Harlem Book Fair 2010

The Schomburg Center is pleased to collaborate again with the Harlem Book Fair, a community forum for readers to discover, experience and celebrate its history and culture through books. The fair has become one of the country’s largest community gatherings of African American readers and book lovers. The panel discussions held at the Schomburg are broadcast live on C-SPAN’s Book TV.


2010 HARLEM BOOK FAIR PROGRAM & SCHEDULE
For full schedule of activities, click here.





SCHOMBURG LANGSTON HUGHES AUDITORIUM

Tribute to Book-TV
11:00 am - 11:15 am
Presented by Max Rodriguez, Founder, Harlem Book Fair

Tribute to Howard Dodson, Chief of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
11:15 am - 11:30 am
Presented by Herb Boyd; Max Rodriguez; Kassahun Checole

God Is Not A Christian: Can We All Get Along in A World of Holy Wars and Religious Chauvinism?
11:40 am - 12:55 pm
Who is the one true God? Who are the chosen people? Questions like these have driven a thousand human struggles through war, terrorism and oppression. Humanity has responded by branching off into multiple religions--each one pitted against the other. But it doesn't have to be that way, according to Bishop Carlton Pearson and many others. This New Thought spiritual leader will discuss these and many other burning questions with author and theologian, Obery Hendricks and others.

Is Racial Justice Passe? Barack Obama, American Society, and Human Rights in the 21st Century
1:05 pm - 2:20 pm
Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States upends conventional notions of citizenship, racial justice, and equality that contoured the modern civil rights movement. This panel seeks to critically explore the way in which this watershed event has reverberated to transform the way in which civil rights era definitions of citizenship, equality, and democracy are undergoing rapid change both within, and outside of, American borders.

American Stories: Creating Life Against Resistance
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
These are American stories; the stories of creating one's vision in spite of odds or expectations. These are stories of how outwardly imposed perception can propel one to success as much as doom one to a life of bitter frustration. Our authors tell their stories and find the common ground of success that is available to everyone.

White and Whatever: Diversity in Children’s & Young Adult Book Publishing
3:55 pm - 5:10 pm
The United States is an extremely diverse nation. But books for children and young adults hardly reflect that diversity. Only a small percentage of the books published every year are written and or illustrated by people of color. Many of these don’t make it to the market place. Why, in 2010, when the nation has elected its first African American president, is the book publishing industry still not meeting the need and demand for books that explore the width and breathe of our country’s multicultural experiences? This panel will explore the complex issues and suggest solutions to a problem that is garnering a lot of attention.

From Digital Divide to Digital Inequality: Bridging the Market-driven Literacy Gap
5:15 pm - 6:30 pm
The advent of digital technology has redefined the very scope of literacy. While African American literacy rates are statistically on par with national averages, the advent of the market-driven digital age threatens timely access to information to the most economically disparaged...less a 'digital divide' than a 'information access' divide. Inequality of bandwidth; autonomy of use; skills level; quality of support; and purpose (whether the Internet is used for increase of economic productivity and improvement of social capital or for consumption and entertainment) are the current pressing concerns. These authors believe that visual representation is the one critical element that will balance the impact of these emerging issues and drive a new generation of readers successfully into this brave, new world. 

SCHOMBURG AMERICAN NEGRO THEATER

It’s In The Book!
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Grammy winner, Tony award nominee, multi-talented award winning actress, composer and lyricist MICKI GRANT, will direct It’s in the Book!, a play written especially to nurture the imagination. This delightful play enlightens and promotes reading enjoyment for children and adults. Miss Bookworm, the friendly librarian, comes to the aid of the Book Family when Mr. Illiteracy threatens to make them homeless. The Books gain strength as they state their cases on why they should be read and a transformation occurs. When the public responds to Miss Bookworm's urgent appeal to save the library, Mr. Illiteracy is forced to reveal a deep dark secret.

READINGS IN THE SCHOMBURG COURTYARD
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Peniel Joseph Dark Days, Bright Nights: From Black Power to Barack Obama
Bernice McFadden Glorious
Wes Moore The Other Wes Moore
Queen Afua Overcoming an Angry Vagina
Supa Nova Slom The Remedy
Zelda Lockhart Fifth Born II: The Hundredth Turtle
Tova Baker Lady B. Moore
Carol Taylor The Ex Chronicles: A Novel
Marlen Suyapa Bodden The Wedding Gift
Stephen F.D. Bryan Black Passenger Yellow Cabs
Julia Butler Being Single Is Not A Disease
April Walker More Than One Way to Skin A Dog
Damon John The Brand Within
Armond White Keep Moving: The Michael Jackson Chronicles
Terry McMillan The Interruption of Everything
Sonia Sanchez Morning Haiku