Date:  Mon, 24 Nov 1997 12:08:41 -0600
From:  Greg Pulliam <gpulliam[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CHARLIE.IIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Meredith's English

>On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Greg Pulliam wrote:
>
>> The Chicago Sun-Times contains a blurb in today's edition about James
>> Meredith, the first African-American admitted to the University of
>> Mississippi. According to this story, he is calling on all
>> African-American males to give up "Black English," saying they will never
>> become "intellectual giants" unless they learn "proper English." Meredith
>> says he has no problem with Black English, but that his foundation will
>> nevertheless offer English classes.
>
>What is this foundation? And is it the case that BE impedes only males?
>
>Thanks
>Bethany

I'm not sure what the foundation is. Meredith worked for a time for a
(Washington-based, I think) conservative group--perhaps this is the
foundation the article referred to. It's a VERY short blurb--maybe 100
words--in the "News in Brief" section of the paper. I can send the whole
thing to the list when I get home this evening, if anyone wants me to do
so. There's not much else in it, but maybe the wording will be helpful.

I don't know why Meredith (or the article's anonymous writer) refers to
males only, but that's the impression I got when I read it this morning at
6:45.

Gregory J. Pulliam
Illinois Institute of Technology
Lewis Department of Humanities
Chicago, IL  60616
gpulliam[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]charlie.cns.iit.edu