South African journalist speaks to students and faculty on post-apartheid racism
By Maria Gallucci
Communications Assistant
Ryland Fisher has been a friend to Ohio University for many years, providing hospitality to students and faculty traveling in South Africa. On April 16, the journalist and political activist came to Athens to speak on post-apartheid racism in his home country, in a talk entitled “Identity, Culture and Historical Consciousness: The Politics of Race, Revolution and Reconciliation.”
“Race and identity are issues I feel passionate about and that have bedeviled our society for so long,” Fisher said. “All of us need to do more in terms of addressing the issues.”
Jordan Robinson, a senior journalism student, said he first met Fisher when he traveled to South Africa with Dr. Michael Gray, associate director of African Studies. Robinson said he invited Fisher to speak at Ohio because students often have little exposure to international voices, especially in journalism.
“It is important to speak (to Americans) about South Africa, its progress and the issues it is still dealing with,” because Americans played a positive role in the liberation from apartheid legislation in the 1990s, Fisher said. “The best way to liberate oneself from racism is through education.”
Fisher is the former editor of the Cape Times in Cape Town, South Africa and the recipient of the 2006 “Images and Voices of Hope Award” for his 12-part series in the paper called “One City, Many Cultures” where he examined Cape Town’s various religious, ethnic and cultural groups.
The event was sponsored by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, OU Multicultural Programs, the department of African American studies, the Center for African Studies and Baker Center.