The AUC Woodruff Library hosted the Asa G. Hillard, III Symposium, "Return to the Source", a two-day symposium celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Hilliard with his family, friends, colleagues, students, and educators. Day 2 of symposium featured Truer of Voice special speakers, Dr. Mario Beatty, Dr. Rev. Iva Carruthers, and Dr. Joyce King that covered topics related to Dr. Hilliard's work on Kemetic Studies, African Spiritualities, African healing, curating knowledge, applying what we know, scholarship, rigor, teaching, pedagogy, teacher education and more. The one Mbongi session facilitated a conversation about having the will to educate the youth and collaborating to become current and future translators and facilitators working for liberation. The symposium highlighted archival video from the Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, III Papers in the AUC Woodruff Library's Archives Research Center. The symposium closes with remarks by The Hilliard Family.
00:03:04 Andrea Jackson Gavin welcomes attendees to Day 2 of the 1st Annual Asa G. Hillard, III Symposium, extends the invitation to visit the AUC Woodruff Library to view the archives, and acknowledges special guests and supporters.
00:09:17 Lawrence Carter talks about foundational legacies including the history of Atlanta during wartime and the connection to the land where Morehouse College is placed, the idea of HBCUs being memorials to the saving of democracy and their role in democracy. He talks about the influence of Dr. Hillard's work, the history of the Nile Valley conference in the 1984, scholastic racism where publishers refused to sell large quantity of books by Black authors, and racism being the power to institutionalize racism.
00:24:14 Andrea Jackson Gavin introduces speaker: Maureen Lilly.
00:25:19 Maureen Lilly talks about the Asa G. Hilliard Elementary School in East Point, which is named after Dr. Hilliard, the impact on the school from the Honorable Patsy Jo Hilliard's active role and Dr. Hilliard's teachings about the genius of all children and the urge for educators to treat children like human beings and love them. She also shared the school's song that includes Dr. Hilliard's name.
00:39:49 Andrea Jackson Gavin introduces speakers: Moriba Kelsey and Baba Dr. Wade Ifagbemi Sangodare Nobles.
00:40:24 Moriba Kelsey speaks about the purpose of a study group to share and reciprocate knowledge and research and Dr. Hilliard's promotion of the genius of children.
00:54:44 Baba Dr. Wade Ifagbemi Sangodare Nobles talks about gearing up for the future, gives a breakdown of the definition of power, emphasizes being
01:11:48 Andrea Jackson Gavin and Itihari Toure announce the break and offer guidance for attendees to think about the learnings from the previous speakers.
01:17:08 Andrea Jackson Gavin announces the return from the break.
01:17:34 Keita Sipho (Craig) Thompson introduces speaker Mario Beatty.
01:19:29 Dr. Mario Beatty speaks on the topic of
02:18:39 Itihari Toure moderates a panel session featuring Kwame Kalimara and introduces the topic in relation to
02:37:53 Dr. Kwame Kalimara talks about Dr. Hilliard (also known as Nana Baffour Amankwatia, II) and his work, the importance of humbly engaging people in Black movements, going into Black spaces such as beauty and barber shops to teach and bring Black people into a higher consciousness, and have the youth teach us. He discusses spirit and identities, the issue of language, and using African language in our teachings.
02:55:59 Andrea Jackson Gavin announces the break.
02:57:14 Andrea Lewis introduces speaker: Dr. Rev. Iva Carruthers.
03:00:31 Andrea Jackson Gavin introduces archival video of Dr. Asa Hilliard.
03:01:26 Dr. Asa Hilliard speaks about cultural literacy, the history of the religious term
03:21:16 Dr. Rev. Iva Carruthers speaks on the subject of
04:12:33 Andrea Jackson Gavin announces the Mbongi Session to facilitate a community discussion.
04:14:56 Elaine Mosley talks about holding a conversation to discuss observations based on the presentations during Day 1 and Day 2 of the symposium and acknowledges the role of the Honorable Patsy Jo Hilliard in moving them forward.
