Savannah Frierson

The Crisis in Black Education Profiles in Education: Eugene C. Hunt Every year since 1928, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) (formerly the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History [ASNLH])1 establishes a yearly Black History theme. In 2017, the The 2017 theme is “The Crisis in Black Education.” The founder of ASALH, Carter G. Woodson, considered saw the mission of the association’s mission as an educational one. The Association noted, that “Woodson understood well the implications associated with the denial of access to knowledge, and he called attention to the crisis that resulted from persistently imposed racial barriers to equal education.”2 This year’s theme echoes past annual themes of ASALH such as: “Great Negro Educators (Teachers)” (1952);, “Strengthening America Tthrough Education in Negro History and African Culture” (1960);, “Negro History in the Home, School, and the Community” (1967);, “Afro Afro-Americans and Education” (1987);, “Seventy-Five Years of Scholarly Excellence: A Homage to Our ForebearersForbearers” (1990);, “Educating America: Black Universities and Colleges, Strengths and Crisis” (1991);, and “Before Brown, Beyond Boundaries: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education” (2004). [SF1]These themes reiterate the critical importance and necessity of a continued focus and discussion on education. Despite the many obstacles and barriers faced by Black Charlestonians following the Civil War, the Avery Normal Institute, founded in 1865 as a school for newly emancipated Black Charlestonians, stands a testament and shining exemplar of Black perseverance in the pursuit of attaining a formal education. The Avery Normal Institute, during its time as a school and as in its current iteration as the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, has helped shaped the minds of countless educators, activists, and civic leaders. As a result of continued racial discrimination and 1 Formerly the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) Association for the Study of African American Life and History. 2017. "2017 Call for Papers." Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Accessed May 4, 2017. https://asalh100.org/presenter-info-call-forpapers/. 2 oppression, Avery has always embodied a philosophy of social uplift through education and grassroots activism. In light of Avery’s history and the 2017 ASALH theme, this article will spotlights an Avery alumnus, Mr. Eugene C. Hunt, whose career as a local educator embodies the spirit and educational philosophy of Avery. The Eugene C. Hunt Papers are housed at the Avery Research Center. Thanks to a generous grant by from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) titled “Digitizing Twentieth Century Civil Rights Collections,” a significant portion of this collection has been digitized and is now accessible on the Lowcountry Digital Library’s website.3 Eugene C. Hunt Eugene Clayton Hunt was born in Charleston on April 9, 1916, the son of Albert W. and Irene Murray Hunt. After graduating from Avery Institute in 1935, he attended Talladega College, receiving his B.A. in 1940. He then enrolled at the University of Chicago, before transferring to Northwestern University where he eventually received his MA in Theatre in 1954. Afterward, he pursued before pursuing post- graduate study in Speech Education. He came backreturned to Charleston to teach English at Burke Industrial (later High) School from 1941- to 1972; t. There, he was also was involved in student theatrical, music, and debating productions. In a July 1958 letter to Mr. Young[SF2], Hunt discusses the importance for of students to havehaving direct and purposeful experiences with out-of-class activities, specifically with the Dramatic Guild. He stated, “I feel that in dramatics, students ought to be allowed to assume as many responsibilities, with the proper guidance, as they proved [sic] themselves capable of carrying. Dramatics, possibly more than any other activity[,] offers a variety of opportunities for student participation.” The letter then goes on to outline the ways in which hands- on experiences allows students to develop integrity and other valuable skills that will help them in their lives, whether they pursue careers in theatre or elsewhere. His Hunt’s educational philosophy denotes that Hunthe believed that students should not just 3 http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/content/eugene-c-hunt-papers- repeat knowledge as provided by teachers, but should also benefited from experiential learning. Furthermore, due to his personal experiences in the theatre at Avery, he was providing first-hand account onan immediate example of the value of such endeavors. The value he puts on being there for students is furtherHunt also thought it extremely important to support his students. demonstrated iIn an unnamed letter from one of his students at Burke,where we get a perspective of Mr. Hunt from a former student at Burke, the student writes in reference to a performance he was inbeing passionate about this charge: “I can still feel the support that he gave me that night as I sang[;], I can still see him as he kept his eyes on me; [,] stretching his eyes; [,] raising his eyebrows…lipsinging with me and helping to bring me through.” Through tThis letter and others in the collection, it is clearly show that Hunt saw potential in his students and wanted them to succeed. Hunt kept in touch with students and in reading through the letters one can see the closeness between teacher and student as expressed by the familial language in a letter addressed to “Pop” from a student named Matthew. Hunt began his career at the College of Charleston as a visiting lecturer in Public Speaking in 1972 and became the first tenured African American professor at the College in 1979. Dr. Norman Olsen, Jr., upon reflecting on when he first met Professor Hunt,. stated that it was hard work to convince him to teach full time at the College because Hunt was reluctant to leave Burke. While it is is not statedunknown what made Hunt change his mind, his subsequent activities at the College around minority recruitment illustrate that he was interested in helping Black and other minority students obtain a 4four-year degree. At the College, he taught Public Speaking and Afro-American Literature, which was a survey class of AfroAmerican writing from the eighteenth century to the present. When he retired in 1989, he was bestowed the honor of Associate Professor of English, Emeritus by the College President Harry Lightsey, Jr. The certificate notes that “[y]our [Hunt’s] faithful and conscientious service to the College and to the community at large has been remarkable in bringing both immediate and long-lasting benefits.” He was also awarded an Honorary honorary Degree degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 1993 from the College. Hunt was very community oriented as demonstrated by his leadership in the founding of the Martin Luther King Jr. Interdenominational Choir;, serving at the forefront of the creation of the key role he played in helping to establish Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture and the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture; and being a committed member ofhis commitment to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The reasons for “The Crisis in Black Education” have been debated and theorized. The letters and documents in Hunt’s collection help to furthercontextualize this discussion by representing all aspects of Black education, including the importance and lack of Black educators;, the restriction of access to education for Black students, specifically within Charleston County and the College of Charleston;, and struggles that Black students and faculty face at predominately White institutions. Although, the records in the collection do not provide the definitive solution, they do allow one to see the important role of educators in shaping curriculum, which traditionally has sharpened students’ the creative thinking of students, inspired them to exercise intellectual thought, and encouraged students to be thoughtfulconsider about their next steps in life. In addition to Hunt’s collection, the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture has other collections that represent the breadth and impact that educators have had on students. The Avery Research Center holds approximately 40 forty collections from Charleston educators (i.e., Albertha Murray, Bernice Robinson, F. A. DeCosta, Lois Simms, Lonnie Hamilton, III, James Campbell, and Millicent E. Brown), schools (yearbooks [SF3][i.e., Charles A. Brown, Burke, Avery, Bonds-Wilson, Charleston Southern University], Laing School, Shaw), and related individuals (J. A. Brown, Judge J. Waties and Elizabeth Waring, and Dart Family). Through the donation of these records, scholars, students, and researchers from a range ofdiverse disciplines have the opportunity to learn about this history and about the roles Charleston that educators have had in ameliorating making education in Charlestonequitable and accessible to all students with the hopes and intentions of staving off educational inequality, which has been based on a multitude of factors including no matter the racial, gender, and or class socioeconomic status. Images (attached to e-mail) Preference Order 1. Headshot http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:-. Reflection from Altimeze McGriff: http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:-. Emeritus http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:-. Lorraine Fordham Letter http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:-. SC Senate Appreciation Certificate http://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:113811