Programs and Events 2009
African-American Author Speaks on Links between Africans and African-Americans
On February 17, Conakry hosted a digital videoconference with Eddy Harris, an African-American author residing in Paris who writes on the culture and identity of African-Americans. During the 90-minute conference, Mr. Harris shared his insights on the commonalities between African-Americans and Africans. Participants, including students, professors, journalists and civil society members, spoke with Mr. Harris about a range of topics, including the impact of slavery on today’s African-Americans and whether African-Americans feel connected to Africans after generations living in the United States.
One of the topics that audience members were most curious about was the role of race in President Obama’s election. Mr. Harris expressed the view that Obama was not selected on the basis of race, but rather because he was the most qualified candidate. He noted that, while Obama’s cabinet is also racially diverse, cabinet members were again selected on the basis of their outstanding qualifications.
Mr. Harris was a candid speaker, who openly shared his reflex ions and experiences with the Guinean audience. As a result, the largely young audience was very engaged and, following the conference, participants remained in the room to discuss among themselves the many issues raised at the conference.