The Second Triennial James A. Baldwin Symposium OCT 24-26, 2024

RICHMOND, Va. - Oct. 19, 2024 - PRLog -- ST-JABIS | 2024 is FREE and open to the public.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, VA will host the Second Triennial James Arthur Baldwin International Symposium, Oct. 24-26, 2024, 9:00 am – 8:00 pm "A Centennial Communion 4 Jimmy | The (Un)Cowardly Lion w/the Unapologetically Clarion Voice" is the theme of this year's research and artistic forum.

Petersburg Public Library, Petersburg Library Foundation, the City of Petersburg, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts are sponsoring community partners for the historic confab that will feature artists of the Black Arts Movement.

Days One and Two will be held in the Petersburg Public Library, and culminate on Day Three, at VSU's Gateway Event Center. The Baldwin Centennial will kick off with a special Trolley Tour of Historic Petersburg and Pocahontas Island, one of America's oldest Black settlements. Seating is limited to 40 people. There will be no onsite registration. Alternatively, registrants will have the option of touring the beautiful Petersburg Public Library.

The historic line-up is anchored by a cadre of iconic intellectuals and creatives who are a Who's Who of the African American literati, including Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, Professor & Chair of Temple University's storied Department of Africology and African American Studies, & Father of Afrocentricity.

Friday evening, October 25^th, will close with "2 Val with Love: A Kuumba Dinner Theatre Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Val Gray Ward, recently deceased Kuumba Theatre Founder. Dr. Haki L. Madhubuti (BAM poet Don L. Lee), Founder and Publisher Emeritus of Third World Press & Chicago State University Emeritus Professor, is scheduled to deliver a keynote address. The "Windy City" Inaugural Poet-in-Residence, avery r. young will also be on hand to honor "Mama Val," as he lovingly calls the Legendary Chicagoan.

The Wintergreen Women Writers' Collective led by its founder, Dr. Joanne Gabbin will present a Plenary Panel – to be moderated by Nikki Giovanni. There will be a special screening of the classic documentary, James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket. Karen Thorsen, the film's Director & Producer and James Baldwin Project founder will conduct a special audience "Talkback" following the film, Saturday, October 26.

In the spirit of James Baldwin, JABAI will honor 90-year-old, iconic Howard University professor and administrator, Dr. Eleanor W. Traylor at our Inaugural "Welcome Table" Gala, on Thursday, October 24^th | http://www.vsu.edu