We still live in a very racist country. About 25 students attended Madhubuti's speech for various reasons. I just like his writing. Madhubuti has published over 22 books and in 1967 founded the Third World Press. Madhubuti especially appealed to many members of the black community at Penn State by relaying his understanding of the trials black people face at universities.
Ideas are weapons and ideas are important.
In his writings, Madhubuti conveys the many important lessons he learned early in life. For example, in the U.S. military in the 1960s, Madhubuti was one of three black men to enter his unit of 187 white men. On his first day, the drill sergeant snatched Paul Robeson's book from Madhubuti's hands and tore out the pages. I was going to study everything. Madhubuti presented several poems that reinforce both his ideas that learning is crucial and that all blacks must study and understand the history of their people.