Minister Farrakhan Comes to Prairie View A&M, Nov. 9th

by Deric Muhammad

Anticipation is building, young people are talking and social networking sites are abuzz concerning the arrival of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan who is set to bring a message of hope, guidance and empowerment to a generation that much of the world has given up on. Yes, Farrakhan is coming to town and his focus is on the future; our youth.

Prairie View A&M University will host the firebrand leader Nov. 9th as part of its “S.P.I.T. Knowledge” lecture series. The series is designed to provide an opportunity for students to become exposed to topics not taught in a “traditional” setting. S.P.I.T Knowledge is an acronym for “Students Participating in Transcendent Knowledge.” The free event will be held in the William “Billy” J. Nicks building also known as “The Baby Dome.” Doors open at 6:30pm.

“We understand that learning takes place inside and outside of the classroom”, stated Isis McCraw, Program Coordinator for Special Programs and Cultural Series at Prairie View A&M. “Our institution is currently making plans to accommodate Minister Farrakhan’s visit after 23 years here on campus.” Minister Farrakhan’s last visit to Prairie View was in 1988.

The “78 years-young” Farrakhan, who after 56 years of service still considers himself a student, will visit Prairie View A&M at a critical hour. At no other time in history has there been a greater need for a “moment of clarity” for young Black America. Unemployment among Blacks is nearly double that of Whites. The income gap between Blacks and Whites continues to widen. Young Black men and women continue to fill the jails of America while most don’t finish college, and what’s most alarming is that those who do (obtain a degree) can hardly find an avenue by which they can turn that degree into a decent living. With young people throughout the country engaged in an ever-expanding “Occupy” protest of Wall Street and the government, what should young Black brothers and sisters be doing in preparation for the future?

Minister Farrakhan comes to Prairie View on the heels of a message of critical importance delivered in Philadelphia on October 9th at the 16th anniversary of the Million Man March. He spoke with a fiery sense of urgency about self-determination, the need for the creation of jobs by and for Black people and the critical subject of agriculture and a return to land ownership, cultivation and the growing of our own food. He decried it foolishness for us to depend on the government to do for Black people what Black people can do for themselves. Prairie View A&M, a school who prides itself on its Agricultural Studies may very well be perfect ground to further develop the seeds dropped by Farrakhan in Philadelphia.

The Minister has a history several decades-long of guidance of youth, student leaders, so-called gangs, etc. He is the one leader who ages in years, yet does not lose his “connection” with every “new” generation. Recent evidence of this is found on his Twitter page @LouisFarrakhan where the Minister takes the time out of his non-stop schedule to hold question and answer sessions on the popular social networking site. While Farrakhan will forever be remembered for bringing 2 million Black men to Washington, D.C. for a historic Million Man March in 1995, he refuses to rest on the laurels of past successes and continues to move with the times and technology that comes along with it.

“We are elated that S.P.I.T. Knowledge has chosen to invite the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to Prairie View A&M. It has been over 20 years since he’s been on the campus and it’s long overdue”, said PV Alumnus Jesse Muhammad who is a co-organizer of the highly anticipated event. “We consider Minister Farrakhan to be the most prominent leader on the scene today. I say to the students, skip the parties that night and come out to the Baby Dome to gain insight into your purpose.”

You may follow Minister Farrakhan on Twitter by logging onto www.twitter.com Go to the Minister’s page at @LouisFarrakhan then click the “follow” button.