History

From Jules Wetchi:

Africa Day is intended to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of the Organization of African Unity (OAU now the AU) from its creation on May 25, 1963, in the fight against colonialism and apartheid, as well as the progress that Africa has made while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent faces today.

"On Africa Day, the world celebrates the diverse and dynamic continent’s 'enormous promise and potential,'” António Guterres, the UN chief Secretary-General said in an upbeat message to mark the day on Wednesday.

This year, we are showcasing a documentary film about Thomas Sakara from Burkina Faso, also known as "the African Che."

More than three decades after his death in 1987, "this film examines the life and meteoric rise of Thomas Sankara, a charismatic and visionary leader who committed the most taboo of actions in the post-colonial world: he tried to free his country from the neo colonial rule and western dependency," according to Joseph F. Jordan, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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La Journée de l'Afrique vise à célébrer et à reconnaître les succès de l'Organisation de l'unité africaine (OUA devenue UA) depuis sa création le 25 mai 1963, dans la lutte contre le colonialisme et l'apartheid, ainsi que les progrès que l'Afrique a réalisés tout en reflétant sur les défis communs auxquels le continent est confronté aujourd'hui.

"A l'occasion de la Journée de l'Afrique, le monde célèbre "l'énorme promesse et le potentiel du continent diversifié et dynamique", a déclaré António Guterres, le secrétaire général de l'ONU dans un message optimiste pour marquer la journée de mercredi.

Cette année, nous présentons un film documentaire sur Thomas Sakara du Burkina Faso, également connu sous le nom de « Che africain ».

Plus de trois décennies après. sa mort en 1987, "ce film examine la vie et l'ascension fulgurante de Thomas Sankara, un leader charismatique et visionnaire qui a commis les actions les plus taboues du monde post-colonial : il a tenté de libérer son pays de la domination néocoloniale et occidentale dépendance", selon Joseph F. Jordan, de l'Université de Caroline du Nord à Chapel Hill. 

Preservation Burlington recognizes historic properties that exemplify outstanding efforts in preservation, restoration, rehabilitation or reconstruction.

More information: preservationburlington.org

From the Ethan Allen Homestead:

Ethan Allen was many things to many people. This presentation focuses on his role as a folk hero. Allen’s initial contact with Vermont was as a frontiersman, exploring the land in the late 1760s. As a hunter and trapper, he lived in the wilderness, beyond the bounds of the early settlements. The knowledge of the land and settlers he met along the way paved the way for later land speculation, settlements, and governance.

Don Miller compares the folk heroes from the 15th, 16th, and 17th states, from Daniel Boone to Davy Crocket. What do the contemporaries have in common? How are they different? What role does Allen, our folk hero play in our Vermont story? Allen more than holds his own among his contemporaries.

Don Miller is an active student of history, past President of the Bennington Historical Society, and currently a Board member of the Vermont Historical Society.

For more information: ethanallenhomestead.org

From the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance:

There is general agreement that Vermont's motto is about the idea of balancing two seemingly opposite ideals: the personal freedom and independence of the individual citizen, with the common good of the larger community. Article 1 of the Vermont Constitution states that "all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights." How do we reconcile that with the fact that Vermont was the first state to ever constitutionalize slavery.

Our guest is Debbie Ingram, Executive Director of Vermont Interfaith Action.