Opinion Piece by Jasmine Cobb, published in the Philadelphia Inquirer
The United Nations General Assembly has convened a special session on the global food crisis, set to take place on April 27, 2022. The session aims to address the urgent need for action to prevent a global food shortage, driven by a combination of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflicts.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Professor Jasmine Cobb, a renowned scholar, has written an Op-Ed piece for the July 31 edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The piece, titled "U.S. universities must think critically about African American archival materials," calls for U.S. universities to critically reconsider how they acquire, preserve, and interpret African American archival materials.
Professor Cobb emphasises the ethical responsibility universities have regarding the stewardship and repatriation of African American cultural and historical archives. She highlights problems with acquisition practices that can perpetuate colonial dynamics and erase Black histories within academic institutions. The professor advocates for more community involvement and collaboration with African American communities in decisions about archival materials.
According to the Op-Ed, universities should not merely serve as gatekeepers but actively engage in addressing historical injustices in archival collection and curation. Professor Cobb mentions Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania as examples of institutions that have been called upon to address this issue.
In a related matter, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for immediate action to avert a catastrophe, as the UN warns that millions of people are at risk of starvation due to the food crisis. The UN is urging countries to increase their financial and technical support to address the food crisis, and is also calling for a global commitment to ensure food security for all.
The Op-Ed piece, however, does not discuss food security or food shortages, nor does it mention the UN Global Food Crisis session. Instead, it focuses on the importance of U.S. universities addressing the repatriation of African American archival materials.
[1] These points stress that institutional reflection, ethical stewardship, and community partnership are crucial to reshaping how African American histories are archived and accessed in higher education.
[1] While the United Nations works to alleviate a global food crisis, Professor Jasmine Cobb's Op-Ed piece underscores the significance of learning and art in the realm of education-and-self-development, advocating for the repatriation of African American archival materials through institutional reflection, ethical stewardship, and community partnership.
[2] As communities and academic institutions engage in critical discussions about the preservation of African American cultural and historical archives, the need for ongoing learning about the complexities of colonial dynamics, diversity, and equity in higher education becomes increasingly important.