04:23:28 Itihari Toure gives instructions for the community conversation, Mbongi Session, on the topic of
04:26:48 Unidentified man responses to the question by posing another question: Do We Have a Choice?
04:27:16 Dr. Kwame Kalimara talks about having the will to teach the children, fighting white supremacy, patriarchy, and all oppressions, and exploitations to live in a free planet.
04:28:15 Elaine Mosley talks about not having a choice and having the will to educate children to bring freedom, justice, beauty and peace now and for our future.
04:28:55 Dr. Mario Beatty discusses having the will to teach the youth that is grounded in transcended love for African people, transcending hierarchy, material things, and superficial to liberate ourselves, and eradicating the West within us.
04:29:56 Elaine Mosley urges the Mbongi participants to reflect and share on the significance of the last two days of the symposium and the reason for convening.
04:37:16 Honorable Patsy Jo Hilliard talks about doing little things to help people understand and evaluate what is going on in the war we are in.
04:40:08 Akosua Lesesne shares her perspective on why we have the will to educate the children, being in her right African mind, her journey as a young mother, the power and will within us, and the strength of anti-Blackness. She highlights creating the Sisters in Education Circle, an intergenerational space for Black women educators.
04:51:47 Elaine Mosley talks about an African proverb
04:59:23 Itihari Toure invites guest to take a break.
05:00:02 George (student) expresses how rewarding and transformative the symposium has been and his sadness that a larger number of students are not at the symposium. He questions whether we have the will to educate the children, to progress forward, and to reinvoke the spirit of who we are into the current generation. He mentions the fear of the upcoming collective future and urges us to mobilize and unify to be the translators and facilitators for working liberation and actualize our potential.
05:03:06 Guests take a break and some guests continue the community conversation.
05:04:26 Unidentified man responds to the student George's sentiments about the students who were not at the symposium and expresses that the masses come later but he is encouraged by seeing George who is there now. He continues by urging George to be the one and not to worry about others, and affirms that like-minded people who have love for African people find each.
05:06:17 Unidentified woman talks about educating the youth by starting with both the older students in post-secondary education and starting with the babies in grade school simultaneously.
05:16:37 Brandon Moise introduces the speaker: Dr. Joyce King.
05:19:32 Dr. Joyce King speaks on the topic of
06:15:53: Andrea Jackson Gavin introduces the archival video of Dr. Asa Hilliard.
06:17:28 Dr. Asa Hilliard speaks about
06:20:52 Dr. James Young speaks about mining the source, making the call to encourage Dr. Hilliard to pursue the role at Georgia State University and shares stories about Dr. Hilliard's influence on him, asking the right questions when researching, students lacking information to impact their life, the impact of having an Mbongi in all schools, and the importance of giving children daily affirmations.
06:20:52 Dr. James Young speaks about mining the source, making the call to encourage Dr. Hilliard to pursue the role at Georgia State University and shares stories about Dr. Hilliard's influence on him. He highlights Dr. Hilliard's teaching to ask the right questions when researching and discusses students' lack of information to impact their life, the impact of the possibility of having an Mbongi in all schools, and the importance of giving children daily affirmations.
06:47:55 Itihari Toure gives instructions for final words and closing.
06:49:16 Honorable Patsy Jo Hilliard, Robi Hilliard Herron, Kenneth Nunn with The Hilliard Family give closing remarks and acknowledgements to planners and speakers of the symposium. They make final comments on the life and legacy of Dr. Asa Hilliard, III, and take photos and embrace the guest.
06:58:04 Andrea Jackson Gavin gives information on post symposium activities and introduces the communal closing by the Jegna Collective.
06:59:04 The Jenga Collective lead the communal closing and with the Baobab Tree Ritual.
07:13:21 The Asa G. Hilliard, III Symposium 2022 Return to the Source ends and audio ends.
