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Great Debate Brings Rutgers And Harvard To Newark Public School Students

The NAACP's Great Debate America is reviving the art of debate with some of the nation's leading institutions of higher learning. The Debate recently made a stop in Newark New Jersey for black history month, where Newark Public School children got to see and participate in a debate between Rutgers Newark and Harvard University inspiring a new generation of scholars.

The art of debate can be traced back to the philosophical and political debates of ancient Greece, but in 2018, its college students like 24 year old Rutgers Newark debate team member Devon Murphy, that are breathing new life into the age old intellectual sport.

“One thing that we really pride ourselves on at Rutgers Newark is being a voice and a kind of a pipeline for Newark debaters.”

Murphy who is himself a Newark native says, its important for young people to see themselves represented in such a prestigious way on a collegiate level.

“Being able to point to the people that look like you, that come from a school like you, that learn the things you do, that get coached by the same people around you, talk to the same people around you, you know there’s the constant myth of just being a rapper or basketball player, but being able to see public speaking, someone who’s good at communicating, somebody that can be a lawyer one day or something along those lines, a different avenue that you can take. Its fundamentally important to have people that look like us in those roles.”

It was 2009 during the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, which sponsors the event, that Scot Esdale, president of the Great Debate America organized the first debate between Yale and Howard Universities. Esdale says the art of debate has played a significant role in African-American culture.

“Historically our community has always been great debaters, we’ve always been great orators, we’ve always been great speakers, and I think its important that we showcase that in front our young people and understand the history of it.”

Esdale says when it comes down to it its all about inspiring the youth.

“We have kids that want to be politicians, we have kids that want to be doctors, we have kids that want to be surgeons, so its amazing when you sit down and talk with them, how they want to use debate to enhance their future or speak better in front of crowds. It’s very hard to speak in front of thousands of people or hundreds of people; you have to overcome some fears within you. So I think it’s a really really good asset to have in your tool box as they’re striving to prepare for their futures.”

The parliamentary styled debate between Rutgers and Harvard touched on two controversial topics in current affairs including former NFL player Colin Kapernick taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem, and whether President Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses. 18-year-old Harvard debate member Bree Townshend.

“I think it’s very important to talk about these controversial subjects that way we have an intellectual discourse about how we want to see our nation go. So talking about things  like the impeachment of a president or specifically the pathway of the Black Lives Matter movement and how we’re going to communicate that to the public, those are important things that should be discussed, all sides of the argument should be brought up. I think this kind of exhibitionist public debate is the perfect way to do so.”

With nearly a thousand Newark Public School students in the audience, Harvard debate team member Dom Demaloudu originally from Botswana, says he hopes they were inspired to pursue anything they are passionate about, and offers this advice when it comes to getting into the nation’s most prestigious University.

“Take that chance apply to college, because college to me is often stupidly hard, but its very also often the most exciting thing in the world for me and I just feel so luck to be given the chance to be paid to read books, because I’m a scholarship kid too, like, I’m being paid to read books. And its awesome.”

Alexandra Hill began her work with WBGO in June of 2012 in the news department. A graduate of the Rutgers Newark journalism program, Alexandra was also a student of WBGO News Director Doug Doyle. Alexandra has since become the lead general assignment reporter, afternoon news anchor, and producer of the award winning live call in show Newark Today. Since working for WBGO Alexandra has covered politics in and around Newark including the 2014 mayoral campaign of Mayor Ras Baraka as well as the senate campaigns of former Newark Mayor and now U.S. Senator Cory Booker in both 2013 and 2014. Alexandra also covers a host of human-interest stories, and has been recognized by the New York Association Of Black Journalists for her piece entitled Sheltering Newark’s Homeless.