Many white Americans of good will have never connected bigotry with economic exploitation. They have deplored prejudice but tolerated or ignored economic injustice.—Martin Luther King, Jr.

February is Black History Month and the Library is using this year’s celebration to connect the past with the present. In a series of panel discussions, “Black (Contemporary) History Month: Eyes on Activism,” the Library brings together people who have lived the history they recorded, and groups of distinguished academics will talk about a wide range of issues as relevant today as they were 50 years ago. Come and hear what they have to say!

“Eyes and Ears on Economic Activism,” Friday, February 9, 12:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harrison Institute and Small Special Collections Library, will look at the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968 in Washington, D.C. through the eyes of committed activists who photographed and wrote about the event.

• Maria Varela began taking photos for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the ‘60s. Her philosophy has always been to “show black people in charge of their own resistance.”
• Laura Jones’ photos of the Poor People’s Campaign were featured in a 2008 one woman exhibition that marked the 40^th anniversary of the event.
• Chuck Fager’s participation led to a book, Uncertain Resurrection: The Poor People’s Washington Campaign.

Professor John Mason of the Corcoran Department of History will moderate.

Lunch will be served at 12:00 p.m.

Space is limited. Please register here.

“Eyes on Health, Medicine, & Biases,” Thursday, February 15, 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harrison Institute and Small Special Collections Library, will feature healthcare and legal professionals discussing how bias against African-Americans hurts all people.

• Dayna Matthew is a professor of Law and UVA’s Palmer Weber Research Professor of Civil Liberties and Human Rights.
• Cameron Webb, physician and professor of Medicine at UVA who also holds a Law degree, has a special interest in health and social justice.
• P. Preston Reynolds, M.D., Ph.D., has authored books and articles on race discrimination in healthcare and the integration of hospitals.
• Michael Williams, Associate Professor of Surgery and Director, Emergency General Surgery in UVA’s School of Medicine, has a background in Population Health.

Greg Townsend, M.D., Associate Dean of Diversity, UVA School of Medicine will moderate.

Lunch will be served at 1:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Please register here.

“Eyes on Racism in the Media & Activism,” Tuesday, February 20, 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harrison Institute and Small Special Collections Library, focuses on representations of blackness in both traditional and social media.

• Carmentia Higginbotham, Associate Professor, Art & Culture in UVA’s McIntire Department of Art, has researched early 20th century American art and the impact of “the city” on representation.
• Meredith Clark, Assistant professor of Media Studies at UVA, has earned accolades for her ground-breaking research of Black Twitter.
• Lisa Woolfork, Associate Professor in UVA’s Department of English, has written about representations of blackness in popular culture.

Phylissa Mitchell, Director of Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity, UVA Library will moderate.

There will be a reception at 4:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Please register here.

“Eyes on SNCC,” Tuesday, February 27, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. in the Rotunda multipurpose room, will examine the Julian Bond papers and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

• Faith Holsaert suspended her studies ad Barnard College in 1962 and moved to Georgia to join voter registration organizing efforts. She edited the anthology Hands on the Freedom Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC.
• John Gartrell is the director of the John Hope Franklin Research Center at Duke University’s Rubenstein Library. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the SNCC Digital Gateway Project and One Person, One Vote: The Legacy of SNCC and the Fight for Voting Rights.
• Krystal Appiah is Teaching and Learning librarian for UVA Archives and Special Collections.

Deborah McDowell, Alice Griffin Professor of English and Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute will moderate.

There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m.

Space is limited. Please register here.

Co-Sponsored with The Carter G. Woodson Institute, the Institute of the Humanities and Global Cultures (IHGC), the Americas Center/Centro de las Americas, the American Studies Program, the Center for Global Health, Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, and the Office of African-American Affairs at the University of Virginia.