By Felix Hoover and Karen Perkins

For YourNewsColumbus

Posted 10-08-09

 

"Be," "become." "do."

Simplicity turned to profundity when three giants in American life spoke those words Wednesday at the King Arts Complex.

The three were Lerone Bennett Jr., Samella Lewis and Johnnetta B. Cole, this year's honorees at the Lunch with the Legends, part of the third annual Legends and Legacies program.

The one-word responses were coaxed from the trio by Joyce Beatty, senior vice president for outreach and engagement at Ohio State University, who emceed the noontime session with the honorees who have distinguished themselves as educators, historians and artists.

Wednesday's luncheon audience comprised school-age children, seniors and folks in between, including members of the diversity team at the JC Penney's Logistics Center .

The prospect of hearing the legends seemed a golden opportunity, said Juliet Carter, consensus spokesperson for the Penney's delegation.

One thing about the legends is that their commanding presence envelopes local residents who have a certain amount of celebrity of their own.

Barbara Nicholson, executive director of the arts complex, talked about the influences of Lewis, whose maternal guidance prompted Nicholson to become an art collector; Cole, who became a close friend; and Bennett, who extracted a promise from Nicholson to write her memoirs.

"I grew up with Lerone Bennett, opening the pages of Ebony and seeing people like me," Nicholson said.

Mary "Jazz Mary" Daniels was one of the early arrivals at the arts complex Wednesday, not only because she was to play piano and sing to the audience, but also because she wanted to share her "Lerone Bennett story," she said.

For nearly 50 years, Bennett was executive editor of Ebony, a long-thriving black periodical. Like many major publications, the magazine has responded to the tough economic times by cutting staff size and content. 

The story recounts a college experience in which an American history teacher brushed her off when she suggested that part of what made this country an international power was the greatly-demanded cotton, and fabric produced by Southern slaves.

The professor's dismissive comment, "Everybody knows that Negroes don't have any history" didn't sit well with Daniels.

The next day, she said, she placed a copy of Bennett's Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America on the professor's desk and she issued a challenging, "You've got homework to do."

Bennett autographed at least one first-edition of the work at the luncheon. Along with the other two honorees, he took part in a book signing at the end of the program.

After presidencies at Spelman and Bennett colleges, "I thought I had finally retired," said Cole, who now is the director of the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of African Art.

Like Bennett and Lewis, she was familiar with the King Arts Complex, but considers the legend honor as a unique distinction.

"I've been in this room many times," she said. "I'm surrounded by people I know and love, but I don't take this award lightly."

Lewis had been an established artist before she became an art historian.

"I got angry not seeing us in art history," she said. explaining why she put some of her own work on hold to document that of others.

Cole, affectionately known as "Sister President," was the first African-American president at Spelman. She considers herself fortunate to have grown up with supportive family and community folks who steadfastly countered the message from white society in the South that blacks for inferior and incapable of achievement. Supporters not only encouraged her to succeed, but instilled an attitude of service.

"You must remember to lift as you climb," Cole said.

Feelings of inspiration, love for our artistic community, and even a bit of nostalgia continued into the evening awards program, also at the King Arts Complex.

A moving tribute, We Keep Coming was an adaptation from the play Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope by Micki Grant. Narrated by Shanelle Marie Hinkle-Moore, seven young men and women each paid homage to our honorees, as well as all who paved the way.

Mayor Michael B. Coleman spoke passionately about the accomplishments of our legends being part of our rich history even though most of their stories weren’t available in any of our school books.

Samella Sanders Lewis, artist, art educator, writer, filmmaker, teacher, and scholar, received her masters degree in 1948, and her Ph.D in 1951 from The Ohio State University. As she accepted her award she shared anecdotes about people who helped her throughout her career.

Lewis reflected on her younger years as an anti-establishment rebel and said, "Even though you can’t always have things your way, you can always do things to make things better."

Although she is well into her 80’s she assured the audience that she still has quite a bit more to do and say.

Lerone Bennett, writer, editor, scholar, historian and journalist was introduced by Adam Troy as "a dangerous literary giant of yesteryear". Bennett spoke of the purpose and conviction, the fight for freedom and the triumph experienced by all who lived during the turbulent '60s in the Civil Rights Era. In his lifetime he hopes to once again see blacks and whites galvanized in the fight for peace and freedom. As he accepted his award, he credited his grandmother’s persistence in education as the foundation for his life’s work.

Johnnetta B. Cole, cultural anthropologist, educator, author, college president, and administrator was introduced by City Councilwoman Priscilla Tyson. Cole offered four points that she lives by. First and foremost, be passionate about what you do. Her passion for people and education are evident as she made history by being the first African-American woman to become president of Spelman College in 1987. She was appointed president of Bennett College in 2002, and this year, was selected to head the National Museum of African Art in Washington ..

As her second point, Cole said: "Don’t ever, ever, ever grow up." When you keep it young, you’re inquisitive, willing to take risks, and you love learning.

Third, "Never take care of yourself…..ONLY. Cole feels each of us has a responsibility to take care of others as well as ourselves.

Her final point was "Keep looking in the mirror, but see more than yourself." Feel enormous pride in who you are, but also see people unlike yourself.