{"id":76275,"date":"2016-07-05T22:31:37","date_gmt":"2016-07-05T22:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2016\/07\/05\/nationwide-lecture-series-birth-nation-launched\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T02:58:23","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T02:58:23","slug":"nationwide-lecture-series-birth-nation-launched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/nationwide-lecture-series-birth-nation-launched\/","title":{"rendered":"Nationwide Lecture Series On ‘The Birth Of A Nation’ Launched"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nationwide Lecture Series On ‘The Birth Of A Nation’ Launched <\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

July 5, 2016<\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

The Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services at the American Library Association<\/strong> (ALA), The United Nations Remember Slavery Programme, Fox Searchlight Pictures and BazanED today jointly announced a nationwide lecture series and community-building initiative, \u201cThe Birth of a Nation: Slavery, Resistance & Abolition.\u201d<\/strong> The series, inspired by actor and director Nate Parker\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s rebellion, as well as The United Nations\u2019 International Day for the Remembrance of The Slave Trade and its Abolition, observed annually on August 23.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Birth of a Nation: Slavery, Resistance & Abolition\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d<\/strong> says Jody Gray, director of the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services at the American Library Association. \u201cLibraries are not just about housing books; they have always been about learning, exchanging ideas, and transforming lives \u2014 characteristics that this series perfectly reflects. We encourage libraries everywhere to support this initiative by planning and registering an event today.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Nate<\/a><\/p>\n

Nate Parker, the film\u2019s writer, director and star, shared his excitement about the collaboration: \u201cAbove 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\u2019s legacy in America. The hope is that this honest confrontation with our past will galvanize our society toward understanding, healing and systemic change.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d<\/strong> said BazanED founder Jackie Bazan. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

A core group of libraries and organizations already committed to participate in the series include:<\/strong>
\nAmerican Baptist College, Nashville, Tennessee
\nJohn B. Coleman Library, Prarie View A&M University, Prarie View, Texas
\nAmistad Research Center at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
\nKyle Public Library, Kyle, Texas
\nBlair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Denver, Colorado
\nNew Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana
\nBoca Raton Public Library, Boca Raton, Florida
\nProvidence Public Library, Providence, Rhode Island
\nChicago Public Library, Chicago, Illinois
\nRoosevelt Public Library, Roosevelt, NY
\nDetroit Public Library, Detroit, Michigan
\nSalem State University, Salem, Massachusetts
\nEast Cleveland Public Library, East Cleveland, Ohio
\nSkyway Library, Seattle, Washington
\nFramingham State University, Framingham, Massachusetts
\nSt. Louis Public Library, Julia Davis Branch, Saint Louis, Missouri
\nHenry County Library System, McDonough, Georgia
\nUnion College Libraries, Schenectady, NY
\nHouston Public Libraries, Houston, Texas
\nUniversity of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
\nHoward University Libraries and the Department of History, Washington, D.C.
\nWest Orange Public Library, West Orange, New Jersey
\nInman E. Page Library at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri
\nZemi Foundation, St. Petersburg, Florida<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Fox Searchlight will release The Birth of a Nation on October 7, 2016.<\/strong> The company acquired the film at this year\u2019s Sundance Film Festival, where it received rave reviews and won both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.<\/p>\n

A full high-school and college-level educational curriculum about Nat Turner\u2019s 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\u00ae-winning film Selma, the Jesse Owens biopic Race and Davis Guggenheim\u2019s feature-length documentary film Teach.<\/p>\n