Professor Tommy Curry will deliver the keynote speech at The 12th Annual Lemon Project Spring Symposium at the College of William & Mary on Friday, 25 March. Image Founded in 1693, the College of William & Mary, Virginia, is the second oldest university in the US and was attended by several notable figures including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The University established The Lemon Project in 2009 in an attempt to “rectify wrongs perpetrated against African Americans by William & Mary through action or inaction.” The focus of the Project is to understand, chronicle and preserve the history of Black people at the College and in the community. The theme of this year’s symposium will be, “The Time is Now: The Lives of Black Men Past, Present, and Future.” “The topic is a call to action to recognize the humanity of Black males,” said Jajuan Johnson, Postdoctoral Research Associate with The Lemon Project. “Given the historical marginalization of Black males and the evident atrocities over the past decade with the violent deaths of Black men and boys, there is an urgency to lean into the humanity of Black males and imagine equitable futures. The theme rouses a realization of harsh realities and hope.” Professor Curry was selected to deliver the keynote speech from a record number of proposals. The increasing popularity of Black Male Studies shows that there is a growing acceptance of the idea that Black men and boys should be theorized on the basis of empirical evidence rather than the myths of pathology, deficit, and danger that have historically been the basis of criminology and gender studies for the last 50 years. Professor Tommy Curry Most of the event, including Professor Curry’s speech will be available online and is free to attend. Further information is available below. Related links The 12th Annual Lemon Project Spring Symposium | William & Mary (wm.edu) Professor Tommy J Curry William & Mary Publication date 21 Mar, 2022
