"It's unfortunate to only have one month to celebrate an incredible history of an incredible people," Selden said. "Once you listen to the word, you will be amazed, because he has a message."
After Selden spoke, the United Soul Ensemble performed two songs as part of Turner's welcome. The ensemble encouraged audience members to clap and sing along. Following the ensemble's performance, NOMMO performed two high-energy dances.
Again, audience involvement was key, and troupe members pulled audience members up on stage to participate in the traditional African dance steps.
After the traditional African art forms had welcomed the audience and Turner alike, Turner approached the podium.
Turner thanked individuals for bringing him to the university, saying, "I've always felt a good connection to Penn State."
Turner began by reminding the audience of the original purpose of Black History Month — to teach African Americans about their culture and heritage.
"We who are heirs to this legacy don't know about it," said Turner, referring to the history of African-American culture.
Turner spoke of the failure of American schools to educate blacks about their history. He referred to an incident that he recalled from his youth, in which an elementary school teacher had asked students where they were from, and an African-American student had been unable to respond.
It was as though, Turner said, the teacher was implying that the student had no past.
"What would posses a teacher to tell a person they had no history?" Turner asked. Audience members called out encouragement, nodding and agreeing with his statement.
"A racist society produces a racist history," said Turner. He went on to say that because of the way that this country's story was written, African Americans were denied much of their own history.
"African Americans lack reflection about themselves as a historical people," Turner said. "Black History Month should be about preserving the heritage and teaching the culture of African Americans."
After Turner spoke, audience members were given the opportunity to question him. The first question was about government reparations to African Americans because of slavery.
"There's not enough money in the U.S. till to repay the African Americans for what (the government) did to them," Turner said.
Another audience member asked what could be done to teach African Americans about their culture. Turner responded by saying that he felt that Black History Month ought to be expanded and school age children ought to be taught more about their history.
"College is too late nowadays," said Turner.
Turner was a founding member of TransAfrica, an African-American lobbying organization and helped to organize the 1970s Southern Africa Liberation Support Committee, an anti-apartheid movement.
