Mississippi Valley State University will celebrate Black History Month on Thursday with its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Black History Convocation.
This year’s event, themed “African Americans and the Vote,” will be held at 11 a.m. in the Carver A. Randle Auditorium in the William Butts Social Science Building.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., a Mississippi native who is chair of the Department of African American Studies and the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University.
Glaude
Glaude first became involved with shaping the Department of African American Studies as a doctoral candidate in religion.
His most well-known books — “Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul” and “In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America” — take a comprehensive look at black communities and reveal complexities, vulnerabilities and opportunities for hope.
Glaude left his home in Moss Point at the age of 16 to begin studies at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He holds a master’s degree in African American studies from Temple University.
He began his teaching career at Bowdoin College and has been a visiting scholar at Amherst College and Harvard. In 2011, he delivered Harvard’s Du Bois lectures.
Glaude is a columnist for Time magazine and regularly provides commentary on various radio and television programs.
He hosts the podcast AAS 21, recorded at Princeton University in Stanhope Hall, the African American Studies department’s home.
Organizer Dameon Shaw, interim vice president for university advancement at MVSU, said he’s excited to have Glaude visit the campus.
“Black History Month is a special time when we honor the legacy and sacrifices of those who came before us,” said Shaw. “We are excited to have Dr. Glaude visit and discuss the important topic of African Americans and the vote. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Glaude speak previously, and I believe this will be a very informative and impactful Black History Convocation.”
For more information about the Black History Convocation, contact MVSU’s Office of University Advancement at 254-3790.
