[Music] [Applause]
Thank You minor technical difficulties
Thank You minor technical difficulties appreciate the welcome I begin with two
appreciate the welcome I begin with two
appreciate the welcome I begin with two palms by to New England poets the first
palms by to New England poets the first
palms by to New England poets the first by Robert Frost it’s called the secrets
by Robert Frost it’s called the secrets
by Robert Frost it’s called the secrets it’s we danced round in a ring and
it’s we danced round in a ring and
it’s we danced round in a ring and suppose but the secret sits in the
suppose but the secret sits in the
suppose but the secret sits in the middle and knows the second one seconds
middle and knows the second one seconds
middle and knows the second one seconds by Emily Dickinson tell all the truth
by Emily Dickinson tell all the truth
by Emily Dickinson tell all the truth but tell it slant success in circuit
but tell it slant success in circuit
but tell it slant success in circuit lies too bright for our infirmed alight
lies too bright for our infirmed alight
lies too bright for our infirmed alight the truth superb surprise like lightning
the truth superb surprise like lightning
the truth superb surprise like lightning to the children eased with explanation
to the children eased with explanation
to the children eased with explanation kind the truth must dazzle gradually or
kind the truth must dazzle gradually or
kind the truth must dazzle gradually or everyone be blind these are poems about
everyone be blind these are poems about
everyone be blind these are poems about asking these are poems about inquiry and
asking these are poems about inquiry and
asking these are poems about inquiry and I like to think that there’s something
I like to think that there’s something
I like to think that there’s something useful in considering the models that
useful in considering the models that
useful in considering the models that each of them present so if you’ll permit
each of them present so if you’ll permit
each of them present so if you’ll permit me Robert Frost we danced round and a
me Robert Frost we danced round and a
me Robert Frost we danced round and a ring and suppose we’ve all had that
ring and suppose we’ve all had that
ring and suppose we’ve all had that feeling I hope we’ll all have it again
feeling I hope we’ll all have it again
feeling I hope we’ll all have it again of such vivid excitement such curiosity
of such vivid excitement such curiosity
of such vivid excitement such curiosity about something that we want to know
about something that we want to know
about something that we want to know about that it is almost like dancing and
about that it is almost like dancing and
about that it is almost like dancing and it’s frenetic it’s energetic and it’s
it’s frenetic it’s energetic and it’s
it’s frenetic it’s energetic and it’s part of what makes us a lot if that’s
part of what makes us a lot if that’s
part of what makes us a lot if that’s all our curiosity is though then we’re
all our curiosity is though then we’re
all our curiosity is though then we’re stuck with something that is in some
stuck with something that is in some
stuck with something that is in some ways essentially reactive and that’s
ways essentially reactive and that’s
ways essentially reactive and that’s where the dickinson model comes in
where the dickinson model comes in
where the dickinson model comes in success in circuit lies
success in circuit lies
success in circuit lies the notion of moving around whatever it
the notion of moving around whatever it
the notion of moving around whatever it is that we’re thinking about to know as
is that we’re thinking about to know as
is that we’re thinking about to know as much as we can to see it as clearly as
much as we can to see it as clearly as
much as we can to see it as clearly as we can it gives us the ability to engage
complexity nuance uncertainty things
complexity nuance uncertainty things that we must need engage in our lifetime
that we must need engage in our lifetime
that we must need engage in our lifetime now both of those poems have a lot to do
now both of those poems have a lot to do
now both of those poems have a lot to do with my understanding of how I do what I
with my understanding of how I do what I
with my understanding of how I do what I do I teach African American Studies here
do I teach African American Studies here
do I teach African American Studies here at Middlebury I am a southern er of a
at Middlebury I am a southern er of a
at Middlebury I am a southern er of a certain age born in 1964 the year of the
certain age born in 1964 the year of the
certain age born in 1964 the year of the landmark civil rights bill and very
landmark civil rights bill and very
landmark civil rights bill and very early on when I decided what I was going
early on when I decided what I was going
early on when I decided what I was going to do people ask me the question what
to do people ask me the question what
to do people ask me the question what are you a white southerner doing
are you a white southerner doing
are you a white southerner doing pursuing african-american studies well I
pursuing african-american studies well I
pursuing african-american studies well I went to a place like metal Barry and I
went to a place like metal Barry and I
went to a place like metal Barry and I left there absolutely on fire about
left there absolutely on fire about
left there absolutely on fire about literature and I went to graduate school
literature and I went to graduate school
literature and I went to graduate school and you have requirements in graduate
