The Byron & Christine Johnson Lecture/Discussion Series

2005 Theme: The African Diaspora

“I Have a Dream Monument”: Sojourner Truth

Saturday, January 22, 2005, 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Dr. C. J. White, Professor Emeritus at Metropolitan State College of Denver, will provide the historical context for a discussion of Sojourner Truth´s inclusion on City Park´s “I Have a Dream Monument,” Sculptor Ed Dwight´s tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., as Wallace Tollette, Speaker/Historical Interpreter, brings Sojourner Truth–former slave, activist, and “truth-teller”–to life.

Deconstructing Africa´s Legacy in Mexico, Central, & South America

Saturday, February 26, 2005, 10:00 A.M. — 12:00 P.M.

Award-winning photographer Tony Gleaton details his travels throughout Mexico and the Americas, discussing the African presence to which his photographs bear witness. A sampling of Gleaton´s photographs will be on site.

Black Brazil: History, Religion, & Culture

Saturday, March 12, 2005, 10:00 A.M. — 12:00 P.M.

Dr. Rachel Harding, Denver historian and writer, addresses little known aspects of Brazilian history and culture. The presentation will also include discussion of her book, A Refuge in Thunder: Candomble and Alternative Spaces of Blackness, on the religion of Candomble. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

The Black Experience in Canada: Quebec

Saturday, March 26, 2005

This second March lecture will feature the videotape, “Hymn to Freedom: The History of Blacks in Canada,” which documents the Black presence in Quebec, as well as American influences on Canadian history.

The Caribbean: History, Politics, & Liberation

Saturday, April 23, 2005, 10:00 A.M. — 12:00 P.M.

A diverse panel discusses the area some call the Caribbean, others the West Indies or the Antilles. The topics will include the history of the Arawaks and Caribs, the Rastafarian Movement in Jamaica, Caribbean literature, and the political situation in Haiti, all providing a revealing overview of the area.

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

Saturday, May 14, 2005, 10:00 A.M. — 1:00 P.M.

A showing of the powerful videotape, James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket, acknowledges Writer James Baldwin´s inclusion on the Black Heritage postal stamps this year. A fundraiser, this concluding session of the 2005 lecture series will be catered, and items for purchase will be available to participants.

*All sessions are at Park Hill United Methodist Church, 5209 Montview Blvd., Denver, CO 80207.