Join us to celebrate Hickory Hill School’s past, and reflect on what its legacy means today. Distinguished speakers include:
Danny Avula, City of Richmond Mayor.
Muriel Miller Branch, AAMD Pine Grove Project Manager.
Bonnie Newman Davis, Editor-at-Large, Charlottesville Tomorrow, CEO – BND Institute of Media and Culture Inc.
Dr. Colita Fairfax, former Chair of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and Professor at the Ethelyn Strong School of Social Work.
Arthur Freeman, Jr.
Ghazala Hashmi, Virginia State Senator
Emmett Jafari, 8th District School Board Representative and more.
EVENT REGISTRATION is REQUIRED. There will be no onsite registration. Registration may include southern-style catering by IKaleLife and The Kitchen Magician ($25) or register without lunch (no charge). REGISTRATION WITH LUNCH $25
THE HISTORIC HICKORY HILL SCHOOL CELEBRATION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. HOWEVER, ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
Lynda Johnson Robb, Dominion Energy and Elegba Folklore Society will be honored with “Commonwealth Humanities Award”
David BrooksBarbara Hamm
Virginia Humanities will host its inaugural Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities at the Altria Theater in Richmond on April 10.
“Our celebration of 50 years as your state humanities council is continuing despite the challenges to our federal funding that are currently happening at the National Endowment for the Humanities,” reads a statement announcing the lecture.
“We have a lot to be proud of and to look forward to. We hope you’ll join us and gain a better understand why the humanities matter, how they help us understand our past and present and the role they can play in shaping a more positive future.”
Before the public lecture by David Brooks, three individuals/organizations will be honored with a “Commonwealth Humanities Award.” Lynda Johnson Robb, Dominion Energy, and Elegba Folklore Society will each be honored and will receive a unique work of art made by Page County basket maker, Clyde Jenkins.
About David Brooks:
David Brooks is one of the nation’s leading writers, authors and commentators. Brooks is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, a writer for The Atlantic, and appears regularly on PBS Newshour. The lecture will examine the intersections of public life and culture, exploring how the humanities is relevant in today’s world, especially in a civically engaged society.
Following the lecture, there will be a moderated conversation by Barbara Hamm Lee. Barbara Hamm Lee is an award-winning journalist, radio and television host of Another View. Audience members will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance. The event is designed to foster deeper reflection on how the humanities are important to continue to shape our society.
The Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities series is designed to foster deeper reflection on how the humanities continue to shape and respond to societal shifts. This is a signature event of Virginia Humanities’ year-long 50th anniversary celebration. The First Lady of Virginia, Suzanne S. Youngkin, is the honorary chair of the Commonwealth Lecture in the Humanities.
Monticello to Mark Jefferson’s 282nd Birthday, Award Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Citizen Leadership During April 11 Ceremony on West Lawn, Wreath-Laying Ceremony on April 13
On Friday, April 11, the University of Virginia and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello will present the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medals as part of a series of events commemorating Jefferson’s birthday, known at UVA as Founder’s Day.
Monticello will mark the occasion with a ceremony on the iconic West Lawn at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
The keynote address will be given by Bryan Stevenson, the 2025 recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Citizen Leadership. Stevenson is a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. Stevenson is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller “Just Mercy” and the subject of the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary “True Justice.” He is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization in Montgomery, Alabama. Under his leadership, the initiative has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. Stevenson has won multiple cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, won numerous awards including the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “genius grant,” and has received over 50 honorary doctoral degrees.
During the ceremony, Monticello will also present the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Award in Citizen Service to Martize Tolbert on behalf of The Fountain Fund. Founded in 2017, the Fountain Fund provides low-interest loans and financial coaching, helping formerly incarcerated people build credit and achieve their self-determined goals. Ceremony attendees can also meet local organizations making a difference in the Community Partner Tent, located at the back of the West Lawn. The Partner Tent will open at 9:00 a.m.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Attendees may register at monticello.org/foundersday.
On Sunday, April 13, Monticello will mark Thomas Jefferson’s actual birthday with a wreath-laying ceremony at his gravesite at 1:00 p.m. The United States Army will place the presidential wreath, accompanied by performances from the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps. This event is included with all same day admission.
Virginia Festival of the Book Presents: A Tribute to Nikki Giovanni: Celebrating a Legacy through Poetry, Music, and Dance
The legendary poet Nikki Giovanni’s impact extends beyond the world of poetry. As an activist and educator, Nikki left an indelible mark on the world.
Virginia Humanities’ Virginia Center for the Book will proudly honor her legacy with an evening of dance, music, poetry, and prose—some of Nikki’s favorite things—in a special Virginia Festival of the Book event featuring authors Jericho Brown, Rita Dove, Tayari Jones, and Remica Bingham-Risher, as well as the Leah Glenn Dance Theatre and other performers, authors, and musicians, in a program under the guiding vision of Furious Flower Poetry Center founder Joanne Gabbin, and the artistic direction of local theater-maker Constance Swain.