and you have requirements in graduate
and you have requirements in graduate school ascend what you do an undergrad
school ascend what you do an undergrad
school ascend what you do an undergrad the apartments weren’t that exciting the
the apartments weren’t that exciting the
the apartments weren’t that exciting the fire was dying a little bit and then I
fire was dying a little bit and then I
fire was dying a little bit and then I took a course in african-american
took a course in african-american
took a course in african-american literature and it was life-changing it
literature and it was life-changing it
literature and it was life-changing it was just an amazing experience and the
was just an amazing experience and the
was just an amazing experience and the person who asked me that question I
person who asked me that question I
person who asked me that question I still remember this why are you doing
still remember this why are you doing
still remember this why are you doing what you’re doing I said to him I’ll
what you’re doing I said to him I’ll
what you’re doing I said to him I’ll never stop learning if I do this there
never stop learning if I do this there
never stop learning if I do this there will always be something new for me to
will always be something new for me to
will always be something new for me to learn now at this point in my life after
learn now at this point in my life after
learn now at this point in my life after a lot of years teaching I realized that
a lot of years teaching I realized that
a lot of years teaching I realized that that’s a little bit naive that that’s
that’s a little bit naive that that’s
that’s a little bit naive that that’s true of really anything that you want to
true of really anything that you want to
true of really anything that you want to engage with and what I think I came to
engage with and what I think I came to
engage with and what I think I came to learn and I came to learn it through the
learn and I came to learn it through the
learn and I came to learn it through the second kind of curiosity the curiosity
second kind of curiosity the curiosity
second kind of curiosity the curiosity of deliberate discernment is some things
of deliberate discernment is some things
of deliberate discernment is some things about myself and some things about what
about myself and some things about what
about myself and some things about what my larger motivations work for doing
my larger motivations work for doing
my larger motivations work for doing what i do as i said i was born in
what i do as i said i was born in
what i do as i said i was born in nineteen sixty four that means i should
nineteen sixty four that means i should
nineteen sixty four that means i should have grown up in the south where I did
have grown up in the south where I did
have grown up in the south where I did not see the things that you read about
not see the things that you read about
not see the things that you read about in history books I should I should have
in history books I should I should have
in history books I should I should have grown up in the south where you did not
grown up in the south where you did not
grown up in the south where you did not see segregation of course custom is
see segregation of course custom is
see segregation of course custom is stronger than law I realized that but
stronger than law I realized that but
stronger than law I realized that but nonetheless in the 1970s when I lived in
nonetheless in the 1970s when I lived in
nonetheless in the 1970s when I lived in a very small town in Tennessee
a very small town in Tennessee
a very small town in Tennessee somerville is the name of the town there
somerville is the name of the town there
somerville is the name of the town there was still a movie theater with an
was still a movie theater with an
was still a movie theater with an outside ticket window african-americans
outside ticket window african-americans
outside ticket window african-americans were expected to buy their tickets
were expected to buy their tickets
were expected to buy their tickets outside and go up the outside staircase
outside and go up the outside staircase
outside and go up the outside staircase to the balcony and while I don’t know
to the balcony and while I don’t know
to the balcony and while I don’t know this for sure i’m pretty sure that at
this for sure i’m pretty sure that at
this for sure i’m pretty sure that at the one department store in town
the one department store in town
the one department store in town blacks could not try on the clothes they
blacks could not try on the clothes they
blacks could not try on the clothes they bought before they bought them
bought before they bought them
bought before they bought them incidentally the men who own these two
incidentally the men who own these two
incidentally the men who own these two stores were parishioners of my father my
stores were parishioners of my father my
stores were parishioners of my father my father Presbyterian minister and so it
father Presbyterian minister and so it
father Presbyterian minister and so it was not an abstraction to me but the
was not an abstraction to me but the
was not an abstraction to me but the thing I remember most from my young life
thing I remember most from my young life
thing I remember most from my young life was a day when I was probably about
was a day when I was probably about
was a day when I was probably about eight years old walking to town to get
eight years old walking to town to get
eight years old walking to town to get something for my mother from the grocery
