Judson hosts 6th annual African-American Read-In

Judson College held its 6th annual African-American Read-In on February 2 in Ramsay-McCrummen Chapel. The event was hosted by the Departments of English and Music and featured readings and musical performances by Judson students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Participants shared the voices of African-American writers, artists, visionaries, and trailblazers, reading texts from such scholars as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Marian Wright Edelman, Ernest J. Gaines, and Paul Laurence Dunbar, among others.

“The African American Read-In commemorates the literary contributions made by African American writers and poets, who have expressed through words the important issues of freedom, equality, and reconciliation,” said Dr. Stacey Parham, Associate Professor of English.

Laura Lee, Campus Minister, read an excerpt from “Religious Experience & Journal: Her Call to Preach”, the 19th-century journal of Jarena Lee, the first woman preacher of the AME Church.
Angela Dennison, MSW, Assistant Professor of Social Work, read from social worker Marian Wright Edelman’s The Measure of Our Success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Judson College Singers and FAITH ensemble shared spirituals and anthems during the program to highlight the achievements of African-American composers and lyricists. Dr. Camilla Horne, Assistant Professor of Music and director of the student musical performances, expressed her gratitude to “share music that has such historical significance.” “The African-American spiritual–words from the souls of enslaved people set to music,” she said, “is one of the most significant forms of American folksong. It has been an honor to collaborate with the English Department for this important event.”

As a sponsor institution for the national Read-In event, Judson College embraces the National Council of Teachers of English’s (NCTE) call to “make literacy a significant part of Black History Month.”  Members of the NCTE will hold similar programs in a variety of educational institutions around the country in honor of February’s Black History Month.

Header photo: Judson student Celicia Maynor reads from Lewis Howard Latimer’s “The Ebon Venus”.

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