African-American studies scholar Houston A. Baker Jr. will lecture at the UVA project, “Black Fire: The Struggle for Social Justice and Racial Equality at the University of Virginia, 1969-1985.”
Currently a Distinguished University Professor at Vanderbilt, Baker was a faculty member at UVA in the early 1970’s and was actively involved in the University’s “Black Culture Week,” which brought notable figures such as Dick Gregory, Harold Cruse, Nikki Giovanni and Julian Bond to Grounds.
“Black Fire” is the product of collaboration between UVA professors Jerome Everson and Claudrena Harold. The multimedia initiative will contain film documentary, performance-based presentations and digital archives.
Theresa Davis, UVA drama professor, will give a spoken word performance before Baker’s presentation.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on February 21 in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom.
