The Betty J. Cleckley Great Voices Speakers Series presents Dr. Karida Brown, sociologist, professor at Emory University, oral historian and public intellectual, speaking on the  "Battle for the Black Mind: What's Beef?..."

She will speak at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3,  in the Memorial Student Center, Room 2W22. The talk is free and open to all, with sponsorship from Marshall's  Academic Affairs and the Center of Economic and Community Development for Black Appalachia and Isolated Communities.

At the dawn of the 20th Century, a seismic debate raged within the Black intelligentsia of the United States, epitomized by the intellectual duel between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. This ideological struggle, immortalized in Du Bois's seminal work The Souls of Black Folk, centered on the starkly contrasting educational philosophies represented by the Hampton-Tuskegee model of industrial education and the liberal arts approach. The Battle for the Black Mind delves into the heart of this historic confrontation, unearthing the rich tapestry of Black political thought and the spectrum of strategies employed by Black intellectuals, educators, and activists of the era. This talk will illuminate the perspectives of towering figures such as Ida B. Wells, Lucy Craft Laney, and Carter G. Woodson, alongside voices from the era's grassroots — the students and everyday people directly impacted by the educational institutions of the time.

Karida Bio:

Karida L. Brown is a sociologist, professor, oral historian, and public intellectual whose research centers on the ontologies of systemic racism and the fullness of Black life. An educator, public speaker, author, and humanist, she is known for empowering her readership, students, and organizations to be active participants in driving equity and justice. Dr. Brown's body of work combines her expertise in data-driven social science research, her vast experience in navigating complex global organizations, and her love of the arts. These insights bring actionable and reparative knowledge to the public.