The Burghers of Calais
In 1884 the French city of Calais commissioned Auguste Rodin to create a memorial honoring heroes of the Hundred Years War. He depicted the six burghers, or citizens, who in 1347 volunteered to leave the defeated city barefoot, tied by rope at the neck, and offer their own lives and the keys to Calais to King Edward III of England. The burghers’ fortitude, determination, and devotion to their community preserved Calais from being pillaged at the end of a devastating siege. The burghers are shown at the moment of departure from the city.
For Rodin this episode was an opportunity to celebrate the idea that heroic deeds may be performed by ordinary people. He did not follow tradition by idealizing the figures, rather, he was uncompromising in his depiction of the emancipated hostages and represented them as distinct individuals. Their faltering steps, despairing gestures, and anguished expressions eloquently express the inner turmoil of each man struggling in his conscience between fear of dying and devotion to their cause.
This installation of independent casts was suggested by the sculptor’s wish to have the figures set amidst the paving stones of Calais’ town square so that the citizens of today might learn from the example of their heroic ancestors. —- University landmark in Palo Alto, California
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My wife and I toured Palo Alto, California today. We left San Diego at around 7:45 a.m. and landed at the San Jose airport around 9:00 a.m. From there, we rented a car and we were off to visit two family members at the college campus. It is good fortune that two young cousins are able to attend a top university at the same time and to reside within walking distance of one another.
Did I encounter the Nikki Giovanni effect, a warm embrace of activism and liberation? Nikki Giovanni Not really but then again my day underscored “we are an enormously diverse group of people.” Quoting American Soviet Jew Misha in Roundtable Discussion of American Soviet Jews
For example, one family member has chosen to live with three roommates. All roommates are black. This was also the case the previous year and an earlier year in graduate school. The other family member lives in a black dorm. By way of contrast, I only had white students as official roommates during my first, second, third, and fourth year at the University of Virginia (UVA) and my second year at Harvard Law School. Why would my living experiences be more integrated and diverse than young family members in the 2020s? I don’t have an answer. I only raise the question. I am observant and notice these things. My residential living memories from 1979 to 1985 will be different from young family members in 2021 to 2024.
Perhaps, the push for racial solidarity nowadays is greater for the young generation. Since I knew real public school segregation, I always perceived progress as residential integration. Am I wrong? Were those of us who knew desegregation in southern suburbs on the wrong side of history?
American Soviet Jew Inna observed that “we should all be coming together, American Jews…” I noticed that my young family members were color conscious when it came to connections and contacts. One family member noticed a gentleman wearing a Morehouse College shirt on campus which led to a desire on behalf of the Morehouse man to create a black community and presence in the area of the university and Silicon Valley. Perhaps, my young family members are practicing what Inna preached in her Tablet Magazine roundtable discussion. To paraphrase Inna in the context of Silicon Valley, “we should all be coming together, American Blacks…”
Do you agree? Does the insight and wisdom of Inna apply with equal force to young black family members in Palo Alto? Should the aim be to bring together American Blacks at every opportunity?
I lacked this race consciousness growing up and as a student. Sure, I participated in the Black Students Alliance at UVA and the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Harvard but I joined as a volunteer endeavor, not a way of being in the universe. I sense that is the difference between me and young family members.
As an adult, I respect the choices of adult family members. I even told one family member “21 is a time to discover your super power and energy. You will know what to ignore and what you want. All of these things will lead you to your general direction you want. The people you want to be like. These aims will open up the world for you and give you a little bit of radar that will guide you through life”. That was a quote from author Robert Greene. The young family member in question is 21. She is on the verge of finding out she is in the world apart from her Mom and Dad.
Far be it for me to question her sense of self. It does make me sad somewhat. Could I be part of the last American generation who lived by color indifference? What sort of future will young family members bring into being who have known color conscious friendships, dorm mates and connection opportunities?
Conclusion: Rather than pick a fight with young adult family members, I have chosen to remember, to reflect and to write. This is my way of observing ripples in the human condition. I have been called a wise elder by a young writer in her early 30s. But years of experience only goes so far. It may well be that young adult family members are rebelling against the old ways of the 1970s and 1980s. That is ancient history from their perspective. None of these young family members were alive before 1996.
Perhaps, the young know no other way but extreme race consciousness. Blackness is Oppression. Nothing else matters.
One day I will be gone from this world. And the young will inherit the earth. May they be remembered by their children and grandchildren as leaders of racial character, not leaders of color consciousness. Be a heroic ancestor. Be a distinct individual.
There is no virtue in racial conformity.
The Burghers of Calais
Ordinary people performing heroic deeds is epitomized by CS Lewis in the Return of the King. One character I find overlooked is Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Unlike Bilbo and Frodo, Lobelia had many warts and was an unlikely heroine. Those who push for racial solidarity are following the path promoted by white separatists and con artists. Con artists, no matter the skin pigment, religion, sex, social class, etc. worm their way in by promoting solidarity and trust due to being one of the group. "Should the aim be to bring together American Blacks at every opportunity?" If the aim is separate but equal, then yes. Not a great goal, imo. If the aim is for introducing role models and networking, similar to women's and men's professional groups, then there can be a benefit unless it becomes an end in itself with "every opportunity."