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Join this year's annual academic forum celebrating Black life and history in New England. This year’s two-day conference October 25 and 26  gathers scholars, teachers, researchers, community members and local organizations to share their insights. This year's topic is the significant roles of Black women in shaping the history, culture, and image of the region.  (See below for details) 

This eighth annual Black New England Conference, “Self-Invented” Black Women: Navigating Race, Space and Place," will feature Hollywood actress and Broadway legend Sheryl Lee Ralph. The conference will be held at Huddleston Hall at the University of New Hampshire on October 25 and 26. 

Co-sponsored by the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail http://pbhtrail.org and the Center for New England Culture http://cola.unh.edu/center-new-england-culture  the conference examines Black women’s self-invention and their role and place in the American culture through panels, presentations, a film and a play, as well as a tour of the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail led by founder Valerie Cunningham. Ms Ralph author of Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl will sign copies of her new book at an opening dinner held at Huddleston Hall. 

Discussions explore the historical, global and regional role of Black women through provocative panels including Sister Citizen: A Culture of Self Creation introducing little-known African-American women who wove themselves into New England’s social fabric, Branding the Black Woman: Mammies, Jezebels, Sapphires and Video Vixens, examining the impact of cultural representations and Towards a Politics of Empowerment: The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, a call to action for Black women continue to shape the region, overcome marginalization and created alternative paths for themselves, their families and their communities on their journey to self-creation. 

For more information, or to register please visit
8th-annual-black-new-england-conference-oct-25-26-2013
for any details about registration.