ISHMAEL REED TO GIVE LECTURE AT HU

Hampton, VA - Author Ishmael Reed will give a lecture on Booker T. Washington’s novel “Up From Slavery,” as a part of the President’s Lecture Series Annual Read-In. Reed, who wrote a introduction to “Up From Slavery,” will speak Monday, March 3 at 6 p.m. in Ogden Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.

“Up From Slavery” is the autobiography of Washington’s life-long struggle with racial prejudice. Born a slave, he was determined to fight for education and after graduating from Hampton Institute (University) he founded Tuskegee Institute. Washington encouraged black people to work together to improve their lives and the future of their race.

This year is the 15th anniversary of the Annual Read-In. The Read-In is an interdisciplinary event in which the entire campus reads a novel and participates in lectures and other activities relating to the novel’s content.

According to Amazon.com, “‘Up From Slavery’ is one of the greatest American autobiographies ever written. Its mantras of black economic empowerment, land ownership, and self-help inspired generations of black leaders, including Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and Louis Farrakhan.”

Reed grew up in a working class neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. He is a novelist, poet, essayist, activist, and author of twenty books including “Mumbo Jumbo,” “Flight to Canada,” and “Dark Eros.” He has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and was twice a finalist for the National Book Awards.

For additional information, please contact the Department of English at (757) 727-5421.