By Audrey Klopfer
Northwestern’s Swahili program is part of what attracted me to the University. I knew I wanted to learn a nontraditional language and I had a broad interest in African Studies. My family history played a large role in sparking this interest, and thus far, I have been impressed by how much I’ve learned in the way of African tradition, culture, and language through the Swahili program.
My grandparents, David and Martha Jones, were the first African Americans to integrate the village of Skokie. Martha Jones grew up in the small town of Okmulgee Oklahoma where she graduated valedictorian of Dunbar High. She went on to graduate with a degree in chemistry from the College of St. Francis in Chicago. It was during this time that she met David who had recently graduated from the University of Illinois. Soon after getting married, they began looking for a home in the Chicago suburbs. Between 1960 and 1961, they faced significant challenges finding a neighborhood willing to accept Black residents. They were rarely treated with respect in real estate offices, and in some cases, ignored completely. In 1961, however, they found a broker in Skokie who sympathized with their struggles and helped them select a beautiful brick house near the local schools, but ultimately decided against selling to them fearing for his reputation. Luckily, Martha had made friends with a local Jewish couple who were willing to help them circumvent such prejudiced roadblocks. The wife, a survivor of the holocaust, agreed that she and her husband would buy the home and immediately resell it to Martha and David, explaining that “we want to do what we can to fight such evil” in this world. By the time the homeowner found out about their plan, it was too late to back out, and the house was sold.
My grandparent’s struggle, however, was far from over. Before they even moved into the house, its front and back windows were destroyed during a community protest in which people gathered on their lawn to chant derogatory slurs. Nevertheless, the couple moved into their home as planned the following morning. For the first two months, racial tensions were so high that they had to install floodlights in their backyard, and have police guard their front yard 24/7. Harassment continued: their locks were soldered, windows broken, bricks painted, and much more. Some of their neighbors suggested that “the Christian thing to do was to move and let the neighborhood return to its peaceful state.” David and Martha refused and went on to become integral members of the community, raising their three daughters in that house and remaining there until 2019. Their legacy set a precedent for the integration of nearby towns.
My grandparents’ story inspired me growing up, and I am lucky it was so well documented. Often the discrimination faced by those like my grandparents resulted in censorship of African American stories, knowledge, and culture. Learning African languages is one way to promote the understanding of wider forms of Black knowledge and culture among students like myself looking to learn more. This ultimately resulted in my participation in Northwestern’s Swahili program. Beyond learning the language, exposure to cultural discussions, artwork, performances, and current events, the Swahili program has enriched my understanding of African knowledge and history. I look forward to taking more classes in the Swahili department as it has provided me with a truly invaluable experience.
Audrey Klopfer is a sophomore majoring in environmental science with a minor in business institutions.