Black Leaders: Texans for Their Times Page: 213
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Texans for Their Times 213
fishermen, the graceful striding of the women, the bizarre shapes of
indigenous vegetation-these and other familiar spectacles are
memorably depicted. "4
Ananse went through two printings in its original hardcover edi-
tion, went out of print for a time, and then was reprinted in a hand-
some paperback edition in 1979 with a foreword by Barbara Jordan.
"His poetic depiction enables the reader to visit a place and people
under the tutelage of a gentle guide of talent and acute perception,"
she wrote. "Because of this man and his enthusiasm 'culturally
deprived' youth became artistically privileged. Ananse serves to lessen
the cultural deprivation of a wider audience."'
John Biggers's faith in the sodality of the human race was put to
severe test in the 1960s, as student and faculty unrest grew at Texas
Southern and "brotherhood" became a word reserved for one's race
rather than for all mankind. The atmosphere changed subtly as did
the students' attitude toward their work. The joy of work and
achievement was smothered under low-hanging clouds of discontent.
John and Hazel Biggers had a brief respite from turmoil in
1965-1966, when John taught at the University of Wisconsin as guest
professor. Certainly there was great unrest on the campus at Madison
too, but it scarcely touched their lives. It was a good year in many
ways, academically peaceful and relatively undemanding. At its con-
clusion Biggers was urged to accept a permanent appointment to the
Wisconsin faculty at a salary vastly higher than the one he command-
ed at TSU. He did not consider the offer for a minute. "At Wiscon-
sin," he said, "I was just another art professor. At TSU I shared the
lives of my students and felt that we were helping them to know
themselves, to find their way in life."
In the 1960s, as all recall, pressure was put on every university in
the nation to add blacks to their faculties. John Biggers, a noted artist
in his own right, a teacher of solid accomplishment, and the holder of
a doctorate from a leading university, was a prime target for the
raiding expeditions which stripped so many black colleges of their
best-qualified teachers. John lost count of the number of times he
was approached by universities throughout the nation-"I guess it
was about 200"--but he told them all that he was not interested. "I
can do more for my people, and for myself, here," he said.
During all this time the student storms were brewing. They
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Barr, Alwyn & Calvert, Robert A. Black Leaders: Texans for Their Times, book, 2007; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth296839/m1/224/?q=1966+yearbook+north+texas+state+university: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.