Nationwide Lecture Series On ‘The Birth Of A Nation’ Launched Posted by Wilson Morales
July 5, 2016
The Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services at the American Library Association (ALA), The United Nations Remember Slavery Programme, Fox Searchlight Pictures and BazanED today jointly announced a nationwide lecture series and community-building initiative, “The Birth of a Nation: Slavery, Resistance & Abolition.” The series, inspired by actor and director Nate Parker’s acclaimed film The Birth of a Nation, will run August 21 through October 30, 2016, commemorating the duration of the history-changing slave rebellion launched by the film’s subject, Nat Turner, on August 21, 1831, through his capture on October 30, 1831. The lecture series is in observance of the 185th anniversary of Turner’s rebellion, as well as The United Nations’ International Day for the Remembrance of The Slave Trade and its Abolition, observed annually on August 23.
“The Birth of a Nation: Slavery, Resistance & Abolition” lecture series will take place in libraries, museums, institutions of higher education, and community centers around the nation. Each free public event will feature a local educator or historian addressing the topic of slavery, resistance and abolition, and will provide an opportunity for individual communities to engage in a timely and coordinated national discussion. Libraries nationwide are invited to join the initiative and organize and register an event today at BazanEvents.com.
Participating venues, along with speakers and scheduled dates, will be announced at BazanEvents.com. Members of the public are able to conveniently visit BazanEvents.com to locate a lecture near them. Resources are available on the site to help institutions and organizations plan, promote and execute their lecture.
“We are honored that libraries will be the primary venues for these vitally important conversations across the country, and thankful to our core group of libraries that immediately came on board to bring this series to their local communities,” says Jody Gray, director of the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services at the American Library Association. “Libraries are not just about housing books; they have always been about learning, exchanging ideas, and transforming lives — characteristics that this series perfectly reflects. We encourage libraries everywhere to support this initiative by planning and registering an event today.”
Nate Parker, the film’s writer, director and star, shared his excitement about the collaboration: “Above all, I want The Birth of a Nation to inspire audience members to recognize and resist unjust systems domestically and abroad. That they will be activated toward using their occupational platforms to combat oppression wherever it lives. This speaker series is a great way to engage local communities in an honest discussion about slavery and it’s legacy in America. The hope is that this honest confrontation with our past will galvanize our society toward understanding, healing and systemic change.”
With the support of several educational institutions and organizations, educators and historians are being called to volunteer to conduct a lecture in their community as part of this initiative. Interested persons can register their interest at BazanEvents.com Speaker Sign-Up to be matched to a host location in their community.
“We are excited to join together the education community, libraries, and institutions around the country to bring this important discussion to the forefront in our communities,” said BazanED founder Jackie Bazan. “The Birth of a Nation paints a vivid portrait of a particular time in American history, and can serve as a critical tool to educate current and future generations on this crucial topic. With the support of transformative organizations like the American Library Association and the United Nations, along with the education community, we can make a difference.”
A core group of libraries and organizations already committed to participate in the series include:
American Baptist College, Nashville, Tennessee
John B. Coleman Library, Prarie View A&M University, Prarie View, Texas
Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Kyle Public Library, Kyle, Texas
Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Denver, Colorado
New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana
Boca Raton Public Library, Boca Raton, Florida
Providence Public Library, Providence, Rhode Island
Chicago Public Library, Chicago, Illinois
Roosevelt Public Library, Roosevelt, NY
Detroit Public Library, Detroit, Michigan
Salem State University, Salem, Massachusetts
East Cleveland Public Library, East Cleveland, Ohio
Skyway Library, Seattle, Washington
Framingham State University, Framingham, Massachusetts
St. Louis Public Library, Julia Davis Branch, Saint Louis, Missouri
Henry County Library System, McDonough, Georgia
Union College Libraries, Schenectady, NY
Houston Public Libraries, Houston, Texas
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
Howard University Libraries and the Department of History, Washington, D.C.
West Orange Public Library, West Orange, New Jersey
Inman E. Page Library at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri
Zemi Foundation, St. Petersburg, Florida
Fox Searchlight will release The Birth of a Nation on October 7, 2016. The company acquired the film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it received rave reviews and won both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.
A full high-school and college-level educational curriculum about Nat Turner’s rebellion that meets Common Core state standards will be available in late July at BazanED.com, pegged to the major motion picture The Birth of a Nation. BazanED provides free curriculum materials to educators, and has previously launched successful educational initiatives on behalf of the 2014 Academy Award®-winning film Selma, the Jesse Owens biopic Race and Davis Guggenheim’s feature-length documentary film Teach.
