During February, the entire nation celebrates Black History Month, recognizing the many amazing achievements of African Americans and their central role in our nation’s history. The theme of 2020’s Black History Month is “African Americans and the Vote.” This February, Ball State and the Muncie community will be hosting a variety of timely talks, presented by the African American studies program. The talks span a variety of topics related to African American studies, and will be taking place from February 5 to February 7. All Ball State students and Muncie community members are invited to attend and gain valuable knowledge about these important topics.
Meet the Speakers
“Lorenzo M. Boyd, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized leader in police-community relations and an authority on urban policing, diversity issues in criminal justice, race and crime, and criminal justice systems. He served for 14 years in the Suffolk County (Mass.) Sheriff’s department – working in policing, corrections, and the courts – which he says shaped his approach to teaching, research, and training of police commanders and officers.” – From the University of New Haven Faculty & Staff Profiles
“Dr. Max Felker-Kantor is an American historian who specializes in twentieth century American and African American history with a focus on race, politics, and social movements. He is particularly interested in the policies and institutions of urban law enforcement and criminal justice systems since World War II. He received his PhD from the University of Southern California in 2014. He currently teaches American and African American history at Ball State University.” – From maxfelkerkantor.com
Simon Balto“Simon Balto teaches, researches, and writes about African American history in the United States. His first book, Occupied Territory: Policing Black Chicago from Red Summer to Black Power (University of North Carolina Press, 2019), explores the development of a police system in Chicago’s Black neighborhoods that over the course of the mid-twentieth century became simultaneously brutally repressive and neglectful. His writing has also appeared in TIME magazine, The Washington Post, The Progressive, the Journal of African American History, Labor, and numerous other popular and scholarly outlets.” – From the University of Iowa staff page
Wednesday, February 5
“African American Community and Police Relations
Speaker: Dr. Lorenzo Boyd
When: 1:00-1:50pm
Where: Robert Bell 125
“School-To-Prison Pipeline: Beyond Race and Class”
Speaker: Dr. Lorenzo Boyd
When: 5:00- 6:30pm
Where: Muncie Community Schools Administration Office and Area Career Center
Thursday, February 6
“What Makes a ‘Great’ Police Officer?”
Speaker: Dr. Lorenzo Boyd
When: 9:30-11:00am
Where: Pruis Hall
“Race and Police: Historical and Contemporary Issues of Policing Brown and Black Communities”
Speakers: Simon Balto, Lorenzo Boyd, and Max Felker-Kantor
When: 6:00-8:00pm
Where: Student Center Ballroom
Benjamin V. Cohen Peace Fellow Lecture: “Occupied Territory: Policing Black Chicago from Red Summer to Black Power”
Speaker: Dr. Simon Balto
When: 2:00- 3:00pm
Where: Bracken Library Room 104
Friday, February 7
“Police Power, State Violence, and Resistance in the Age of Mass Incarceration”
Speaker: Max Felker-Kantor
When: 5:30-6:30pm
Where: Kennedy Library
