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JACKSON, Tenn. — Jan. 24, 2014 — 51����’s Town and Gown Lecture Series will celebrate Black History Month with a series of lectures on Thursday evenings from Jan. 30 – Feb. 27.

The Town and Gown series is an opportunity for community members interested in various topics to attend lectures and participate in discussions in a classroom setting. The sessions are free and open to the public.

The upcoming lectures will analyze education, race and justice from the African-American perspective within the context of a Christian worldview. Jacqueline S. Taylor, assistant dean of students, will act as the course convener and discussion leader, with educational, church and community professionals to serve as guest lecturers.

"I wanted to ensure that the open dialogue continued as a part of our efforts over the past several years to address issues of racial reconciliation through (a) Christian worldview," Taylor said. "This Town and Gown series is a great opportunity to engage students and the community in meaningful dialogue toward Great Commandment thinking and action."

All sessions will be held in Providence Hall Room 160 from 6-10 p.m.

The schedule for the series is:

• Jan. 30: An introduction with Taylor, followed by “Legal Context: Education, Race and Justice,” with Roland Porter, pastor of Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Jackson.
• Feb. 6: “A Social Context: Carter G. Woodson’s Legacy,” with Rhonda Hudson, professor of social work, followed by “Historical and Philosophical Context: The Legacies of W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington,” with Taylor.
• Feb. 13: “Theological Context: The Theology of Reconciliation,” with Jarvis Williams, associate professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• Feb. 20: “Ethical Context Concerning Education, Race and Justice” and “Legacy of the City of Birmingham and its Role in Education, Race and Justice,” with Sephira Shuttlesworth, wife of the late civil rights leader Fred Shuttlesworth.
• Feb. 27: “Culminating Discussion on Education, Race and Justice: The Impact of the Church” and “The Legacy of the City of Memphis and its Role in Education, Race and Justice,” with Frank Anderson, professor of urban theology.

For more information, visit or call Taylor at (731) 661-5316.