Juneteenth Celebration and Symposium
Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!

Webcast Binnie Tate Wilkin Vogue M. Robinson Imani Singleton Tina Fontenot

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).

Register to attend: https://sjsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k7eqXG1pSwWwwJwJpVgzMQ

Individuals requiring real-time captioning/closed captions or other accommodations should contact Sue Alman as soon as possible.

2023 Juneteenth Symposium

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!