Michael Eric Dyson to Headline Black History Month at ODU

Old Dominion University will celebrate Black History Month with a series of events centered on the theme "African Americans and the Civil War: Legacy of Vision, Promise and Hope." Professor, author and cultural critic Michael Eric Dyson will serve as the keynote speaker with a lecture titled "From the Civil War Era to Obama: Racism, Democracy and the Future of America" at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18.

Free and open to the public, the event will be held in the North Cafeteria of Webb University Center and will include a book signing.

Known as one of the nation's most influential and renowned public intellectuals, Dyson is an American Book Award recipient and two-time NAACP Image Award winner. A sought-after cultural critic, he has appeared in countless media outlets and was labeled "one of the most graceful and lucid intellectuals writing on race and politics today" by Vanity Fair.

Named one of the 150 most powerful African Americans by Ebony magazine, Dyson is the author of 16 books, including: "Reflecting Black: African American Cultural Criticism," "Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X," "I May Not Get There With You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.," "Holler if You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur," "Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?" and "April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Death and How It Changed America."

His most recent book, "Can You Hear Me Now? The Inspiration, Wisdom, and Insight of Michael Eric Dyson," offers a sampling of topical items, including race and the presidency.

Dyson currently serves as professor of sociology at Georgetown University. Previously, he taught at Brown and the universities of North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

For more information call the ODU Office of Intercultural Relations at 757-683-4406.