MLK lecture to spotlight Black authors

Up-and-coming authors Danté Stewart and Cole Arthur Riley will give the 2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in Sage Chapel.

This year’s event, titled “In Praise of Being Black and Alive,” will be a conversation between Stewart and Riley. Both authors grapple with the legacy of white supremacy in America and will touch on how their work is both inspired by and builds on King’s work.

Stewart is the author of the debut memoir, “Shoutin’ in the Fire: An American Epistle.” In the book, he uses his personal experiences as a vehicle to reclaim spiritual virtues like rage, resilience and remembrance – and explores how these virtues might function as a work of love against an unjust world.

Riley is the spiritual teacher in residence with the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making. She is the creator of Black Liturgies, an online space for Black spiritual words of liberation, lament, rage and rest. Her debut book, “This Here Flesh,” is due out Feb. 22.

Cornell University Library is developing a guide about Dante’s books, and a series of conversations about the event will take place on the “All Things Equal” radio show.

This event will be accessible to all via livestream. This event will also have limited in-person seating for Cornell community members; pre-registration and strict adherence to Cornell COVID-19 public health guidelines is required. Attendees are asked to RSVP, visit scl.cornell.edu/MLKLecture for more information.