As teased and promised earlier this week, #BlackEye introduces the first black president of a Japanese university (according to the Japanese Ministry of Education), Oussouby Sacko, who was generous enough to sit with me and share the details of his remarkable journey.

But this Malian national‘s story could not be contained in a single column, so this month for you guys, a double-header. A two-part story (second part will appear this coming Monday).

The first part will cover President-elect Sacko’s first tumultuous years in Asia in the 1980s, fresh out of Africa for the first time, studying engineering and architecture in the People’s Republic of China amid economic reforms and social unrest, while avoiding being slain by hostile Chinese students driven to a racial frenzy by envy and rumors in the ramp up to the Tienanmen Square massacre.

This s*it is deep!

Read Part One of his story HERE:

A Dean Schooled in the Violent Tumult of 1980s China

Somehow through all of this he kept his eyes on the prize, and his sense of humor intact. It was really a great pleasure spending a couple of hours chatting with him. Gleaned a few pearls of wisdom and life hacks, as well.

Hope you dig it, and as always, thank you for your ongoing support of my little column that could.

Love,

Baye

PS: Part Two will cover his rise to the top despite an uneven playing field and the odds being stacked against him succeeding in Japan. Including clever chess maneuvers utilized to navigate through the ranks in the Japanese university system. You won’t wanna miss that story, either. Coming Monday, 10/9, so stay tuned.