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Coming Soon
March 2, 2007
"Redefining African American: Whatbs at Stake?b
The Ida K. Lang Recital Hall
Hunter College, CUNY
Room424 Hunter North.
695 Park Avenue
New York NY 10065
(Enter on 69th Street between Lexington Avenue & Park Avenue) 5:00 - 8:00 pm
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/galci
Since the founding of the U.S. Republic African Americans have played a consistent role as crucible for bridging the gap between the promises and practices of American Democracy, roles that have literally led to qualitative changes in public policy.
The rapid, qualitative change in diversity demographics among U.S. African descendants in the United States from Latin America, the Caribbean, Central America, and the continent of Africa requires that we examine the definitions of "African American", especially implications for public policy and the philosophy, content and functions of public institutions and resource allocation.
New York City has long been a "SECRET" African City. The population of Puerto Ricans, citizens of the United States since 1917 due to commonwealth status imposed by the United States, is predominately of African descent. Populations from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, Panama, Mexico, Trinidad, and Jamaica, Senegal, Nigeria among many other countries, that have African descendent populations, now live in the United States. The fabric of New York City, the east coast and the nation has dramatically changed. African Americas are approximately 39 million and Latinos are approximately 41 million of the United Statesb population.
Therefore the questions that this panel will address are:
Does the term African American include or exclude the diversity of African descendant populations that now reside within the nationbs borders?
Does the term African American need to be redefined? If so, why and towards
What concrete goals?
Marta Moreno Vega, Ph.D.
Founder & President, Franklin H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute
J. Michael Turner, Ph.D.
Co-Director Global Afro Latino & Caribbean Initiative, Hunter College, CUNY