Martha R. Bireda\, Ph.D.\, is a writer\, l ecturer\, and living history performer. She has over 30 years of experienc e as a lecturer\, consultant and trainer for issues related to race\, clas s\, and gender issues\, working with educators\, law enforcement\, and bus iness\, and civic leaders.
\nProgram Agenda
\nI. Introduction: I am a descendant of ancestors enslaved in the United States who came from West Central Africa\, where the Ghanaian\, Mali\, and Songh ai Empires existed. We are an oral culture and as such our history is pass ed through storytelling. Tonight\, I will tell you stories of the history and knowledge passed generation to generation by storytellers as myself an elder.
\nII. What did Africans contribute to humanity? Our history:
\nFirst the tangible contributions of fire and ir on that made it possible for humans to survive and ultimately to thrive. F rom ancient Africa \; knowledge related to 1) agriculture 2) architect ure 3)technology 4)art \; \; \; \; \; \; &nbs p\; 5) music 6) science 7) medicine and 8) foodways.
\nIII. What is the African concept of what it means to be human? Connection to f amily and community make one &ldquo\;human&rdquo\;\; \; to practice &l dquo\; Ubuntu&rdquo\; \, &ldquo\; I am because we are.&rdquo\;
\n< p>A short focus on \; concepts of personhood\, family\, and commun ity as related to being human.\nIV. Conclusion: Recommend an embrace of African concept of being human to heal divisions in our curr ent society. \;
\nThoughts from participants.
\nBio
\nMartha R. Bi red a\, Ph.D. is a true "Grits"\, girl raised in the sun. She is a s ixth generation Floridian and a descendant of one of the founding families in Punta Gorda. Martha grew up in Punta Gorda\, attended the old Baker Ac ademy\, and finished Booker High School in Sarasota\, as Valedictorian of her class. Dr. Bireda returned to Punta Gorda in 2001 to honor her mother\ , Bernice Andrews Russell's vision to establish an African American museum in Punta Gorda. The Blanchard House Museum of African American History an d Culture of Charlotte County opened in May\, 2004.
\nPresently\, Dr
. Bireda is Director of the Blanchard House Museum. She is a frequent publ
ic speaker\, lecturer\, and Living History re-enactor. Before her retireme
nt\, Dr. Bireda worked 30 years as a consultant and trainer
for issue
s related to race\, class\, gender\, cultural diversity and empowerment is
sues. She is the author of fourteen books\, the latest\, Reflections of a
Colored Girl\, which accounts her experiences and lessons learned growing
up in the Jim Crow south.
Dr. Bireda considers her greatest accomp lishment to be her children\; Jaha\, a graduate of Dartmouth College\, a b usinessman in Asia for 20 years\, and a City Councilman for the City of Pu nta Gorda for three terms\, now a 2050 Fellow\, and her daughter Saba\, a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School\, an attorney Washi ngton\, D.C. and the mother of Nahom\, one of the smartest nine-year old's you will meet.
\nLearn more about Dr. Bireda in this recent article : \;
\n\n\nExploring Huma n Origins: Promoting a National Conversation on Human Evolution \;is a dministered by ALA&rsquo\;s Public Programs Office in collaboration with t he Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History&rsquo\;s (NMNH) Human Or igins Program.
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