February 1, 2016

SVSU hosting leading speakers and other events for Black History Month

‌Saginaw Valley State University will feature workshops, guest speakers, cultural celebrations and other events as part of Black History Month.  

Highlighting the activities will be a presentation by Jasmine Rand, the civil rights attorney best known for her representation of the Trayvon Martin family. She will speak Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts. Rand has been recognized by the National Bar Association as one of the Nation’s Best Advocates Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 in the United States, and by the Lawyers’ Committee For Civil Rights Under Law with a national Distinguished Civil Rights Advocate Award.

Rand has also been featured as a legal analyst on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox. She is speaking at Delta College earlier in the day.

The following night, SVSU will host “An Evening with Lorenzo Pierson.” The SVSU alumnus provides mentorship programs for the youth of the Saginaw County as the the founder of Youth Empowerment Solution.  

Pierson also is a top-selling author, speaker, and advocate of public education and reform. He has authored seven books in the last three years, including “Someone to Look up To” and “Standing Strong Amongst the Storm.”  His presentation will take place Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in SVSU’s Rhea Miller Recital Hall.

On Thursday‌, Feb. 4, SVSU will host a discussion on the book “Between the World and Me” by author Ta-Nehisi Coates.  Led by Chey Davis, associate professor of English at Delta College, the discussion will be held in the Roberta Allen Reading Room of SVSU’s Zahnow Library.

SVSU will welcome Stephanie Dawkins-Davis, a United States Magistrate Judge in Flint. She will speak Wednesday‌, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall.

The SVSU community and the general public will be invited to sample traditional “soul food” during SVSU’s annual Taste of Soul event Wednesday‌, Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Marketplace at Doan cafeteria.

An SVSU professor of English and leading scholar of 19th century African-American literature will share his research and observations during a presentation Tuesday‌, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. in Founders Hall. Eric Gardner recently authored the book “Black Print Unbound,” which explores the development of the Christian Recorder during and just after the American Civil War.

Professional actor Marvin Jefferson will present his first-person historical characterization of the late Martin Luther King Jr. during a performance Thursday‌, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in SVSU’s Curtiss Hall Banquet Rooms.

In addition, the display “African-Americans in Academics” will be showcased in the Roberta Allen Reading Room of SVSU’s  Zahnow Library throughout the entire month of February. The exhibition highlights African-American faculty and staff and their contributions within various fields of higher education.

The SVSU offices of Multicultural Services and Diversity Programs are sponsoring most events for Black History Month. For more information, please call 989-964-4068.