Hudson's vision finally unveiled

During the last 30 years, Herman Hudson's ideas and efforts have worked as a catalyst for the character that will infuse the Theatre/Neal-Marshall Education Center. Today, he will be handed an honorary doctorate of humane letters and witness the dedication of a building inspired by his vision. \nHudson's journey began in 1923 in Birmingham, Ala. Hudson described his upbringing as fortunate but difficult. At the age of 5, he was diagnosed with spiral meningitis, which rendered him nearly blind.\n"In the last years, I have become totally blind," he said. "My family moved to Detroit when I was 6 or 7, and fortunately, Detroit has schools that have special facilities for the blind." \nHudson had a good foundation for his future successes. Both of his parents were college graduates. \n"My mother and my father graduated from historically black colleges at a time when most blacks didn't finish high school," Hudson said.\nUpon graduating from high school, Hudson received scholarships to the University of Michigan. He received a bachelor's degree and later went back to Michigan to receive his masters and doctoral degrees.\nHe has taught at places all across the world, including Florida A&M University, the University of Puerto Rico and even Kabul University in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, Hudson was the head of a program to teach English as a second language in Afghan schools.\nWhen Hudson arrived at IU in 1968, he started as an associate professor in linguistics but left as a professor Emeritus of Afro-American studies. Hudson's first contribution to IU was the creation of an applied linguistics course in the School of Education. Hudson also recruited minority faculty members, Iris Rosa and Portia Maultsby among them. \nHe then established the Black Soul Revue, the African-American Dance Company and the African-American Choral Ensemble. Maultsby, who has received many job offers from other universities, said she remained at IU largely because of the institutions she, Hudson and others have created. \nMaultsby, who was hired in 1971 as director of the IU Soul Revue, said Hudson saw talent shows organized by black students and decided to bring the talent under a more formalized structure. He established the Black Culture Center, the Department of Afro-American Studies and the African American Arts Institute. \nRecruitment of talented minority faculty and students is one of Hudson's major impacts on the IU campus. Hudson said he created all of these programs because black taxpayers in the state were supporting something in which they had no real stake.\nHudson experienced situations like this himself. \n"I was on the receiving end of discriminatory actions all my life, and even after I completed my degrees from the University of Michigan, a major institution, I had a hell of a time getting a job," he said. \nThe Department of Afro-American Studies was created in Hudson's vision and has been ranked in the top 5 African-American studies departments in the country since its inception in 1970. \nWilliam Wiggins, now the acting chair of the department, was one of Hudson's first hires. \n"My family first came here in the fall of '69," Wiggins said. "While I was there, I became the first associate instructor in the African-American studies department."\nWiggins described Hudson as a kind but harsh taskmaster.\n"We lovingly call him the godfather," Wiggins said.\nHudson commented on the idea that started the push for a new center and the time between the idea and the finished product. Before the Black Cultural Center was located in Ashton Center, it was housed in an old fraternity building where the present Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center stands. \n"That building was pretty beat up, but the University fixed it up for us," Hudson said.\nHudson and others in the Department of Afro-American Studies insisted that the center be an equal-opportunity facility. \n"I think the black cultural center will be a significant monument to the interests and activities of African Americans throughout the state," Hudson said. "But it will not be (exclusive). It will be open to other groups in the state."\nHudson will be back on the IU campus for the dedication of the Theatre/Neal-Marshall Education Center today. Many others will be there to show their appreciation to a man who left an indelible mark on IU. Wiggins said he believes that Hudson was a vital part of IU. \n"I would tremble to think what the IU profile would look like in terms of diversity if Herman Hudson had not come our way," Wiggins said.