Joseph Jordan, head of Atlanta?s Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture, has been offered the position of BCC director. If approved at the July 26 Board of Trustees meeting, Jordan will replace Interim Director Harry Amana on Aug. 13. Amana, a professor of journalism and mass communication at the University, has served as interim director since 1999.
Provost Robert Shelton said he thinks Jordan was an excellent choice out of a number of qualified applicants for the position.
?Our criteria were for somebody who understood the university atmosphere and goals, somebody familiar with cultural issues, somebody who is a good organizer and fund-raiser and somebody who can work with folks at a university,? Shelton said. Jordan said he plans to provoke greater conversation between the black community and outside voices.
?I hope to initiate dialogue between communities, and document the dialogue,? he said. ?In most cases, we bring people together through dialogue, but we don?t often keep a record of the good things that come out of the dialogue.? Jordan has taught and conducted research at Xavier of Louisiana, Ohio State and Howard universities, among other institutions. He was a senior research analyst in the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, and has co-chaired the international nonprofit Southern Africa Support Project, where he helped organize Nelson Mandela?s first post-prison visit to the United States. Jordan has taught and researched African and African-American studies for more than 30 years.
Jordan said he is excited about moving to UNC and working with the BCC.
?It?s a dual reaction,? he said. ?You have a great deal of satisfaction, which is tempered by an understanding that you have a very important task ahead of you.?
Named after late UNC Professor Sonja H. Stone, whose ideals it seeks to uphold, the BCC has offered scholarly, cultural and social programs that further the understanding of African and African-American issues since 1988. In April, University administrators, officials, students and families gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new, free-standing BCC building. The groundbreaking ended a long, sometimes controversial struggle, and fulfilled one of the BCC?s longtime objectives. The center, currently situated in the Student Union, is scheduled to move into the $9 million dollar building in 2003.
Jordan said the free-standing center would be a positive move for the BCC.
?In the symbolic sense, (the freestanding BCC) honors a very, very revered teacher and scholar,? Jordan said. ?And hopefully (it) will inspire similar accomplishment on the part of students and other faculty and staff. ?On the other hand, it offers something very practical, a place with serious cultural work and intellectual inquiry,? he added.
