Florida Tech’s 5th Annual African-American Read-In Feb. 28 at Evans Library

Event to Feature Presentation from
Real Rosewood Foundation CEO

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Tech faculty and students, along with members of the community, will celebrate Black History Month through music, text and poetry at the university’s 5th Annual African-American Read-In from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Evans Library.

With the theme “Our History, Our Story,” the event will feature readings from African-American poets and writers including Ta-Nehisi Coates, Octavia Butler, Roxane Gay, Michelle Alexander and Colson Whitehead.

There will also be a presentation from special guest Lizzie Jenkins, founder and president of the Real Rosewood Foundation. Jenkins, an author and historian, is one of the last living descendants of a family directly involved in the January 1923 Rosewood Massacre that left at least six black people and two white people dead in rural Levy County, Florida.

The 5th Annual African-American Read-In is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The event is sponsored by Evans Library and Florida Tech’s School of Arts and Communication.

In addition to the recognition of African-American authors, musicians and culinary culture, the event will feature presentations of the winning submissions from Florida Tech’s African-American Read-In Student Writing Contest.

More information on the Read-In is available by emailing Linda Khan at lkhan@fit.edu.

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