Some More Recent Events
March 24-26, 2023-Lehigh Valley Book Festival, March 25 at 2:40, I participated in a panel discussion with other authors at the Bethlehem Area Public Library in Bethlehem, PA.
February 8 and February 22, 2023-Dieruff High School (Allentown, PA)
I had the honor of speaking with students at Dieruff High School about In the Name of Emmett Till. They were a wonderful audience with good questions and much passion. Some had marched in Black Lives Matter marches and others wondered about the extent to which issues of race in the country had been adequately dealt with. Those comments made me feel like the students had gotten the main point I and Dr. Robert Robinson, Chief of Culture, Equity & Advancement, hoped to make, that there was more work to do and that they needed to take up the charge from this earlier generation of freedom fighters. By the way, I had a lovely talk with Dr. Robinson. He is from Mississippi had much to share with me about his life growing up in the Delta of Mississippi.
The day after the event, the Morning Call, Lehigh Valley’s local newspaper, had a front page story about the event, written by Jenny Roberts. Here is a link to that story: https://www.mcall.com/2023/02/08/allentown-dieruff-black-history-presentation/ In addition, on-line, the Morning Call had posted wonderful pictures taken by Rick Kintzel. I especially love the pictures of the students. Here is a link to the photos: https://www.mcall.com/2023/02/08/dieruff-black-history-talk-photos/
I loved my return to Dieruff on February 22, 2023 to speak with more students. I received some thoughtful and challenging questions from the students.
Mississippi/Alabama Tour April & May, 2022
May 3 (Tuesday), 5:30-? (Central Time) -Book Event, Read Herring Bookstore, 105 S Court St, Montgomery, AL 36104.
May 2 (Monday), 4:00 (Central Time)-Book Talk and Book Signing, Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, Alabama, 35203
April 30 (Saturday), 10:00 (Central Time)-In Conversation with Dr. Leslie-Burl McLemore, (Foreword Author, Mississippi Activist, Retired, Jackson State University, Professor, Jackson’s Interim Mayor,… This is an HONOR), