. She is currently undecided about  her major but very interested in English and African and African American Studies.  In working on the exhibit, she most enjoyed comparing the differences and noting  similarities between minority struggles for legitimacy in the 1970s and the experiences  of minorities at Dartmouth today.

Yueyue Guo'12, an economics and neuroscience double major, chose "Spirituality in Black Diasporic Literatures" as her freshman seminar at Dartmouth. After taking Black Theater, U.S.A. this past fall term, she felt compelled to delve further into black culture and took on this independent study project. Born and raised in Beijing, China, Yueyue has always been interested in minority cultures and diasporas. On campus, Yueyue is a member of the Women's Varsity Track & Field Team, serves as Vice President of the Dartmouth Chinese Culture Society, on the executive council of Kappa Delta Sorority, engaged in neuroscience research, works as a manager of the East Wheelock Snack Bar, and recently took part in Rockefeller Center's Management and Leadership Development Program and Civic Skills Training.

Her exhibit, “Fired Up!” focuses on the development and evolution of affirmative action at Dartmouth, and students’ role in forming and shaping it. It draws from a wide set of documents from the Rauner Special Collections Library including the Black Praxis, Dartmouth College Affirmative Action Plans, the Dartmouth, and photograph collections. Through all of these materials, the exhibit shows the conversation that took place between the students and administration in forming the affirmative action plans.
 

Ryan Williams French, Dartmouth '12, hometown is Riverside, California. Ryan is a recipient of over 15 scholarships including Ron Brown, Gates Millennium, and Coca Cola Scholarships. As of now, Ryan is a sophomore and plans on majoring in both AAAS (African and African American Studies) and Theater. Ryan has performed in numerous student/school productions, is an active member of B.U.T.A. (Black  Underground Theater Association); Brovertones (a cappella); the NAACP, and a diligent participant of the African American Society. Ryan looks forward to spending his summer in London via Theater FSP and has a hopeful outlook for his future!

The exhibition was sponsored by the Dartmouth College Library and  designed by Dennis Grady.