Black Studies
Clyde Kennard Lecture
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2024 Lecture: Matthew F. Delmont
Clyde Kennard was the first African American to attempt enrollment at the segregated Mississippi Southern College in the 1950s (this institution, later becoming The University of Southern Mississippi, was integrated in 1965).
In honor of its namesake, the lecture will commemorate Clyde Kennard’s experience as an unsung civil rights activist, who sparked progressive changes in the movement for racial integration of higher education throughout Mississippi and the nation at-large. Key goals for the lecture:
- Examine educational equity for underrepresented minorities in higher education and in P-12 schools
- Present interdisciplinary studies about the experiences of Black people
- Promote campus and community partnerships to create sustainable and equitable relations
Donate
To donate funds to support the Clyde Kennard Lecture as an annual event, please use the link below.
Funds are deposited with the USM Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, which serves as a fiduciary of all private funds donated to Southern Miss. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent of current IRS regulations.
Schedule of Events
Monday, Oct. 14
6:00 p.m.
Historic African American Military History Museum
305 E 6th Street / Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Welcome Reception, Tour, Talk, and Book Signing with Matthew F. Delmont, author of
Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and
Abroad
Tuesday, Oct. 15
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Thad Cochran Center 216
121 W. Memorial Drive / Hattiesburg, MS 39406
Reception
6:00 - 8 p.m.
Joe Paul Theater in the Thad Cochran Center
121 W. Memorial Drive / Hattiesburg, MS 39406
Kennard Lecture featuring Matthew F. Delmont, author of Half American: The Epic Story
of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad
About Our Speaker
Matthew Delmont is the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History at Dartmouth College. A Guggenheim Fellow and expert on African American history and the history of civil rights, he is the author of five books: Half American, Black Quotidian, Why Busing Failed, Making Roots, and The Nicest Kids in Town. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, NPR, and several academic journals. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Delmont earned his B.A from Harvard University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Brown University.
Sponsors
Special thanks to:
- The College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Education and Human Sciences; and the College of Nursing and Health Professions; The College of Business and Economic Development; the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professional Development.
Questions?
Please contact Dr. Thomas V. O'Brien, Center for Black Studies at thomas.obrien@usm.edu.
