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NEWS
from
Central Connecticut State University
Honored as a "Leadership Institution" by the Association of
American Colleges & Universities
Media contact: Peter Kilduff, Director of University
Relations
(860) 832-1791;
Kilduff@ccsu.edu
CCSU’s African-American Lecture Series to host panel
discussion on controversial “Jena Six” incident on November
8 at 4 p.m.; public invited
NEW BRITAIN -- November 02, 2007 --
The
African-American Lecture Series
at
Central
Connecticut State University will host a “Perspectives on
the Jena Six” panel discussion on Thursday, November 8 at 4
P.M. in Room 105 in the Vance Academic Center on the CCSU
campus. The event is open to the public at no charge, and
free parking is available in campus parking lots.
“This controversial case -- centering on
of six
black
teenagers who were charged with beating a
white
teenager at the high school in
Jena,
Louisiana
last
December 4
– has generated international interest,” said
Dr. Felton O.
Best, CSU Professor of Philosophy and Director of African
American Studies, who will moderate the panel.
“The beating followed a number of incidents in the town,
particularly when three white students hung nooses from a
tree at the school after a black student asked if he could
sit there,” Best continued.
“Following the altercation with the white student, one black
student --
Mychal Bell -- was tried and convicted of
aggravated
battery and
conspiracy.
“Both convictions were overturned, but Bell spent almost ten
months in jail before he was released this past September.
His retrial is scheduled for this coming
December 6
and, once again, the world will be watching to see how this
case is resolved. The case has sparked protests by people
who believe that the arrests and charges were excessive and
racially discriminatory. It has many implications on civil
rights -- particularly in the south -- and needs to be
discussed,” Best said.
The panel
will discuss Legal/Criminal Perspectives and Implications,
Educational Policy/School Law Perspectives, Civil
Disobedience and Activism. Participating in the discussion
will be: Attorney Shawn Council, Adjunct Professor of
African-American Studies and Philosophy at CCSU; Dr.
Olusegun Sogunro, CCSU Associate Professor of Educational
Leadership; and Stephen Balkaran, Adjunct Professor of
African American Studies at CCSU.
Additional information may be obtained from Dr. Felton O.
Best, Director of African American Studies at 860-832-2190.
Directions to CCSU are at the
University’s website:
http://www.ccsu.edu/visit.htm
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