Civil rights activist kicks off Black History Month

A well-known Southern civil rights activist and advocate for minority graduate education will be the keynote speaker during the Black History Month observance in February.

Leslie Burl McLemore, professor of political science at Jackson State University in Mississippi, will speak February 2 at 12:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center and at 7 p.m. at the Magnolia Avenue Campus. Both talks are open to the public.

McLemore, a Rust College graduate who earned a master’s degree from Atlanta University and doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, also is director and founding chairman of the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy in Jackson, Mississippi.

McLemore has served as chairman of the Council of the Graduate Schools Committee on Minority Graduate Education. He also is a former president of the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools and a former member of the Graduate Record Examinations Board.

As a Rust College student, McLemore was the founding president of the college chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and organized and led several voter registration drives on campus. He became associated with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1962, and he was the northern regional coordinator for the 1963 Freedom Vote campaign.

McLemore’s talk is one of several planned at the College during the Black History Month observance. This year’s theme is “Marches, Sit-Ins and Boycotts.”

Linda Pinkard, associate vice president of Student Affairs and Satellite Campuses, and Janie Banks, a retired Knox County teacher, will describe efforts to integrate the Tennessee Theatre February 6 at 11 a.m. in the Goins Student Lounge.

Wendell Bandy, a member of the Tennessee National Guard who serves on the board of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, will make a presentation on York, William Clark’s black slave on the Lewis and Clark expedition, February 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the Goins Student Lounge.

Avon W. Rollins Sr., executive director of the Beck Center, will talk about the Civil Rights Movement in Knoxville February 16 at 1 p.m. in the Goins Auditorium.

Among other Black History Month events:

Singer Jonathan Blanchard of Atlanta will perform February 15 at noon in the Goins Auditorium, February 16 at 7 p.m. at the Magnolia Avenue Campus and February 17 at 7 p.m. at the Blount County Center. Originally from Memphis, Blanchard began his vocal training at Tennessee State University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. His performance will include several musical styles: jazz, spiritual, blues and reggae.
Tiara Wilson, director of the Cansler Center YMCA, will be the guest speaker at the Leadership Lunch February 16 at noon at the Division Street Campus.
The movie “Raisin in the Sun” will be shown February 6, noon and 2 p.m., and February 10, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., in the Goins Auditorium. The movie “Clash” will be shown February 7, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; February 8, 11 a.m.; and February 9, 2 p.m., in the Goins Auditorium.
The African Drum/Dance Ensemble will perform February 22 at noon at the Division Street Campus.
Jewelry made by local craftswoman Kristine Taylor will be displayed throughout the month on the Pellissippi Campus, along with African artifacts from the personal collection of Charles Stinnett, a Pellissippi State computer technician.
Free testing for HIV will be provided by the Knox County Health Department February 7, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., in the Goins Administration Building as part of National Black HIV Awareness Day.

For additional information on the monthlong observance, contact Gayle Wood at 539-7160 or gwood@pstcc.edu.

"Inside Pellissippi" is a bi-monthly electronic publication produced by the Community Relations Office for the faculty and staff of Pellissippi State Technical Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, Tennessee 37933-0990. All suggestions and comments should be sent to Julia Wood (jwood@pstcc.edu).

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