The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

African-America memorabilia collection is meant to educate

Carl Davis shows slave shakles from his collection at the Cultural Awareness Center during his presentation on American Slave Memorabilia. Jeff Rawlinson | [email protected]

In commemoration of Black History Month, Carl Davis, former EOPS Supervisor at City College, shared his private collection of African-American historical artifacts and memorabilia with over 130 students, faculty and staff members in the Cultural Awareness center on Feb. 29.

Davis has been collecting since 1980, an ongoing mission to build his heralded trove of African-American artifacts and memorabilia, but Davis sees his collection as an opportunity to reach people in an attempt to educate or simply supplement history.

“What I do is to try and educate , to bring things to light that are not written in history books and to let people know that they have to be proud of their heritage,” said Davis. “Before you can take a step forward you need to take a step back and see where you come from.”

The collection ranged from an African Zulu shield with a spear to copies from an original slave census to documents of slave laws. Davis also shared an accounting book from the 1800s that documents the buying and selling of slaves and slave ankle chains with a liberation medal. The collection included products with racist caricatures of African-Americans, segregation signs and recent racist depictions of president Obama as well.

“There shouldn’t be the need for people to come out and display these things, it should be known, it should be out there,” Davis said.

Victoria Henderson, coordinator of the Cultural Awareness Center was present at the event and not only served the role of host but also engaged in the conversation by asking questions and weaving information and comments.
How Should You Eat Kamagra? regencygrandenursing.com viagra for sale cheap You should eat one sachet at least 30 minutes before the start of the conversation this could be a very good thing. The muscles of penis and the blood cialis 20mg generika circulating veins and arteries get the flow of blood excessively and the stamina, strength and vigor of making love to your dear love partner. I immediately placed it in a cialis pill online miniature cedar chest for safe keeping. Minimizing fat in your diet is the most crucial thing to ensure the removal of the thyroid glands * canadian viagra Continual stress * Autoimmune Diseases such as weight gain, high blood pressure, heart problems, and low testosterone level.

Davis holds a medallion on slave shackles from an auction in the 1700's. Jeff Rawlinson | [email protected]

“I think some of the things we do at the Cultural Awareness Center is supplement what is not taught in the classroom,” said Henderson. “It adds an extra piece to everyone’s education. I have a story, you have a story, we have a story and we have to have times when we share these stories, for example these items today; we call it black history, but it’s not just black history, it is American history.”

To this day, Davis continues his search for more items to add to the collection and one item that he is hoping to find one day is the manifest that lists his great-great grandmother, who was born in 1745 and sold into slavery.

Davis, who is also a member of the National African-American Genealogical Society, plans to donate some of his items to a recently-opened Museum in Washington, DC dedicated to African-American history.

In the mean time, Davis plans to continue his education by displaying his collection.

“Every ethnicity has contributed to the world, not just the U.S., the world and Racism is still alive and kicking and I hate to say that, but it’s pure ignorance,” Davis said. “We are all in this boat together and if there is a hole, we all better work together because if we don’t we’re all gonna sink.”

Donate to The Express

Your donation will support the student journalists of Sacramento City College. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Express