A voice of power and grace, she ignited minds with her poetry. A champion of civil rights and Black arts, she wove words of truth, love, and resilience. Nikki Giovanni’s legacy inspires generations to embrace their voices and fight for a more just world.
Whether you’re fascinated by bookbinding, curious about publishing, or just passionate about books, these events cover all the chapters in a book’s life. Celebrating the artistry and industry behind publishing, the 2025 Virginia Festival of the Book offers a rare opportunity to learn from experts, engage in hands-on activities, and gain a new appreciation for the craftsmanship and processes behind every book on your shelf. Be sure to explore these unforgettable events celebrating the art and business of books!
Navigating the publishing world can be daunting, but author Kalela Williams is here to help. In this session, the Director of the Virginia Center for the Book will break down the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing, offering insight into working with agents, editors, and publicists. Williams, whose debut YA novel Tangleroot was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2024, will share her own experiences—the highs and lows—of getting published. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a brief query-letter writing activity, making this a practical session for those looking to break into the industry.
Occupation: College teacher; Public speaker; School board member
Coralie Franklin Cook, Brown Colbert’s great-granddaughter, was born in slavery and became the first descendant of a Monticello slave known to have graduated from college. She was born in Lexington, VA, to Albert and Mary Elizabeth Edmondson Franklin (1829-1917). In 1880, Coralie Franklin graduated from Storer College in Harpers Ferry, WV. From this time, she was widely noted as a powerful public speaker. She taught elocution and English at Storer and then at Howard University.
In 1898 she married George William Cook (1855-1931), a Howard University professor and trustee. Coralie Cook served for twelve years as a member of the District of Columbia Board of Education. She was a founder of the National Association of Colored Women and a committed suffragist. About 1910, the Cooks became followers of the Baha’i faith. A longtime friend and admirer of Susan B. Anthony, she eventually became disillusioned by the women’s suffrage movement, feeling it had “turned its back on the woman of color.”
“The media has been in decline for a quarter of a century now.” — Dana Milbank, MSNBC, Feb. 28, 2025
Spot on. And exactly what I stated when discussing my book two nights ago at Fairfield Library. Because my audience included some amazing scribes, storytellers, community advocates/activists, historians and world travelers, our conversation was far-reaching and wide-ranging. One audience member, hoping to pivot from her social work profession to journalism, sought advice on how to accomplish her goal. Diane Walker, a retired Richmond news anchor and investigative reporter, encouraged her to seek out reporters and others who can help her pitch, shape or sell her stories or story ideas. (Diane is one of the 24 women who is featured in my book, “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960.)
I agreed with Diane, and added that in today’s media climate, the social work professional should also consider starting her own digital publication or newsletter. “Technology is on our side,” I said. I then recalled how I wanted to purchase a Richmond publication about 20 years ago. It was The Good News Herald published by the late Cleomine Lewis. The paper lived up to its name, and I was always fascinated by how Ms. Lewis single-handedly ran the paper, which was mainly available in Richmond’s Black churches. Ms. Lewis died in 2004, according to a Chiles Funeral home obituary. Back then we did not have a smidgen of the technology that we now take for granted.
Here is what one attendee shared after the book talk:
“Hey Bonnie!! I didn’t want another day to go by without sharing how extraordinary your program was on yesterday! Bonnie, the wisdom that you, Diane and others shared, transcended time and journalism! I would love to see a monthly meeting like that one! We all felt so blessed to be in the presence of greatness!!! Thank you!!!”
Next up I will discuss my book at Second Baptist Church-Idlewood for Women’s History Month. Stay tuned for the date and time. And you to my loyal tribe of “Truth Tellers” supporters!
The current state and future prospects of Black media will be the focus of Black Media Initiative’s Black Media Futures conference on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The virtual conference from 1 p.m-5 p.m is in celebration of the 198th birthday of the Black press.
April Ryan,Brandon NightingaleDr. Allissa V. RichardsonSavannah Wood,Anshantia “Tia” Oso,Venneikia Williams,
Sessions will include:
1:00 – 2:00: Black Media in the Age of Trump featuring April Ryan: This keynote will feature insights on covering this administration, and the vital role that Black media plays in informing and empowering the Black community.
2:05 – 3:05: Archiving Black Media: This session will explore how Black media have created and managed their archives. A panel of experts will discuss how they built and organized their archives, how they monetize them, and some of their favorite stories or images from the archives. This Q & A is a follow up to this previous event.
3:10 – 4:10: Black Narrative Power – Honoring our Past to Face the Future: This workshop will challenge participants to examine the role of Black media makers in this moment and identify opportunities for Black media to coordinate for the betterment of Black America and society at large.
4:15 – 4:45: Networking Session: This session is designed to foster connections and collaborations between Black media leaders. REGISTERThe event will be held online using Zoom. Please follow the instructions you receive after registering. Email CCM if you do not receive a confirmation message or if you have any questions.
