12:30 - 2:00 pm: Community Reading of The Bluest Eye

LOCATION:  TBD

Registeration Coming Soon!

Students, faculty, staff, and the larger Stony Brook community will be invited to share their favorite passage from Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.

12:00 pm to 12:30 pm: Viewing of documentary (Un)Banning Toni Morrison

LOCATION: 1008 Humanities

The documentary explores the implications of teaching Toni Morrison’s most banned novel, The Bluest Eye (1970). Dr. Ileana Jiménez and her students created this 38 minute documentary to address the politics of banned books during this current political climate. 

 

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm: Artist Discussion and Banned Books Panel

LOCATION:  1008 Humanities

• Kasandra Pantoja, artist  
• Dr. Ileana Jiménez, SBU, Department of English 
• Christine Fena, SBU, Library Representative

 

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Artist Collage Workshop  (Registration required, capped at 15 participants)

LOCATION: 1008 Humanities

This hands-on workshop will be facilitated by Kasandra Pantoja for students and faculty to create their own piece of Banned Book themed artwork. Materials will be supplied.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm: Undergrad panel with Dana A. Williams (Registration required)

LOCATION: Special Collections, E-2340 (Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library)

In both panels, students will have an opportunity to be in conversation with Dr. Williams. Students will have the chance to ask Dr. Williams questions about her process writing Toni at Random and working with archives. In the graduate student panel, students will also be encouraged to ask questions regarding professional development, since Dr. Williams is the immediate past president of MLA.

 

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Book Signing with Dana A. Williams

LOCATION: Humanities 1009

 

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: Run Run Shaw Lecture by Dana A. Williams
Visible Ink: The Art of Black Women's Literary Biography  (Registration is free and strongly suggested)

LOCATION: Humanities Institute Lecture Hall  (1006 Humanities)

Dr. Williams will give the keynote address for our conference, focusing on her recent book, Toni at Random, which offers an intellectual history of Morrison’s work as an editor alongside her literary legacy.