1/16/2008
Charleston, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Center for the Book invites the public to join in a celebration of Black History Month. Notable African-American authors, historians and scholars will gather at the Cultural Center on the Capitol Complex in Charleston February 9, 2008, to share their experiences and observations on growing up in West Virginia.
The events begin in the Great Hall at 1 p.m. and continue until 4 p.m. Visit with local authors, collect autographs and purchase books by West Virginia black authors from Capitol Market bookseller Frog Creek Books.
Commentaries begin at 2 p.m. in the Norman L. Fagan Theater. Gordon Simmons, West Virginia literary scholar and editorial assistant for Goldenseal, will present Colored People: A Memoir by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as an example of the African-American experience in West Virginia. Dr. Ancella Bickley, retired WVSU Vice-President of Academic Affairs, author, scholar and playwright will present "My Personal Odyssey: Experience of a West Virginia Black Woman Scholar and Author." Dr. Bickley will be available for book signing after the commentaries end.
Additional authors include Norman Jordan, "West Virginia's most published African-American Poet," Dr. Dolores Johnson, scholar and author, Duke Jordan, Charleston law enforcement officer and aspiring author, and Theresa Burriss, Contributing Senior Editor of Pluck! The Journal of Affrilachian Arts & Culture.
For biographies and/or photographs of the participating authors (where available), please contact Susan Hayden, Adult Services Consultant for the West Virginia Library Commission at (304) 558-3978.
Contact Information
Lori Smuthkochorn
304-558-2534
lori@wvlc.lib.wv.us