About the Black Media Initiative: The Black Media Initiative is a national capacity building initiative for Black owned and controlled media. Its aim is to support Black media by providing research, training and connections. We are a part of the Center for Community Media which is housed at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
Speakers
April Ryan, the only Black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House, is the longest-serving Black tenured White House Correspondent in U.S. history. She is the Washington D.C. Bureau Chief and Senior White House Reporter for The Black Press USA, and regularly appears on MSNBC. April has been featured in top magazines and served on the board of the White House Correspondents’ Association. She has earned numerous awards, including the NAACP Image Award. A Baltimore native and Morgan State University graduate, she mentors aspiring journalists and is the author of several books on race relations and democracy.
Brandon Nightingale is a historian and the Black Press Archives digitization project manager at the Moorland Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. Brandon’s project: to research and document the history of the Black press. The Black Press Archive was started at Howard in 1973, donated by the National Newspaper Publishers Association. The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation has gifted the Archive $2 million to digitize the historic collection.
Dr. Allissa V. Richardson is an associate professor of journalism at USC Annenberg, and the founder of the Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab. She researches how African Americans use mobile and social media to produce innovative forms of journalism — especially in times of crisis. Richardson is the author of “Bearing Witness While Black: African Americans, Smartphones and the New Protest #Journalism” (Oxford University Press, 2020). The award-winning book explores the lives of 15 mobile journalist-activists who have documented the Black Lives Matter movement using only mobile and social media.
Savannah Wood, an artist with roots in Baltimore and Los Angeles, is the Executive Director of Afro Charities, where she leads efforts to increase access to the AFRO American Newspapers’ archives. She has guided the organization through growth, initiated new programming, and attracted support from national funders. Wood graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California and is a 2024/2025 Johns Hopkins University Tabb Center Humanities Fellow. She lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland, sharing and preserving Black stories.
Anshantia “Tia” Oso, is a culture strategist, activist and speaker who uses the power of art and culture to enact change. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Media 2070. Tia has organized for over 12 years leading successful campaigns to mobilize thousands of advocates on issues ranging from migrant rights to racial justice to public arts policy. Her work is rooted in the legacies of Black organizing and ancestral resistance and inspired by Afrofuturist visions.
Venneikia Williams, Media 2070 Campaign Manager, supports the Media 2070 team in the design and successful implementation of the project. She led the development of and taught a course on media reparations at Colorado College, was a featured speaker at the 2023 Decolonizing Wealth Conference, and serves on the Narrative Reparations Table convened by Liberation Ventures. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UNC Chapel Hill and a Master of Divinity degree from Covenant Theological Seminary.
Diamond Hardiman, Director of Reparative Narrative and Creative Strategy, supports Media 2070’s reparative journalism work and cultural strategy campaigns. Previously, Diamond supported Free Press’ News Voices project, where she focused on facilitating Black and Latinx communities in transforming media in Colorado. A graduate of Saint Louis University, Diamond is now leading the development of a community-rooted reparative journalism model.
If you are a part of the community media sector or a supporter, and were forwarded this invite, sign up for our mailing list to find out about upcoming CCM events and trainings.
Welcome to The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists event! Join us on Wed, Feb 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM for an evening celebrating the incredible contributions of Black women in journalism who are highlighted in Bonnie Newman Davis’ award-winning book, “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960.” The event will take place at 1401 N Laburnum Ave., where, in addition to Bonnie Newman Davis, we will hear from inspiring speakers such as Diane Walker, former NBC12 news anchor and 12 On Your Side investigative reporter, and engage in meaningful discussions, and network with like-minded individuals. This session will be moderated by community activist and environmental justice advocate Monica Esparza. Don’t miss this opportunity to be empowered and inspired by the stories and experiences of Black women journalists. For details, email bonnienewmandavis@gmail.com . Please register here. See you there!
In 2026, the United States will host a series of vibrant celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the drafting and adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The eve of the Declaration presents an excellent opportunity to reflect more fully on how the thirteen British colonies moved from opposing to supporting independence.
This program will examine how Thomas Jefferson was chosen to draft the Declaration, from whence he obtained his inspiration, what the document said, and how it was used at the time. Historians in this program will uncover how enslaved African Americans came to understand and use the document, and perhaps most importantly, how it has been understood over the intervening centuries and how it has been used to promote democracy here and abroad. UVA’s 2025 Summer Jefferson Symposium will assemble knowledge experts to discuss these vital topics with alumni, parents, and friends.
The 2024-25 Jepson Leadership Forum at the University of Richmond invites scholars and experts to discuss how division and polarization affect American democracy. The forum will explore how and why divisions have manifested historically and currently in the United States, focusing on their impact on justice, education, politics, culture, technology, and class.
Are division and the struggle to find common ground making Americans stronger or tearing them apart? A search for answers to this and other questions will be addressed
March 4 • 7 p.m. • Queally Center for Admission and Career Services Class, Status, and Party: Polarization Dynamics and Our Fragile Democratic Experiment Peter Bearman Founding director of the interdisciplinary institute Incite at Columbia University and Jonathan R. Cole Professor of Social Science at Columbia University REGISTER for this presentation..
BND Institute of Media & Culture 
