Until the Lion tells the story...

Monday, October 31, 2011

This African proverb tells what the AAGGKY is all about!!!... Telling "our" story, writing "our" histories.

The Lion's Story

One day a boy asked his grandfather a question. “Grandfather, is it true that the lion is the king of the jungle?”

"Yes," said the Grandfather, "it is true."

But the boy was shook his head in disbelief. “But Grandfather, if this is true then why are all the stories about how the lion is defeated by the hunter?”

The Grandfather smiled and answered the boy. “That will always be the way, until the lion tells the story.”

This proverb has provenance among many African peoples. In this instance it is attributed to the Ewe-mina people in Benin, Togo ad Ghana. 'Until Lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter.' (Igbo, Nigeria). 'Until lions start writing down their own stories, the hunters will always be the heroes.' (Kenya and Zimbabwe).

Upcoming Symposium - October 25th - Frankfort

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Community, Race and Memory:The Cultural Life of African Americans in Frankfort, KentuckyA Free Symposium

Tuesday, October 25 @ 5:30 p.m.

McDaniel Elected Vice President

Congratulations to Karen Cotton McDaniel on her recent election as Vice President of AAGGKY!!! Karen, a Charter Member of The Group, recently led lively discussions in Winchester on using the Federal Census, death and other vital records to uncover hidden clues to African American ancestry.

Karen Cotton McDaniel is co-editor of the Kentucky African American Encyclopedia, and is on the Kentucky Historical Society Executive Committee Board. Ms. McDaniel was Visiting Scholar at Eastern Kentucky University in the African/African American Studies and the Women's Studies Programs; a former Carter G. Woodson lecturer at the University of Kentucky; and was Director of Libraries and is Professor Emeritus at Kentucky State University. She has published numerous essays on Black Kentuckians.