Garry Moore is well traveled.

The news anchor for WEEK-TV in Peoria has been to Cuba, South Africa and Haiti to tell the stories that mainstream media have either neglected or passed over.

“It has been a rewarding experience,” Moore said. “I have been able to travel a lot and get to tell stories that are not commonly known or underreported and are important to me.”

Moore spoke Friday in the Lumpkin Hall Auditorium as part of African-American Heritage Month. His presentation centered on racism and discrimination as it related to his experiences.

Moore used the blackboard in the auditorium as an interactive tool, with story topics written across it. He called on audience members to come to the front of the stage and play drum solos with him and asked them to pick a topic on the board for him to discuss.

One topic was the use of derogatory terms like getting “gypped” or “Jewed” out of money.

He also discussed the “South African Bump,” which is what people did during apartheid in South Africa. When Caucasians bumped into black people while walking past them on the streets, a message was being passed: By not looking the blacks in the eye, they weren’t acknowledging them.

Moore gave background about black cultural traditions, as well. He explained that blacks still eat “chittlins,” or pig intestines, because in the past, slave owners would take the best parts of the pig to eat and give the rest to the black slaves. Chittlins are still eaten today because it is a part of black culture.

“I liked it (the lecture),” said Gary Pearson, sophomore political science major. “Mr. Moore was very funny. He gave information on stuff I did know and stuff I didn’t know.”

Moore was invited to Eastern by the National Association of Black Journalists.

He has been a journalist since 1979, and has shot pictures of notorious figures like Fidel Castro.

“His name was brought up, and we decided it would be a good idea to bring him here,” said Eugenia Jefferson, senior journalism major and former president of NABJ. “We e-mailed him, and he came.”

She said she thought his performance was interactive and engaging for the audience.

Moore has spoken at a variety of universities and venues including Illinois State University, Robert Morris College, Illinois Central College, churches and prisons.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or haholm@eiu.edu.

Garry Moore news anchor for WEEK-TV Peoria, spoke in Lumpkin Auditorium Friday night. The title of his lecture was “The Need for Drum Majors.” (Karla Browning

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