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MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

On Wednesday, February 1 at 12:45 p.m. in the Pompeii Room, Wilson Hall, a Flag Raising Ceremony and reception will be held featuring the Monmouth University Choir.  Following at 1 p.m. on February 1, in the Versailles Room, Wilson Hall, Keynote speaker and acclaimed poet Monica A. Hand will be reading excerpts from her book “me and Nina.” Monica A. Hand is a poet and book artist who is exploring a nomadic lifestyle.  Her manuscript, “me and Nina” received a 2010 Kinereth Gensler Award from Alice James Books.  Her poems have appeared in numerous publications. She has a MFA in Poetry and Poetry in Translation from Drew University.

On Thursday, February 9 at 1 p.m. in the Club Dining Room, Magill Commons, Negro League Baseball expert Larry Hogan will present  “Before You Can Say ‘Jackie Robinson’: Black Baseball in America & NJ in the Era of the Color Line.”   Mr. Hogan will be accompanied by two former Negro League baseball players Mr. Robert Scott and Mr. Pedro Sierra.  Mr. Hogan was on the MLB Hall of Fame committee that voted on the recent induction of Black ballplayers.  He is the author of the definitive book on Black baseball “Shades of Glory.” Mr. Scott was a strong right-handed pitcher whose baseball career spanned from 1941 to 1955. Mr. Sierra had a twenty-two year career that began in 1954, when he left Cuba as a 16-year-old to play for the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro League and included two stints in the Washington Senators’ system. He left baseball in 1976 and worked for the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Recreation for 25 years. The event is sponsored by Monmouth University’s Office of Affirmative Action & Human Relations.

On Tuesday, February 21 at 6 p.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium, Daryl Davis will give a lecture “Klan-Destine Relationships.”  Mr. Davis has amazing stories of KKK rallies and surprise meetings with Klan leaders unaware of his skin color.  Now he has become the recipient of the robes from Klan members who have rescinded their beliefs.     As a race relations expert, Mr. Davis has received acclaim for his book “Klan-Destine Relationships” and his work in race relations from many respected sources including CNN, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and The American Ethical Union.

For additional information on Black History Month at Monmouth University, call 732-571-3526.

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Media contact: Petra Ludwig at 732-263-5507