An upcoming event series from James Madison College will celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month by exploring the intersections of African-American culture, music and social issues through dialogue, performance and engagement.
This year the celebration is co-sponsored by the Race in the 21st Century Americas committee, and will provide a multidisciplinary platform to examine race and liberation in contemporary contexts. The Sounds & Feels of Black Liberation series was developed through the collaborative partnership of Dr. Rashida L. Harrison and Jahshua Smith, an academic specialist who is part of the college’s Office of Justice, Equity & Inclusion (OJEI).
"The Race in 21st Century Americas was started by the late Professor Emeritus Curtis Stokes in 1999," said Harrison. "Historically the biennial conference brought together scholars, community members and policy makers, to grapple with the reconstructing meaning of race, while attending to the political and economic implications for people of African and Indigenous decent in the Americas. This program offers an opportunity for concerted conversation on the historical currency of music and arts in Black communities, as well as the possibilities in the changing social landscape."
Community members and student organizations are prominently featured as partners throughout, incorporating a variety of voices and encouraging dialogue across communities.
The W.E.B. DuBois Society, a Black-led student organization based out of JMC, will cohost We Got Somethin’ To Say: A Dialogue on African-American Protest Pedagogy in Music on Feb. 12 (register to attend via Eventbrite). In partnership with OJEI and the EMBRACE series of dialogues, DuBois Society members will lead a conversation exploring the role of traditional African music and contemporary African-American music — hip hop, R&B, reggae and other genres — in protest movements and social change.
On Feb. 25, members of the Lansing hip-hop community will share their experiences and perspectives on art and activism. Ozay Moore, founder and executive director of Lansing’s All of the Above Hip-Hop Academy, will join musicians and Black MSU-affiliated artists Smith and Jasmine Hamilton-Wray, among other guests, in this roundtable discussion.
“We are excited to host artists from the greater Lansing community into our space in JMC, especially as our capital city has a rich storied history in the both the arts, as well as civil rights," said Smith. "Lansing history is Black history, and the connection between the city and students at MSU is a strong one that benefits and strengthens both spaces."
JMC will host a policy-infused Tiny Desk Concert with the 1st Inaugural JMC Library Session: Sounds and Feels of Black Liberation on Feb. 26. Smith, Moore, Hamilton-Wray and Rockelle Whitaker (“Tchongtee”) will perform in the JMC Library, providing a platform for creative expression that encourages reflection on critical issues found in African American and African communities. Students will have the opportunity to meet with artists in the Alex Haley Room in Case Hall, beforehand.
Members of the JMC Women of Color student organization, along with Madison students Nahlia Moncrief and A’lvinia Spicer, will lead Hip-Hop and Public Policy: Voices of Women in the Movement on March 12. This panel discussion will explore the intersections of hip hop and public policy, highlighting the history of women in the genre. An interview with Lansing artist and DJ Kaely “Kaels” Miller will provide a jumping-off point for the discussion.
Events are open to all, with community members, faculty, staff and students from across the university encouraged to attend.
Event Series Lineup:
- We Got Somethin’ To Say
A Dialogue on African-American Protest Pedagogy Through Music
Feb. 12, 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall, third floor), 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing - African-American Art and Activism: A Roundtable Discussion
Featuring Ozay Moore, Jahshua Smith and Jasmine Hamilton-Wray
Feb. 25, 4 to 6 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall, third floor), 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing
RSVP via Eventbrite - 1st Inaugural JMC Library Session: Sounds and Feels of Black Liberation
A Policy-Infused Take on the Tiny Desk Concert
Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m. in the JMC Library (332 Case Hall, third floor), 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing
RSVP via Eventbrite - Hip Hop & Public Policy
Voices of Women in the Movement
March 12, 6 p.m. in Club Spartan (338 Case Hall, third floor), 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing