The City of East Lansing and Michigan State University announce the 2014 One Book, One Community program, featuring three voices on the continuing struggle for racial equality.
This year, OBOC is offering students and community members a "menu" of literary and cinematic works, including a graphic novel, a memoir and a film. The graphic novel, “March Book One” by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, is a vivid, first-hand account of Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights. The memoir, “The Grace of Silence” by National Public Radio contributor and award-winning journalist Michele Norris, explores her family's racial legacy and discusses how America talks about race. The film, “Fruitvale Station” by director Ryan Coogler, is based on a true story of a 22-year-old black man who was killed by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer on a subway platform in Oakland, Calif.
Lewis, Norris and Coogler will visit East Lansing for three special community events this fall. In the meantime, community members are encouraged to read the books and watch the film.
The program is coordinated in conjunction with MSU’s year-long Project 60/50, which commemorates the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision and the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
"The Civil Rights Movement and the continued struggle for racial justice in this country have been portrayed in a variety of ways that it seemed limiting to select only one work this year,” said MSU Acting Provost June Youatt. “MSU students, faculty and community members can select the works in which they are most interested to discuss this important topic. The goal of OBOC has always been to engage in conversation about important subjects and we hope that this format will encourage more meaningful discussions."
OBOC signature events
Community members can meet Lewis as he kicks off the month-long OBOC program at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center. He will talk about his experiences as a key figure of the civil rights movement and sign books. He also will address the incoming MSU freshman class at the Academic Welcome in the Jack Breslin Student Events Center at 9 a.m. that day. He will be joined by co-author Andrew Aydin. Both events are free to the community.
On Sept. 15, Norris will speak about her memoir and her "Race Card" project and sign books at 7:30 p.m. at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts. This program is jointly sponsored by OBOC and the World View Lecture Series. The event is ticketed.
Coogler will talk about his film “Fruitvale Station” to the community on a date to be announced. The film stars Michael B. Jordan and is based on a true story of the events leading to the death of Oscar Grant. The film is available on DVD and will be shown at the East Lansing Public Library several times before Coogler’s visit. The event will be free and will take place in September.
For additional information, visit www.onebookeastlansing.com or inclusion.msu.edu/Project6050/.