Dr. Larry Rivers Discusses Why Race Matters in a Multicultural Society Sept. 29

Pictured is Dr. Larry Rivers, professor in the Department of History at Valdosta State University.

VALDOSTA – Dr. Larry Rivers, professor in the Department of History at Valdosta State University, will present Race Matters in a Multicultural Society from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Whitehead Auditorium. Admission is free of charge and open to the public.

Rivers said his lecture “…will focus on the historical development and impact of race in America from the Colonial period to the present.”

Rivers has taught at VSU since the fall 2014 semester and has led classes on United States history, slave resistance in the United States, perspectives on leadership, and topics in American slavery. He is considered an expert on the subject of African-American history and has shared his knowledge through dozens of peer-reviewed articles and chapters, book reviews, essays, conferences, public radio commentaries, and presentations.

The author of seven books and one monograph, Rivers’s eighth book, Mary Edwards Bryan: Her Early Life and Works, is currently in production and will be released later this year.

Rivers’s talk is part of a series of presentations collectively known as A Complex and Tangled History: Courageous Conversations about Race that will continue throughout the semester with Dr. Ari Santas, professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, discussing the matrix of racism on Oct. 14, and Dr. Leslie S. Jones, associate professor in the Department of Biology, discussing how to untangle human diversity from the social construction of race on Nov. 18.

Each event will begin with a 45-minute presentation, followed by a 45-minute question-and-answer/discussion session. Doors open at 7 p.m.

“This event has been organized as a university/community event, also referred to as a Town and Gown,” said Jones, series organizer.

“We hope that any interested member in the community will join us. This ongoing speaker series has been initiated by students and faculty members as an academic approach to the challenge of addressing all forms of racism in our country.”

Whitehead Auditorium is located on the first floor of the VSU Fine Arts Building, at the intersection of Brookwood Drive and Oak Street.

Contact the African American Studies Program at (229) 249-4843 or Dr. Leslie S. Jones at lesliesj@valdosta.edu or (229) 219-1337 for more information.

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities.

The story above demonstrates VSU's commitment to meeting the following goals:

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.