The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College (CBL), City University of New York says it will hold its 14th National Black Writers Conference (NBWC) from Thursday, March 22 – Sunday, March 25.
The four-day, highly-anticipated event features a Youth Literacy program, an Elder Writers Workshop, and a Tribute and Awards Ceremony honoring some of today’s most revered authors, scholars, cultural historians and literary activists.
CBL said the 2018 theme is “Gathering at the Waters: Healing, Legacy and Activism in Black Literature.”
Local, regional, and nationally celebrated writers, scholars, literary professionals, students, and the community-at-large will convene over four days to discuss topics related to the conference theme, CBL said.
It said delegates will examine the state of literature produced by Black writers, listen to writers read from their work, attend a variety of informative workshops and “fellowship with other supporters of Black literature.
This year, the honorees are: Colson Whitehead, Kwame Dawes, David Levering Lewis, Susan L. Taylor, Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, and Eugene B. Redmond. The honorary chair is Dr. Myrlie Evers-Williams.
“The vision for the 14th National Black Writers acknowledges CBL’s concern about the recent and ongoing issues of social inequality and injustices that challenge us and builds on the legacy of healing through activism,” the statement said.
“This timely theme centers on the ways in which Black writers use their writing to explore and convey messages that heal and restore our individual selves and collective community,” it added.
CBL said the conference will also examine the instrumental role Black writers have played in building cultural history; the imprint that this has left in Black literature; and how the literature of Black writers has impacted present-day and future generations.
Each conference day will feature a variety of film screenings, panel discussions, author readings and workshops, CBL said.
