On Friday, February 28, 2014, I joined a conversation on Warren Olney's fast-paced radio show To the Point. The discussion centered on "Racial Tensions on Campus," and I tried to work against the tendency to let whiteness go unmarked.
Read more and listen online HERE.
On Thursday, February 27, 2014, I visited Kenyon College, giving both a public lecture and a faculty workshop on publishing. A few years ago, months before Living with Lynching was published, Professor Ivonne Garcia invited me to speak at Kenyon. I found the intellectual community quite invigorating. The questions I received from not only faculty but also students made the impact of undergraduate research clear. This visit only confirmed those impressions!
I have always been invested in de-mystifying the profession whenever possible, so I enjoyed having an opportunity to share with Kenyon colleagues the kind of advice that I typically offer via my affiliations with the Ford Foundation, the American Society for Theatre Research, and other national organizations. With great insight, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs, Monique Jernigan; Provost Jan Thomas; and Director of Multicultural Affairs, A. Chris Kennerly made this session possible. I appreciated knowing that I could contribute something that my colleagues there valued. A rewarding day!
On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, I joined Karma Chavez on her radio program, A Public Affair. The interview mostly centered on Living with Lynching but it was also part of their fundraising drive. They gave copies of my book for those who pledged $50 or more and issued challenges to create some healthy competition. I caught the spirit and issued a challenge of my own.
It was a great conversation and a great time! I'm happy to have discovered the community that supports this Madison, Wisconsin community radio station.
Listen to the entire show HERE.
On Thursday, February 20, 2014, I gave a lecture at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. It proved to be a truly special campus visit because my presentation was preceded by a dramatic reading of one of the lynching plays, Georgia Douglas Johnson's Safe, which I discuss in Chapter 5 of Living with Lynching.
This was a major accomplishment that represented the commitment of not only the students who made time to rehearse but also of Professor Karlos Hill, who arranged my visit. Dr. Hill partnered with Professor Courtney Brown from Theatre, who served as director, guiding the students through rehearsals.
The dramatic reading set up my lecture even more beautifully than I assumed it would. I can only assume that the lively Q&A, which featured several questions that I had never received before, benefited from the context the actors provided. A truly remarkable visit that I will never forget!
I will give a lecture at Texas Tech University on Thursday, February 20th. It is free and open to the public, and it will be preceded by a dramatic reading of a one-act lynching play by Texas Tech students.
On, Wednesday, February 26th, I will be the guest on A Public Affair, an hour-long community radio show based in Madison, Wisconsin on WORT 89.9FM. The insightful host is Karma Chavez, author of Queer Migration Politics: Activist Rhetoric and Coalitional Possibilities. We will discuss Living with Lynching, Black History Month, racial violence, and discourses and practices of U.S. citizenship. Please tune in ONLINE if you're not in Madison. (The "Listen Live" link is at the top right of the show's webpage.) AND, please feel free to CALL IN: 608- 256-2001. The show airs Noon to 1PM Central time, 1PM to 2PM Eastern time.
On Thursday, February 27th, I will give a lecture at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Though it is in the middle of the day—the college's common hour, from 11am to noon—it is free and open to the public. Please spread the word! It would be great to have people from outside of campus attend.
