Burrows Gives Stunning
Performance
by Bernie Mixon
Vinie Burrows, actress, writer,
director and producer showcased her one
woman show entitled "Walk Together
Children," a collection of, in her words,
"voices," that she has heard from the
past and present, on February 16 in the
CUB. These voices come from the
many black writers, poets and playwrites
who have portrayed the experience of life
as a black person in a predominately
white oriented society.
The first characterization that
Burrows conjured up from the past came
from "Membrances" by Jenny Proctor..
The character is that of an old woman as
she tries to relate her experiences as a
slave to her great grandchildren.
Burrows applied much feeling and
emotion and facilitated the scene with a
cape draped over her head. Her body was
slumped in the position of a woman
who is tired and has seen many trials and
tribulations in her life. Burrows went
on, in character, to describe how as a
slave she was beaten to within an inch
of her life due to eating a biscuit which
was discarded, and in those times
considered a luxury to slaves. The
audience could feel the pain in every
Burrows Urges Continued Fighting Against Racism
by Michele Hart
Vinie Burrows, speaking to a
packed BCAC Feb. 16, told the
audience that American racism began in
the early years of this country.
guirows, on 'campus as a part
of Black History Month, said that this
country was founded on two massive
acts of genocide-the forced migration of
Native Americans and the kidnapping of
six million Africans to become slaves.
Burrows said that she speaks
from her personal experience of how
stroke of the tail whip which was used
to discipline disobedient slaves.
The next portrayal by Burrows
comes from "I Walk Alone" by Anita
Eckford. The stage was set in the 1960's
and the character was not an adult but a
schoolage child. This is reminiscent of
the real life denial by the school board of
Little Rock, Arkansas, to admit a black
girl into its high school based upon her
skin color.
The excitement that bubbled
from the child could be identified with
by this audience as it reminded them of
their first day of high school. The mood
swung when the jubilation turned to
terror as the guards displayed their
bayonets and the mob of white students
proceeded to barage the little girl with a
string of defamatory phrases.
"Let America be America
again" by Langston Hughes capped off
the night of portrayals by Burrows.
The performance that Vinie
Burrows gave at Capital was astounding
as she captured her audience and she
made them feel the anguish and the joy
of her characters.
being black has affected herself and those
around her. She sent her children to
private schools because she said that
New York public schools had a two
track system.
Education, according to
Burrows, is an area that still practices
rascism. The number of blacks holding
Ph.Ds is low she said because, "They
have been kept out. Having a Ph.D
means having perks, and the question
comes up about excluding blacks from
those."
The media and the film industry
continue to develop and perpetuate
myths and stereotypes about blacks,she
"It is acceptable for black
people to bring entertainment to white
people. But there are still not
opportunities for a legitimate black
actress on Broadway," she said.
The political arena also does
not offer opportunities to blacks, she
said.
"None of us can say that
Capital Times, February 24, 1988, Page 5
politics doesn't affect us. If we don't
take care of politics, politics will damn
well take care of us," she said.
Burrows said that there has been
a rise in racial crimes and violence
during the Reagan years. "They (racists)
have seen that there is a climate for their
acts."
Schools are particularly good
places to start to break the circle of
racism. "One of the ways that racism
manifests itself is in our ignorance of
peole that are different," she emphasized.
Black History Month is one
way of ensuring that the ignorance does
not continue", said Burrows.
She said that we have a istacx
History Month because it is an lOU to
blacks. "The text books have lied about
the role of blacks in history," Burrows
said.
According to Burrows, blacks
and whites have a responsibility to
society. "It is not wrong to want the
good things for yourself, but you've got
to take the me-me blinders off."
It is easier for young black
people to say and recognize that they
have that responsibility because the
experience of blacks in America has been
very different than other ethnic groups
that came to this country.
During the course of her
afternoon visit, a discussion of racism at
this institution was started. The group
in the BCAC agreed unanimously that
Penn State is a racist university, but it
has made strides in the past few years.
Burrows said that the
universities new diversity program
would not have happened five years ago.
At the end of her talk, Burrows
told the audience, "If anything would
happen because I was here . . . I would
like to see you examine yourselves."