At a glance
On Tuesday, March 20, from 5-6:30 p.m., the Alfred Box of Books Library with Alfred State's Emeritus Distinguished Professor Joe Flynn, held the first of six planned Tuesday evening discussion sessions of James Baldwin's America.
On Tuesday, March 20, from 5-6:30 p.m., the Alfred Box of Books Library with Alfred State's Emeritus Distinguished Professor Joe Flynn, held the first of six planned Tuesday evening discussion sessions of James Baldwin's America.
Flynn, who has taught Black American Literature for more than four decades while he was president of the SUNY University Faculty Senate, nominated Baldwin to the Board of Trustees for a special honorary degree traditionally presented at the annual convocation of Distinguished Professors of the SUNY System.
To enhance this event and to highlight the life and genius of Baldwin, Flynn then organized and led the first SUNY Black Studies-Women's Studies Symposium on April 21-22, 1985, at the SUNY Albany campus. This event included many scholars from the Northeast along with Toni Morrison, Florence Howe, Barbara Smith, and the late Amiri Baraka.
The current program is funded by Manhattan-based Humanities NY, a state cultural subdivision of the National Endowment of the Humanities. The project director for this joint effort is Melanie Miller, the director of the Alfred Box of Books Library.
At the recent opening evening event, it was decided there is still room for area students and residents to join this project at its second meeting on March 27. People will be accepted on a first-come basis. If you wish to join, please call Melanie Miller at the Box of Box Library at 607-587-9290 or Joe Flynn at 607-382-1047. Or you may email Melanie at millerm@stls.org or Joe at flynnjg@alfredstate.edu.