something for my mother from the grocery
something for my mother from the grocery store and up ahead of me on the sidewalk
store and up ahead of me on the sidewalk
store and up ahead of me on the sidewalk there was an african-american man i’m
there was an african-american man i’m
there was an african-american man i’m not sure how old he was but I he was an
not sure how old he was but I he was an
not sure how old he was but I he was an older adult I suspect somewhere around
older adult I suspect somewhere around
older adult I suspect somewhere around the age I am now dressed as if he had
the age I am now dressed as if he had
the age I am now dressed as if he had been doing day labor he saw me coming he
been doing day labor he saw me coming he
been doing day labor he saw me coming he stepped off the sidewalk into the
stepped off the sidewalk into the
stepped off the sidewalk into the traffic and he took his hat off and when
traffic and he took his hat off and when
traffic and he took his hat off and when I got past it I turned around and looked
I got past it I turned around and looked
I got past it I turned around and looked back and I saw him putting his hat back
back and I saw him putting his hat back
back and I saw him putting his hat back on and getting on the sidewalk to go on
on and getting on the sidewalk to go on
on and getting on the sidewalk to go on about his business at eight I didn’t
about his business at eight I didn’t
about his business at eight I didn’t know what that meant but I knew it
know what that meant but I knew it
know what that meant but I knew it wasn’t right it didn’t make sense and
wasn’t right it didn’t make sense and
wasn’t right it didn’t make sense and what I figured out over the years in
what I figured out over the years in
what I figured out over the years in terms of what I do part of it is about
terms of what I do part of it is about
terms of what I do part of it is about making sense of that I remembered later
making sense of that I remembered later
making sense of that I remembered later on in graduate school conversation I had
on in graduate school conversation I had
on in graduate school conversation I had with my undergraduate advisor when I
with my undergraduate advisor when I
with my undergraduate advisor when I told him that story the spring of my
told him that story the spring of my
told him that story the spring of my senior year after i had already been
senior year after i had already been
senior year after i had already been accepted into a graduate program after i
accepted into a graduate program after i
accepted into a graduate program after i decided that i wanted to be a teacher I
decided that i wanted to be a teacher I
decided that i wanted to be a teacher I told him that story and he looked me
told him that story and he looked me
told him that story and he looked me square in the eye and said you have a
square in the eye and said you have a
square in the eye and said you have a responsibility
and I think on some level we both
and I think on some level we both understood that was a personal
understood that was a personal
understood that was a personal responsibility and also an academic
responsibility and also an academic
responsibility and also an academic responsibilities and so I’ve spent a lot
responsibilities and so I’ve spent a lot
responsibilities and so I’ve spent a lot of time in my life thinking about that
of time in my life thinking about that
of time in my life thinking about that and systematic curiosity which gives one
and systematic curiosity which gives one
and systematic curiosity which gives one the depth of awareness know the history
the depth of awareness know the history
the depth of awareness know the history know the custom know the law no the
know the custom know the law no the
know the custom know the law no the practice is a way to try to make sense
practice is a way to try to make sense
practice is a way to try to make sense of that to manage it and I think on some
of that to manage it and I think on some
of that to manage it and I think on some level that’s a really valuable thing I
level that’s a really valuable thing I
level that’s a really valuable thing I also think that there’s a way now that
also think that there’s a way now that
also think that there’s a way now that I’m able to use that same model that
I’m able to use that same model that
I’m able to use that same model that mind habit to work with the students
mind habit to work with the students
mind habit to work with the students that I have currently currently I’m
that I have currently currently I’m
that I have currently currently I’m teaching a course about abolitionism and
teaching a course about abolitionism and
teaching a course about abolitionism and a few weeks ago we were looking at
a few weeks ago we were looking at
a few weeks ago we were looking at material it was a fairly vivid
material it was a fairly vivid
material it was a fairly vivid description of some of the pro-slavery
description of some of the pro-slavery
description of some of the pro-slavery arguments and a student said to me I
arguments and a student said to me I
arguments and a student said to me I just don’t understand how one group of
just don’t understand how one group of
just don’t understand how one group of people could so comfortably believe
people could so comfortably believe
people could so comfortably believe these things about another group of
these things about another group of
these things about another group of people there’s a lot of answers to that
people there’s a lot of answers to that
