Join the San José State University School of Information for its Juneteenth symposium featuring Binnie Tate Wilkin, library services consultant and professional storyteller; and Vogue M. Robinson, poet laureate of Clark County, Nevada (2017 - 2019).

Agenda

I. Welcome (10:00 – 10:05 a.m. PDT) – Dr. Anthony Chow, SJSU iSchool Director

II. Stories, Poems, and Conversation (10:05 – 10:45 a.m. PDT)

• Lamentations and Exhortations – Binnie Tate Wilkin
  • An original poetic narrative by the storyteller about the road to freedom experienced by African captives. Lines from African American spirituals are interspersed.
• Virtual Heritage Handshake
  • In the chat, attendees place the name of a person or persons of African American Heritage for whom they have developed special love and respect. This need not be a celebrity or historical figure. The chat will be copied and saved.
• Poetry – Vogue M. Robinson
  • Following brief comments about the role of libraries in the lives of poets, Vogue will share poems from her extensive repertoire. Her selections delineate experiences in the life of a female of African American heritage. She writes to tell stories and to “find clarity.”
• High John the Conqueror and the Stolen Pig – Binnie Tate Wilkin
  • A humorous story featuring “High John the Conqueror” a folk hero in African American culture, Captives and ex-captives told stories which subtly poked fun at their captors.

III. Student Response Panel (10:45 – 11:30 a.m. PDT)

• Imani Singleton 
• Tina Fontenot

IV. Q&A (11:30 – 11:45 a.m. PDT)

V. Concluding Remarks (11:45 a.m. PDT)

VI. Closing Song

• Stomp it down, stomp it down, we’re gonna stomp down freedom today!