August 26, 2014 (Clarksdale, Mississippi) — Because of extreme summer heat, this Thursday’s free Community Book Talks lecture series is moving from outside the Cutrer Mansion to inside the Carnegie Public Library at 114 Delta Avenue in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
On Thursday, August 28th, veteran journalist and author Juan Williams speaks at the series presented by Clarksdale’s Carnegie Public Library in conjunction with the Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC).
“I feel that this lecture series has been a unique and positive addition to the cultural life of Coahoma County, and I look forward to the next installment with Juan Williams,” said Sarah Crisler-Ruskey, director of Carnegie Public Library. “I have learned from each and every one of our speakers, and I hope the community will come out and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.”
Williams is an Emmy Award-winning journalist with the Fox News Channel. He has spent decades working with news outlets like The Washington Post, NPR, and Fox News. He covered every major political campaign from 1980 to 2000 as a national correspondent and political columnist. He is also a frequent contributor to magazines, including TIME, Fortune, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Republic, Ebony, and GQ.
It is Williams’ work as an author that brings him to the Community Book Talks Lecture series. He is the author of six books, including the non-fiction bestseller he will highlight at his Clarksdale event, during the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer — Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965.
Eyes on the Prize traces the American Civil Rights Movement from the landmark Brown v. the Board of Education case in 1954 to the march on Selma and the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Throughout, the stories of ordinary people who participated in the movement are told. From leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., to lesser-known figures such as Barbara Rose John and Jim Zwerg, each man and woman made the decision that something had to be done to stop discrimination. These moving accounts are a tribute to the people, black and white, who took part in the fight for justice and the struggle they endured.
“A fascinating, fast-moving overview.” — The New York Times Book Review
“An outstanding contribution to the memory of the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement. Williams brings the events of the nonviolent civil rights years to life with photographs and lucid text.” — School Library Journal
“Skillfully combines written and oral sources with the historical narrative… Will be invaluable to students as well as the general reader.” — The Boston Globe
“Williams singles out the stories of the little-known activists.” — Publishers Weekly
“Will instruct while it fascinates even the casual reader…” — Books & Culture: A Christian Review
Clarksdale’s Community Book Talks lecture series is free and open to the public thanks to community sponsor Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center and a special fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
Each event in the series includes a complimentary 5 pm hors d’oeuvres reception (by Chris Card and The Ranchero) followed by a 5:30 pm talk. The speakers will also be available to sign books and talk with attendees. More information at http://cplclarksdale.wix.com/
“We hope the Community Book Talks lecture series is a positive force in Clarksdale and Coahoma County,” said Jen Waller, director of CCHEC. “It aims to further expose us to a world beyond small-town Mississippi by connecting us to stories and authors who make us think and remember and see more than just the everyday grind.”
The series continues through October with two more highly-anticipated author events:
- Thursday, September 25 – Mary Miller (John Grisham Writer-in-Residence at Ole Miss) — Author of The Last Days of California
- Thursday, October 23 – Lois Lowry (winner of 2 Newberry Awards) — Author of The Giver, now a major motion picture, and Number the Stars
The purpose of the Carnegie Public Library is to provide opportunities for information, education, culture, and recreation through books, computers, videos, and other materials as well as offer library services, to the people of Clarksdale and Coahoma County. Service is available to all citizens of Coahoma County through tax support from the City of Clarksdale and the County Board of Supervisors.
The Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC) is a partnership between Delta State University (DSU) and Coahoma Community College (CCC). It was designed to enhance the outreach capabilities of both institutions. The partnership between DSU and CCC encourages regional growth and development by expanding educational opportunities for the people of Coahoma County, and the surrounding counties, and by targeting high needs in the North Mississippi Delta region.
