Washington State University Vancouver will observe the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Summer of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act with a two-day free symposium, “The Power of Racial Coalition,” on Oct. 29-30. It will feature film footage, lectures and panel discussions.
Participants will explore the value of interracial unity, coalition-building, political education and activism.
• Recalling the Power of Racial Coalition: 4 – 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 in Dengerink Administration Building, Room 110. Through film and discussion, this event will focus on coalition-building and activism, centering on Freedom Summer of 1964. The Civil Rights Act was established on July 2, 1964. With white youth and black organizers joining in the cause, the coalition registered voters, established Freedom Schools and drew attention to violence and murders in the Jim Crow South.
• Racial Coalition in 2014: Noon – 2:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in Dengerink Administration Building, Room 110. The Rev. Donald Matthews, author of “Honoring the Ancestor,” a scholar of religion and black studies, will discuss the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a “beloved community.” Panelists will represent the Vancouver and Portland National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Urban League and WSU Vancouver.
The campus at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. is accessible by C-Tran bus. Parking is available at meters and in the blue daily pay lot for $3. Learn more at www.vancouver.wsu.edu.
