ktravula – a travelogue!

Launching Festschrift Honoring Rudolph G. Wilson

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Acquaintances of Rudy Wilson (Papa Rudy):

Kindly consider this note your official invitation to the launching of a book in Honor of Rudy Wilson on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 12 Noon at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).

Since his retirement from SIUE as Assistant Provost for Cultural and Social Diversity and a professor in School of Education, a group comprising of friends and mentees of Rudy Wilson has put together a short festschrift titled, Multiculturalism in the Age of the Mosaic: Essays in Honor of Rudolph G. Wilson. The book, edited by Dr. Michael O. Afolayan, Assistant Director for Academic Affairs, Illinois Board of Higher Education, with a foreword by Dr. Venessa Brown, Assistant Provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Social Work at SIUE, came out in September.

This important one-hour event will take place at the Morris University Center (Hickory/Hackberry Room). There will be short readings from the chapter on “Reflections” written by friends and colleagues of Rudy, brief statements from invited guests, and a response from Rudy Wilson.

Please mark your calendar, and be there to honor this “Man of the People!”

Launching Festschrift Honoring Rudolph G. Wilson was published on November 3rd, 2010, with the tags , , , under the Academic category. There are currently no comments on this article so far.

Happy Birthday Papa Rudy

With Daughter, AmyOf the most memorable persons I met during the Fulbright year, “Papa” Rudy Wilson stands out in a special place. My adopted grandfather, the retired professor of education is without doubt one of the happiest fellows you want to be around, and to talk to. Charming, kind-hearted, and down to earth. Thanks to him, I had one of the best times in Edwardsville, and very fun moments. It was in his house that I celebrated my last birthday, and it was with him that I visited several places of interest around the American midwest. Very many visiting students and scholars from this continent have him to thank for much of their sigh-seeing and fun get-togethers.

Papa Rudy now works in retirement as a storyteller about the days and lessons of slavery. He is fun soul. I consider myself blessed to have met him.

Today, he turns 75 years on earth, and I want to use this medium to wish him happiness and more years of humour, heroism, happiness and hope along with his children and grandchildren all over the United States, and countless adopted children all over the world.

He is the best grandfather anyone could ever have. Send him a birthday card if you can at rwilson AT siue.edu, and I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.

Here’s to the next seventy-five years. Yes, why not.

Happy Birthday Papa Rudy was published on June 17th, 2010, with the tags , , under the Uncategorized category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

Man or Men American

This is another old video in which we tried to interrogate American English pronunciations during a leisure moment.

Man or Men American was published on May 30th, 2010, with the tags , , , , under the Observations category. There are currently 1 comment on this article so far.

Following Lincoln

On Thursday last week, I went to Springfield, the capital of Illinois to see sites around the life of one of America’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln. I was in company of my host Prof Wilson who was visiting the place himself for the eighth time in company of visiting students and scholars.

(African students and visiting scholars to SIUE have had this 75 year old retired professor to thank for his effort in bridging the knowledge gap between the two sides of the world. For years, he has taken it upon himself to make sure that visiting students/scholars visit sites of historical and cultural significance in the United States, most times out his own pocket. In his company, I have visited the schools in Principia and Carbondale, and now the Lincoln home, Presidential Library, and tomb in Springfield. “Remi Raji was here too,” he mentioned as we were heading out of the Lincoln’s burial crypt, referring to the Nigerian poet and writer whose book Shuttlesongs America was written on his return from the United States in the summer of 1999. “And it was all too emotional for him. Here was where he broke down and cried”, he said, pointing to a spot near the exit out of the president’s burial crypt.)

Here is a short video I made of the visit. I’ll put up some pictures soon when I can.

For me, it was a moving, enlightening experience living through the life of one of the defining figures of modern America. – a complex, fascinating historical figure whose life, death, and legacy made a lasting mark on not just the country, but the world at large. The Presidential Library & Museum itself was a tribute to history, archaeology, and architecture – befitting of an uncommon man and a great president.

Following Lincoln was published on April 26th, 2010, with the tags , , , , , , under the Academic, adventures, Observations category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

Happy Anniversary Rudy

My host “grandparents” here at Edwardsville, Papa Rudy Wilson and his wife Laverne today marked their fortieth Wedding Anniversary. Yes, forty.

According to legends, he met her in 1969 at a get together where she (while being involved with another man) had attended with a male friend. He approached her and asked her to dance. She looked at him and gave him a look that must have meant nothing but “Hell no! Who do you think you are?” He refused to give up. Rather, he started tapping his shoes right there in front of her with the best of his dance moves. And, after perhaps shaking her head wondering what gave him so much confidence, she got enamoured and agreed to a dance. Three months later, she had left the person to whom she was previously engaged, and got married to Rudy. They’ve been together ever since, and blessed with grown up children.

To celebrate, Papa Rudy, now over seventy-one years old, bought his wife a card with some very nice words, a very nice present that she won’t disclose. In turn, she brought him a card, and a silver bracelet that she was wearing for him in the photo. I asked her what drew her to him, and she says it was his sensitivity, although its first manifestation was never what she quite expected. They had gone out on a first date to watch a movie, and halfway throughout the movie, Papa Rudy had tears gushing from his eyes. He looked towards her and asked her for a tissue, and she didn’t quite know how to react. In her mind were the thoughts:

1. What kind of man is this that cries in a movie?

2. What kind of man is this that cries in a movie on a first date with a woman?

3. What kind of man is this that cries in a movie on a first date with a woman and then asks her for a tissue?

The event must have been memorable for her to recall over and over again with a twinkle in her eyes, and fondness in his. She’s from Mississippi while he’s from South Carolina (but not related, even though he won’t rule it out, to the Senator Joe Wilson of the “You Lie!” fame). They’ve been through many things together, yet they’re still going strong.

The only thing that annoys Papa Rudy these days is not related to his marriage, but his name. It’s the fact that once every hour on radio or on television since winter began, the song “Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer” comes on to play. According to him, it reminds him of growing up with class bullies who put a red nose on him in school, and put him in the centre of a circus-like Christmas attention. Apparently, not all songs are politically correct. In any case, I have now been banned from singing that song (which happened to be one of my favourite Christmas songs) whenever I’m within his sight. Sigh.

Happy Anniversary Rudy and Laverne. Thank you for all your love.

Happy Anniversary Rudy was published on December 21st, 2009, with the tags , , , , , under the Fun category. There are currently 7 comments on this article so far.