The Stratification of Racialized Males During a Pandemic and the Importance of Black Male Studies - March 12

EUGENE – The Lane Community College Black Student Union presents Black male studies scholar, Dr. Tommy J. Curry, for a virtual discussion on “The Stratification of Racialized Males During a Pandemic and the Importance of Black Male Studies” at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 12.

Dr. Curry is one of the nation’s leading philosophers of Black male studies and is recognized as an expert on critical race theory, African philosophy, and social-political thought.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required to receive a Zoom link to join.

Dr. Curry  is the author of “The Man-Not: Race, Class, Genre, and the Dilemmas of Black Manhood,” in addition to several other books, collaborative writings, and peer-reviewed articles and journals. He is currently a professor in the philosophy department at the University of Edinburgh and his research interests are in Africana philosophy and the Black Radical Tradition.

Prior to Curry’s presentations, visiting scholars, Dr. Marvin Lynn, Dean of College of Education at Portland State University and Dr. Fred Bonner, Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership and Counseling at Prairie View University A&M, will frame the conversation with two short presentations on critical race theory and Black male scholars and the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in supporting gifted Black males.

The event examines “racelighting,” racialized gaslighting, whereby people of color question their reality due to systemically-delivered racist messaging, said Dr. Lawrence Rasheed, LCC African American Student Program Coordinator. Racelighting was developed by two San Diego State University scholars and they describe it more fully in this recent Diverse Education article.

Rasheed teaches African American leadership, post-racial America, and other Black male studies courses at LCC. This spring he will teach “Black Male Studies: Lies, Literature and Legacy.”

“The ‘racelighting’ of racialized males, in particular African American/Black males, during the pandemic has been and currently is pathological,” Rasheed said. “These males’ (our) vulnerabilities are often overlooked. Dr. Tommy J. Curry’s presentation will illuminate ways in which racialized males can traverse their (our) daily realities.”

For the past few years, the LCC Black Student Union has provided campus and community programming to extend the focus of Black history and Black studies beyond February with its mission of Black History 365. The event is sponsored by the LCC Black Student Union, LCC Office of Equity and Inclusion, and the LCC Foundation Roberta Konnie Endowment President’s Speaker Series.

For more information about the event, contact Dr. Lawrence Rasheed at rasheedl@lanecc.edu.