people there’s a lot of answers to that question there’s a whole series of
question there’s a whole series of
question there’s a whole series of pieces of the historical puzzle there’s
pieces of the historical puzzle there’s
pieces of the historical puzzle there’s also a deep question his question that I
also a deep question his question that I
also a deep question his question that I couldn’t answer that he has to come to
couldn’t answer that he has to come to
couldn’t answer that he has to come to terms with for himself and I found in my
terms with for himself and I found in my
terms with for himself and I found in my life that the more time I spend in the
life that the more time I spend in the
life that the more time I spend in the process of getting that information
process of getting that information
process of getting that information around the edges the more energy it
around the edges the more energy it
around the edges the more energy it gives me to engage with those questions
gives me to engage with those questions
gives me to engage with those questions that perhaps can’t be as
that perhaps can’t be as
that perhaps can’t be as it’s okay that they can’t be is because
it’s okay that they can’t be is because
it’s okay that they can’t be is because in some ways the exploration is what
in some ways the exploration is what
in some ways the exploration is what matters to come back for just a second
matters to come back for just a second
matters to come back for just a second to Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost both
to Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost both
to Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost both of those poems have the image of the
of those poems have the image of the
of those poems have the image of the circle we danced round in a ring and
circle we danced round in a ring and
circle we danced round in a ring and suppose success in circuit lies circuits
suppose success in circuit lies circuits
suppose success in circuit lies circuits circles rings they have no beginning and
circles rings they have no beginning and
circles rings they have no beginning and they have no end if you ever wondered
they have no end if you ever wondered
they have no end if you ever wondered why wedding rings around that’s why it’s
why wedding rings around that’s why it’s
why wedding rings around that’s why it’s symbolic of something that’s eternal and
symbolic of something that’s eternal and
symbolic of something that’s eternal and on some level the fact that we are given
on some level the fact that we are given
on some level the fact that we are given to the path around the circuit is a gift
to the path around the circuit is a gift
to the path around the circuit is a gift not a burden and if we engage I think in
not a burden and if we engage I think in
not a burden and if we engage I think in a mindful curiosity we access the path
a mindful curiosity we access the path
a mindful curiosity we access the path from as many possible ways as we can and
from as many possible ways as we can and
from as many possible ways as we can and we’re richer for it alright one last
we’re richer for it alright one last
we’re richer for it alright one last thing I want to leave you with a thought
thing I want to leave you with a thought
thing I want to leave you with a thought about living the question it’s a poem by
about living the question it’s a poem by
about living the question it’s a poem by my favorite 20th century poet Gwendolyn
my favorite 20th century poet Gwendolyn
my favorite 20th century poet Gwendolyn Brooks of Chicago a poet whose career
Brooks of Chicago a poet whose career
Brooks of Chicago a poet whose career spanned decades because she lived in the
spanned decades because she lived in the
spanned decades because she lived in the question and in the late 1960s in a time
question and in the late 1960s in a time
question and in the late 1960s in a time of major upheaval in the United States
of major upheaval in the United States
of major upheaval in the United States the year of the assassination of dr.
the year of the assassination of dr.
the year of the assassination of dr. Martin Luther King jr. the proliferation
Martin Luther King jr. the proliferation
Martin Luther King jr. the proliferation of black power
of black power
of black power she wrote a poem called speech to the
she wrote a poem called speech to the
she wrote a poem called speech to the young speech to the progress toward and
young speech to the progress toward and
young speech to the progress toward and the last lines of it are about process
the last lines of it are about process
the last lines of it are about process about the way that one can engage and
about the way that one can engage and
about the way that one can engage and remember this is a poem written for
remember this is a poem written for
remember this is a poem written for people in tough times with unanswerable
people in tough times with unanswerable
people in tough times with unanswerable questions but it’s good advice for us
questions but it’s good advice for us
questions but it’s good advice for us every day in our lives it goes like this
every day in our lives it goes like this
every day in our lives it goes like this live not for battles 1 live not for the
live not for battles 1 live not for the
live not for battles 1 live not for the end of the song live India long thank
end of the song live India long thank
end of the song live India long thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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