VSU prepares for African American Lecture Series

Valdosta State University's African American Studies department will host a series of lectures during the month of February that are free and open to the public.

The theme of the lectures will be "Oh, Freedom: A Political History of African Americans."

"The lectures will show the struggle of people of African descent in America to obtain the freedom that their forefathers and foremothers fought endlessly to achieve," said Dr. Shirley Hardin, director of African American Studies.

The following lectures will be presented:

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Feb. 1, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of the Biology/Chemistry Building, a performance by The Freedom Singers and lecture by Dr. Laurie Sommers, VSU professor of Ethnomusicology, on the importance of the black church.
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Feb. 8, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of the Biology/Chemistry Building, a lecture by Dr. Julie Armstrong, VSU professor of English, on the topic ?Mary Turner: Neglected, But Not Forgotten.? This lecture will look at a slave woman who suffered a cruel lynching in Brooks County because she spoke out on racial injustices.
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Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of the Biology/Chemistry Building, a lecture by Tim Livingston, creator of the Web site RealGeorgiaFlag.com, on the topic "The Georgia Flag: Is it an Issue?"
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Feb. 18, at 8 p.m., in the Whitehead auditorium, The Youth Ensemble of America, a dance troop from Atlanta, will narrate and perform ?SWEAT: The Post Apartheid Stories of South Africa.?
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Feb. 22, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of the Biology/Chemistry Building, Dr. Matt Richards, VSU assistant professor, will present a film titled ?A Chorus of Fear,? which documents the arrest, death and judicial procedures in the case of Willie James Williams.

For more information, contact Dr. Shirley Hardin at 229?249?4843.