W&L Presents 2021 Ted Delaney Lecture The Feb. 24 online lecture, titled “Black Entrepreneurs: Where Does Money Fit into Protest?,” will examine capitalism as a part of the Black freedom-fighting arsenal.
Washington and Lee University’s Africana Studies Program will continue its yearlong “Activism and Black Life” series with the 2021 Ted Delaney Lecture on Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m.
“In earlier programs in the series, we looked at sports, policing and politics,” said Michael Hill, professor of Africana studies. “This event, ‘Black Entrepreneurs: Where Does Money Fit into Protest?,’ will examine capitalism as a part of the Black freedom-fighting arsenal.”
The event is free to watch, but registration is required and can be accessed online here.
The lecture will investigate how Black business people participate in the struggle for racial progress. Shennette Garrett-Scott, associate professor of history at the University of Mississippi, will deliver the lecture based on her research into Black participation in finance. Garrett-Scott will be joined in the lecture by Carliss Chatman, associate professor of law at W&L. Chatman specializes in corporate and commercial law, and she has developed expertise on matters related to race and women’s rights.
Garrett-Scott’s first book, “Banking on Freedom,” looked at Black women in the American banking industry. For her next project, she will explore how the National Negro Business League worked to enhance Black access to the prototypical American dream of material prosperity.
“Engaging the role of women and the complex landscape of American finance, the participants will analyze the legitimacy of seeing Black capitalistic endeavors as activist enterprises,” said Hill. “They will connect early episodes of Black business ownership with 21st century trends to determine the current climate surrounding Black entrepreneurs and the movement for social equality.
“Activism and Black Life” is a yearlong series that explores how the struggle for freedom shapes Black identity. The series, which includes participants from multiple disciplines and various academic and civic institutions, shows the complex legacies that created our current racial reality and, by studying the intersection between then and now, equips our community to chart a productive path forward.
“This lecture not only continues the ‘Activism and Black Life’ series, but also marks the second occasion of the Ted DeLaney lecture,” Hill said. “Named in honor of a legendary W&L alumnus and faculty member, this talk annually celebrates Professor Delaney’s meticulous research of and protean interest in Black life and experience. We invite individuals at and beyond W&L to join us in celebrating the legacy of a man whom we lost last year.”
The Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship and the Office of Inclusion and Engagement are co-sponsoring the annual Delaney Lecture in partnership with the Provost’s Office and collaborators from across campus. The “Activism and Black Life” series is supported by the Rupert H. Johnson Jr. Program in Leadership and Integrity.
Click here for a full schedule of events for the “Activism and Black Life” series.
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