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[1]
From: Abdul Alkalimat, University of Toledo
<aalkali@ut1.utoledo.edu>
Date: 22 July 1998
ONE of America's pre-eminent African American
scholars and educators Dr. John Henrik Clarke died
yesterday of a massive heart attack. He was 83.
His wife Sybil Williams-Clarke told the Daily
Challenge that the world-renowned historian, who had
been hospitalized at St. Luke's Hospital in
Manhattan, succumbed at 1:30 p.m.
Born into a sharecropping family in Alabama, the
self-taught Clarke was to raise himself to become one
of the world's foremost authorities on African
history.
"He left us agreat legacy. I would like it to be
upbeat," his wife said yesterday.
Among the singular award bestowed on the towering
historian was a documentary produced by actor Wesley
Snipes entitled, _John Henrik Clarke - A Great and
Mighty Walk_.
An ethusiastic Clarke, speaking earlier this year to
the Daily Challenge about the film, said: "They
interviewed me for two days and they have cut it all
down to less than two hours. They show my life and
teachings and what it means to me. They document the
nature of my commitment my career, and the definition
of education, Pan-Africanism, and history.
"Dr. Clark is to the history of African peoples what
sunlight is to plants," Prof. James Smalls told the
Daily Challenge earlier this year. "He is like a
father and a mentor, a teacher and a friend. When Dr.
Clarke teaches history it's as though he is sitting at
the kitchen table with the characters he is talking
about. He makes history come alive," said Smalls who
is also Clarke's official linguist.
Dr. Clarke recently gave his valuable collection of
his work to the Schomburg - from course notes to
historical documents, and some of the proceeds will
also be used to make the collection available to the
public by preserving and collecting.
Elombe Brath has said of the historian/educator: "Dr.
Clarke is a person who has constantly promoted
ancient and current African history. He has always been
involved and he was a very important member of our
community."
Funeral arrangement were incomplete and the Daily
Challenge will bring complete coverage of Dr.
Clarke's legacy.
[2]
From: Gwendolyn Midlo Hall
GHall1929@aol.com
I am sad to learn of the recent death of John Henrik Clarke.
I met John Henrik Clarke in 1953 and we immediately stayed
up all night talking. He got my first article published in
1964, in _Freedomways_, and then supported the publication
of my series of essays in _Negro Digest_ (later _Black World_)
during the late 60s and early 70s. He was one of the very
few people who visited my husband, Harry Haywood, shortly
before he died.
John's brilliance, committment, courage and determination
was truly amazing. He was undaunted in the face of a stroke
and then total blindness. He continued his work and rebuilt
his personal life. He touched many lives in a consistently
constructive way. He will always be a model and an
inspiration.
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