For my intellectual exemplar I interviewed Professor Jeanne Toungara, an Africanist scholar, who offers students courses on West Africa, Women in Africa, and the African Diaspora.Ø Professor Toungara entered the field of history, because she was inspired and looked up to one of her professors from her own under graduate experience.
o She also believes that Africa was a region of the world that was not greatly represented through out high school and learning history helped filled a historical and cultural gap that was missing.
Ø When I asked Professor Toungara what in her estimation makes a successful student she said, “History helps students to understand the present” and from that she explained that students have to be curious to learn and be pro active about their education. Students only become successful when they engage in the topic activity and look for a challenge, because at the end of the day students are responsible for their own learning.
Ø Professor Toungara believes that Howard University was the right university for her to tech at because the environment and surrounding neighborhood is rich with history and she would also like to fill the gap of African history for African American Students.
John Hope Franklin graduated from Fisk University and received a doctorate in history from Harvard University. Franklin taught at universities such as Fisk, Duke, Howard, and the University of Chicago. John Franklin served at president for many organizations such as the American, Historians, and the Southern Historical organization. He also had many publications while teaching, and was the recipient of numerous awards and honors. John Hope Franklin passed away on March 25, 2009.
