Diversity Committee Sponsors 17th Annual African-American Read-In

The Writing Program's Diversity Committee, in conjunction with the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English, is sponsoring the 17th National African-American Read-In. The goal of this Read-In is to focus special attention on African-American literacy during Black History Month. In 1990, the NCTE's Black Caucus sponsored the first African-American Read-In. The following year, the NCTE joined in the sponsorship. Also, the Read-In has been endorsed by the International Reading Association. This year marks the first time that the Writing Program will host a Read-In, and we're looking to make this an annual traditional in the department. To be a part of this literacy movement and be counted among the many, participants must agree to read the selected texts and meet with the reading group on a designated day for a lively and engaging discussion.

James Baldwin is the featured author for this year's Read-In. Baldwin's writing career, cut short due to esophageal cancer, was prolific and profound. Not only was he a gifted essayist, Baldwin also wrote novels and plays, including Go Tell It On The Mountain, If Beale Street Could Talk, Notes of a Native Son, and The Fire Next Time. Baldwin dealt with race, class, and sexuality, and his works remain American classics—critical, careful, and conscious.

We will be reading selected essays from a compilation edited by Toni Morrison (Collected Essays. New York: Library of American/Penguin Putnam, 1998.) The selected essays are:

"The Discovery of What It Means To Be an American"
"Nobody Knows My Name: A Letter from the South"
"In Search of a Majority: An Address"
"The Dangerous Road Before Martin Luther King"
"The American Dream and the American Negro"
"Negroes Are Anti-Semitic Because They're Anti-White"
"White Racism or World Community"
"If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?"

If you are unable to secure a copy of Baldwin's work contact Elisa Norris (emnorris@syr.edu). The discussion group will meet on Sunday, February 5th in HBC 239 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information and to sign-up, please contact Elisa Norris (emnorris@syr.edu). Sign-up is necessary to ensure enough refreshments will be available. Bookmarks are available for those who sign-up early.

The NCTE Black Caucus would like to register one million readers. Let's help them reach their goal!