What is your name and what do you do?
Njoki McElroy, PhD. I am a storyteller, professor, playwright, performer and author. My new book is entitled '1012 Natchez: A Memoir of Grace, Hardship and Love' (Brown Books).

You have quite a storied scholarly career. How would you say that the academic world has changed since you first started as it pertains to opportunities for women and minorities?
In the late '60s I entered graduate school at Northwestern University's School of Speech where I quickly discovered that African American literature courses were non-existent. It was fairly apparent that the lives of people of European descent were considered the most worthy of academic study. Black students were angry because most were not afforded an opportunity to participate in university productions including casting, directing, and learning stage and technical skills. The number of black faculty members was negligible. It was a sad state of affairs.

In 1970 I co-authored 'Bibliography of Black Playwrights: 1960-1970.' During the research for the project, I discovered an impressive body of literature that deserved a place in the canon of academia. After I received my PhD in 1973, I submitted a proposal for a course entitled "Interpretation of Black Drama." This course, the first of its kind in the country, was approved for inclusion in the class listings for the Department of Performance Studies.

During the more than three decades of teaching at Northwestern, I worked to expose my students to African American literature and history. The students needed a welcoming, encouraging environment where they could be themselves, and create, perform, direct, and learn all technical aspects of stage production. We staged an annual production to give black students the technical experience that other students were afforded. Eventually our class productions were included in the university calendar, a sign of academic acceptance.


In the 1980s I became a visiting professor at Southern Methodist University and began commuting between Northwestern and Dallas. I encountered the same problems of exclusion at SMU. While my courses are only open to graduate students at SMU, we expose the campus and Dallas area to our productions and community outreach projects including the "Back Home With The Folks Festival," a community festival that highlights African American folk art and culture.

Over the years, I have observed some changes in academia. There are certainly more African American faculty, and students have more African American literature and history courses to choose from. However at most universities, the curricula remain rooted in the Anglo Saxon and ancient Greek traditions. And I believe replacing African American literature courses with multicultural studies marginalizes African American life and culture. Students still complain of racism and feelings on isolation on campuses.

Universities reflect our society at large. It is paramount that we continue to make our our voices heard and work consistently to make our presence known.

Tell us about your book and why people can benefit from reading it?
'1012 Natchez' is a memoir of my growing up in Texas, coming of age at Xavier University in New Orleans, and migrating to Chicago in the 1940s where I met Muddy Waters, Jesse Owens, Dorothy Donegan, and other greats. I was unaware at the time that I was a part of one of the most important historical episodes in America. The Great Migration was the largest movement of people in the U.S. It began after World War I and lasted until 1970.

'1012 Natchez' gives an eyewitness account of the lynchings, KKK terrorism, and conditions that led most blacks to flee the South. It also exposes the deplorable housing and employment conditions of the North and the dreams deferred.

The memoir provides vivid insight into the lives of middle class African Americans of yesteryear whose stories are usually not told. Readers say that the book is inspirational, and that at last, there are images of strong and powerful black men. The book is being introduced to high schools around the country. This book should be read by anyone interested in learning more about our history during the Great Migration era.

What should African Americans know about the important role of storytelling in our history?
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for teaching and learning. Our African heritage is a plus because we come from a culture based on the oral tradition and we are gifted with verbal skills. Every subject can effectively be taught through stories. Studies tell us that humans learn best from those we love. Storytelling is an act of love which affords adults an opportunity to bond with children. Taking time to tell a child a story shows that the child is loved and worthy of attention. For people of African descent, stories have always been a means of passing on lessons through the generations.

With math scores of African American students at the bottom, stories can play a profound role in making math fun while improving math skills. I participated in a project last summer where math concepts were embedded in my African folktales. The results were amazing. I am currently collaborating with my own children on a middle school math project called 4 Real Math. We use the language of the African folktales to explain the abstract language of math. While computers are commonly used as teaching tools, there is no substitute for human interaction.

Our stories are frequently left out of the educational systems, therefore we must preserve our history and culture. Our stories of survival and our contributions to the world are also important.

There appears to be a sinister movement among some school board members and other public officials to rewrite our history and delete our stories by excluding slavery, reconstruction, and other facts of history from textbooks. It happened recently in Texas. We have to stay vigiliant and push back against these efforts.

What are some of the important stories that you tell during your performances?
My repertoire of stories includes personal stories based on events in '1012 Natchez.' I do a one-woman performance based on the memoir. Other stories in my repertoire include: African American, African and Caribbean folktales, monologues of historical characters, slave narratives, and stories that reveal the complexities of African American life including urban stories of relationships, AIDS, ageism, and sexism.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our AOL Black Voices audience?
We all have stories that are connected to historical moments. Parents, grandparents, and other relatives are human archives and we should listen to their stories, and pass them on to the next generation. African Americans who lived during the Great Migration are departing this earth and taking their stories with them. We must capture these stories before it's too late. Our lives are composed of a series of events that include useful information full of listening and learning opportunities.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the bookBlack American Money To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To suggest a subject for a Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight, please click here.