NCLG

Pro Bono

• Read the latest issue of PRO BONO! PDF file of Spring 2005

Below you will find excerpts from Pro Bono, the promotional newsletter of the National Committee for Latin and Greek. It is sent to officers of classical organizations to keep them informed. Anyone who receives Pro Bono can freely use the articles/information for their own newsletters.  

NCLG designees are encouraged to submit articles or notices for the spring issue of PRO BONO. Send news of promotional projects by state, regional and national Classical organizations or by individuals, deadline March 1st. Please submit items in MS Word, e-mail format, or hard copy.

Virginia Barrett, Editor PRO BONO
11371 Matinicus Court
Cypress, CA 90630
Barrettcyp@aol.com
(714) 894-0938

If someone is an officer who would like to receive Pro Bono, they should contact either the editor, Virginia Barrett at Barrettcyp@aol.com  or Judith Sebesta at jsebesta@usd.edu.

from the winter 1999-2000 issue

Teaching Multiculturalism in the Roman Empire

As an avenue to suggest ways that Classics teachers might broaden the scope of their courses to address the increasing ethnic diversity of their students, the National Committee for Latin and Greek sponsored a panel entitled Teaching Multiculturalism in the Roman Empire. 

The panel, presented at the ACL Institute in Amherst, Massachusetts, was organized by Virginia Barrett, past chair of the NCLG.  Allan Ward, Chair of the Committee presided and introduced the main topic and the speakers. 

The presenters were Judith Lynn Sebesta, University of So. Dakota, Vermillion; Virginia Barrett, Cypress, California; Kenneth F. Kitchell, Jr., University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and Michele Ronnick, Wayne State University, Detroit.

Multiculturalism in Religion at Ostia

Judith Sebesta's slide presentation, "Multiculturalism in Religion at Ostia," illustrated the diversity of religions and cultures coexisting there, sometimes in toleration, sometimes in opposition.  She presented archeological evidence for the contemporary worship of household gods, the emperor cult, Lares of corporations, Bellona, Magna mater, Isis, Mithris Serapis, Christianity, and Judaism. 

Philae and Edfu: Multiculturalism in Graeco- Roman Egypt

Virginia Barrett's presentation "Philae and Edfu: Multiculturalism in Graeco-Roman Egypt" addressed religions and cultures of Upper Egypt and Nubia during the Hellenistic period.  Virginia indicated that mostly  Greek  and  Ptolemaic gods were worshiped in Alexandria.  At the same time, ancient Egyptian and Nubian gods were honored at the Ptolemaic temples of Edfu and Philae and others further to the south extending into Nubia. 

With slides she showed how the Ptolemies and Caesars were depicted in the regalia of ancient Egyptian pharaohs paying homage to the traditional gods of Egypt and Nubia.  In this way, these rulers sought to gain the political acceptance and support of indigenous peoples. 

Dido and the Glass Ceiling and Medea the Immigrant: Multicultural Ways to Teach Traditional Texts

In his talk, Ken Kitchell advised teachers to "recalibrate the cannon/ canon" by bringing a multicultural perspective to the teaching of traditional Greek and Roman authors rather than revise the canon of classical authors.

In his university's Honors Program, Ken challenges his students to look at Medea as an immigrant, Thersites as a disfigured person in a world of physical excellence, Dido and Cleopatra as female leaders in a man's world, Roman attitudes toward Christians and Jews, and Julius Caesar's depictions of other cultures.  

Two Approaches: Multiculturalism in the Classics Classroom

In her presentation titled: "Two Approaches: Multiculturalism in the Classics Classroom," Michele Ronnick spoke of the need to find ways to involve more students of Afro-American and Hispanic descent in the study and teaching of Classics. 

Her research into famous black Americans and Hispanics who studied or wrote about Classical authors has led her to develop two NCLG brochures Classica Africana and Classica Hispana, and a set of eight classical bookmarks for students honoring men and women of African descent.  

EHEU!

Allen Ward reports, "Apparently many high school guidance counselors are telling students that colleges and universities do not accept Latin for entrance or foreign language requirements.  Please be sure that the Guidance Office at your school is disabused of any such idea."

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