The national conference will be hosted by NSU’s History Department, Honors Program, and Center for Global Education, and it will seek to foster a multi-disciplinary dialogue among scholars on the issue of African American rights within the context of United States history. At the conference’s core will be discussions about the historical significance and experiences of this minority group in America and how laws and customs have defined them separately from the majority populace. Topics which can be explored include:

o African American civil rights, past and present
o Implicit and explicit promises of democracy since Jamestown
o Impact of the ever-changing definition of the word “citizen” on African Americans
o Artistic expressions of American democracy from minority perspectives
o Negotiating and determining core canonical texts
o Democracy and health care access for minorities
o Access to democracy and the digital divide
o Voting and voting rights
o Immigration and race in American culture
o Impact of terrorism on minorities in American society
o Intersections between African Americans and other groups in America
o Religion and democracy
o Images of African Americans in the media
o African Americans and the rise of capitalism and democracy
o Economic success in America : myths and realities
o Double consciousness and political loyalties
o Booker T. Washington versus W. E. B. DuBois: modern ramifications
o Global imprints of African American culture
o Global implications of the African American civil rights movement
o Laying the framework for the next 400 years: lessons learned and plan of action
o Literary, dramatic, and musical expressions of democracy for African Americans

Abstracts may be submitted no later than June 15, 2006. Abstracts should not exceed 1,800 characters (about 250 words) and should clearly define the targeted theme. Each presenting author will be notified by July 1, 2006 whether the abstract has been accepted. For inclusion in the final program, the presenting author is required to register for the conference no later than October 30, 2006. For further information and forms, please access the Conference website.

Abstract Review and Selection Criteria: The Conference Steering Committee will review all abstracts and evaluate them on their relevance to the conference theme. All submissions will be acknowledged and all potential presenters will receive notification of the final disposition of their paper. Certain papers will be selected for inclusion in the Conference proceedings.

Please send your completed submission form by June 15, 2006 to:

Dr. William Alexander
Department of History
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue
Norfolk , VA 23504
whalexander@nsu.edu
757-823-9073 (office)
757-823-2302 (fax)

For further information, contact:

Dr. Charles Ford
Department of History
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue
Norfolk , VA 23504
chford@nsu.edu
757-823-8344 (office)
757-823-2302 (fax)