Presentations
International and National Academic Presentations (Selective)
“The Afterlife of Slavery and Prison: Ava DuVernay’s ’When they See Us.’” Modern Language Association. Seattle, WA. Jan. 2020.
“Acts of Redemption through Forgiveness: Remembering Charleston in the Post-Middle Passage Era.” College Language Association Convention, Raleigh, NC. April 11, 2019.
“African in the American Social and Academic DNA: Remembering Alex Haley’s Roots.” National Council for Black Studies. New Orleans, LA March 8, 2019.
“Ancestral Speaking: Representations of Flooding in 1927 and 2005.” Panel: Weathering the South.
Modern Language Association Conference, Chicago, ILL. Jan. 4, 2019.
“Pleasure and the Question of Consent (or Rape) in Richard Wright’s ‘Long Black Song.’” Race, Sex, and Power Conference. Roosevelt University, Chicago, ILL. April 7, 2018.
“Black Girl in the Hurricane: Jesmyn Ward's Salvage the Bones,” College Language Association Conference. Chicago, Ill. April 6, 2018.
“Langston Hughes and Renaissance Women.” Modern Language Association. Philadelphia, PA. January 7, 2017.
"Teaching Black Lives Matter in the Sit-In Movement City." National Council for Black Studies Conference. March 17, 2016.
“Passing: Assessing Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Rachel Dolezal. SAMLA Conference. November 13, 2015.
“Recovering Alice Dunbar-Nelson for the 21st Century.” Legacy Roundtable. Society for the Study of American Women Writers. Philadelphia, PA. November 5, 2015.
"Ancestors Speak: Representations of (Abused) Women in 12 Years A Slave." College Language Association Conference. March 28, 2014.
"Love in the Time of the Obamas." Institute of African Studies. University of Ghana. March 13, 2014.
"The Making of an African American President: The Significance of Storytelling in Obama's Dreams from my Father." Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. October 31, 2013.
“Barack Obama, A Fatherless Child of America and Africa.” Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana. March 14, 2013.
“Their Eyes Were Watching God: Zora Neale Hurston’s Novel and the Oprah Adaptation.” Department of English, University of Ghana. March 13, 2013.
“Love Deferred: The Case of Alice and Paul Laurence Dunbar.” South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Raleigh, NC, November 9-11, 2012.
“Alice Dunbar Nelson: A Forgotten Literary Activist.” College Language Association Conference. Atlanta, GA. March 31, 2012.
“Love in the Time of the Obamas: A 21st Century Look at Sofia and Harpo in Spielberg’s The Color Purple.” African Diaspora Symposium. North Carolina Central University. March 24, 2012.
“Alice Dunbar Nelson: Writing and Activism at the Turn of the Century. National Council of Black Studies Conference. Atlanta, GA, March 10, 2012.
“Looking for Love in The Color Purple: Harpo, Sofia, and Oprah.” Mansfield College. Oxford, England. September 21, 2011.
“Sexed-Up and Dumbed-Down: Southern Black Men in McBride’s Miracle at St. Anna.” National Council for Black Studies. Cincinnati, Ohio. March 31, 2011.
“Voodoo Feminism in Jewell Parker Rhodes’ Voodoo Dreams.” National Council of Black Studies Conference. New Orleans, LA. March 2010.
“Langston Hughes: The Father of a World Black Consciousness Movement.” Modern Language Association Conference. Philadelphia, PA. December 30, 2009.
“A Black Man’s Liberation: Barack Obama’s Dreams for My Father as a Healing Text.” College Language Association. Cambridge, MD, March 2009.
“Speaking of Identity: Water in Africana Women’s Literature.” College Language Association Conference. Charleston, SC. April 2008.
“Richard Wright’s Fathers and Sons.” International Humanities Conference. Honolulu, Hawaii. January, 2007.
“Talking on Water: The Significance of Water and Storytelling in Edwidge Danticat and Paule Marshall.” Sixth International Conference on Caribbean Literature. St. Croix, Virgin Islands. November 3-5, 2004.
Invited Academic Presentations and Book Talks
"Yolande Du Bois Williams' Escape from Respectability During the Interwar Era." Clark Atlanta University. March 17, 2021.
Workshop Presenter, “Framing Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction Within Black Women’s Writing Traditions,” UNCF/Mellon Teaching and Learning Institute: “Black Girls Write/Right the Future.” Dr. Karima Jeffrey and Dr. Valerie Johnson, Facilitators. Hampton University. June 27-29, 2018.
“The Obamas and the Politics of Respectability.” The Post-Obama Ethos: The Transnational U.S. in the Aftermath of Hope. Obama Institute for Transnational Studies and Georgia State University. Atlanta, GA. March 23, 2018.
“Middle Passage and Flooding.”Faculty Research Seminar. Anna Julia Cooper Center, Wake Forest University. November 14, 2017.
Oprah Winfrey, Her Films and African American Literature. Louisiana Book Festival. Baton Rouge, LA. November 2, 2013.
“From Eatonville to Elon: The 75th Anniversary Celebration of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Richard Wright’s ‘Blueprint for Negro Writing.’” African and African American Studies Program, Elon University. Elon, NC. September 18, 2013.
“Not Just in Utah: Ethnic Studies, A Woman’s Perspective.” Ethnic Studies Program. University of Utah. April 9, 2012.
“Women’s History Month: Black Womanhood Panel.” UNC-Chapel Hill. Stone Center. March 23, 2012.
“Calling All Daddies!: Black Fathers in Black Communities.” Fifth Annual Fall Family Counseling Conference. Keynote address. North Carolina A&T University. November 18, 2010.
“In Search of Black Leadership: Barack Obama’s Dreams.” Africana Studies Annual Conference. Africana Studies Department. UNC-Charlotte. April 21, 2010.
A Fatherless Child. Dillard University. March 10, 2009.
“Walking on Water: Significance of Water in Africana Women’s Literature.” Department of English. Arizona State University. November 2007.
Selected Community Presentations
“The Everyday Practice of Humanities: An African American Studies Perspective.” Guilford Rotary Club of Greensboro. January 16, 2018.
“From the Plantation to the Prison: African American Confinement.” White Rock Baptist Church Prison Ministry Symposium. Durham, NC. January 23, 2016.
“From the Plantation to the Prison: African American Confinement.” Manasseh Baptist Church Community Symposium. Greensboro, NC. January 23, 2016.
Black History Month Speaker on Langston Hughes, Franciscan Springs. Feb. 15, 2015. Stoneville, NC.
Keynote Luncheon Speaker, REMCO, North Carolina Library Association's Biannual Conference. Winston-Salem, NC. October 17, 2013.
"Black, White. A Child's Perspective." Ministerial Association. Martinsville, VI. October 15, 2013.
“Hughes and the Blues.” Black History Month Presentation. Triad Teaching and Science Academy. Greensboro, NC. February 17, 2012.
“Malcolm X: The Legacy and Imprint of a Civil Rights Leader.” Discussion with Dr. William Hart (Religious Studies, UNCG). International Civil Rights Museum and Center. May 14, 2011.
“Where in the World is President Obama?” Multicultural Day. Allen Elementary. High Point, NC. March 28, 2011.
"Importance of Fathers for Children." Wiley Elementary Parent Volunteers. Greensboro, NC. Spring 2010.
Led discussion of Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father based on perspective of A Fatherless Child. Greensboro Public Library. Saturday, November 14, 2009.
Book Talk, A Fatherless Child. Barnes and Noble. September 17, 2009. Greensboro, NC.
"Drawing Inspiration from Black Leaders." Helen Cox High School. Harvey, LA. Social Studies Senior Class. March 11, 2009.
