The University of Southern Indiana (USI) announced Thursday that Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor will give the keynote address at the university’s Nelson Mandela Social Justice Day.
Taylor is currently an assistant professor of African American Studies at Princeton University.
"She really hones in on the issue at stake and has some really interesting commentary," said Sakina Hughes, assistant history professor at USI and chair of the Mandela Social Justice Committee. Hughes calls Taylor a powerhouse.
Taylor has written two books: From #BlackLivesMattter to Black Liberation, which USI uses in its curriculum, and How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective. Her work has appeared in newspapers like The New York Times and magazines like Jacobin and The Nation.
USI's Nelson Mandela Social Justice Day has attracted some of the country’s most prominent public intellectuals since it began in 2014. Past speakers include Cornel West, professor emeritus at Princeton.
"Sometimes, when you’re not in a big city or not in a really big college town, it might be easy to not be a part of the conversation," Hughes said, adding that these speakers allow the university and community to participate in a broader dialogue.
During its social justice day, the university will also hold an introduction to political activism and bystander training to prevent bullying. The day's events are free and open to the public.
Taylor will giver her keynote address on February 26 at 6 p.m. in the USI Performance Center. Hughes recommends showing up early to find a seat.