about participants

John Bing

Dr. John Bing was born in 1937. He grew up in Evanston, Illinois, and attended Yale University. He travelled to Eha Amufu, Nigeria as a part of the Operation Crossroads Africa Program in 1960. Dr. Bing returned again to Africa in 1963, first as a student at Makerere College in Kampala, Uganda, and then teaching for two years in the North of Uganda at Lango College. Dr. Bing is a Professor of Political Science at Heidelberg University. He has also taught at Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., and the University of Georgia. In addition to teaching, Dr. Bing writes needs assessment studies for local organizations, market studies for profit and non-profit companies and volunteers for political campaigns. Dr. Bing now lives Tiffin, Ohio.

Barbara Callaway

Dr. Barbara Callaway was born in 1939. She grew up in Tuscon, Arizona, before attending Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. After her sophomore year at Trinity in 1960, Callaway travelled to Eha Amufu, Nigeria as a part of the Operation Crossroads Africa Program. She returned to Africa for extensive periods of time in the late 60s and early 70s to complete her doctoral dissertation on northern Nigerian Ibu women. Dr. Callaway is a Professor Emerita of Political Science at Rutgers University, where she worked for over thirty years. Aside from teaching, Dr. Callaway also served as Assistant Dean of Rutgers College, Associate Provost of the Newark Campus, Dean of the Graduate School in New Brunswick, and Provost in New Brunswick. She now lives in Tuscon, Arizona, and Cabot, Vermont.

Jacqueline Garner

Reverand Jacqueline (Jackie) Garner was born in 1941. She grew up in Tuscon, Arisona, and attended Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she was the first African American student to live in the dormitories. Garner travelled after her sophomore year of college to Tamale, Ghana as a part of the Operation Crossroads Africa Program in 1962. Reverand Garner returned again to Africa in 2007,to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ghanaian independence. Reverand Garner is a musician, educator, consultant, trainer, speaker and minister. Her academic focus has been on early childhood development, which Reverand Garner studied at Arizona State University. She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Charles Keil

Dr. Charles (Charlie) Keil was born in 1939. He grew up in Darien, Connecticut, and attended Yale University. Dr. Keil travelled to Eha Amufu, Africa after his sophomore year of college as a part of the Operation Crossroads Africa Program in 1960. He continued to be involved in Nigerian politics, specifically lobyying for the secession of the Republic of Biafra during the Biafra War. Dr. Keil went on to become a Professor of Ethnomusicology at the SUNY Buffalo. Keil retired in 2000 because of censorship pressures. He now works with various non-profit organizations spreading the value of music as a source of cultural change. Keil is also known for his books: Urban Blues, Tiv Song, Polka Happiness, Music Grooves, and Bright Balkan morning. Dr. Keil now lives in Lakeville, Connecticut.