HU to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education

Hampton, Va. – During Black History Month the Hampton University Harvey Library will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. The program series, "Liberty and Learning: An Artistic and Literary Perspective of Racial Integration in American Society" will present a three part humanities based program regarding racial integration in American society. The activities will include an author appearance, an original exhibit and a lecture/debate. All of the activities are free and open to the public.

Part one is a photo exhibit that will take place on Feb. 1 in the Peabody section on the third floor of the Harvey Library. Brown vs. Board of Education combines separate cases from Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia and Delaware. The exhibit will focus on the Virginia case, Davis et al. vs. Prince Edward County. It will include approximately 50 photographs.

Part two is a lecture by Dr. Vonita W. Foster and will take place on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. in the Harvey Library meeting room. Foster is a native of Baltimore, Md. and was reared in Prince Edward County, Va. She was one of the 1,700 black students denied a public education between 1959-1964 due to massive resistance to desegregation on the part of state and local elected officials. In spite of this, she has gone on to distinguish herself as an educator, administrator, researcher and civic leader. She initiated the resolution: Regret over Prince Edward County School Closures that passed in the Virginia General Assembly in January 2003. Foster has co-authored a book in 1993 entitled Silent Trumpets of Justice: Integration’s Failure in Prince Edward County.

The Great Debate: Assimilation vs. Segregation is part three of the series. The debate will take place on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. also in the meeting room of the library. The audience will be provided with the reading material prior to the debate.

For more information please call the Harvey Library at 757-727-5376.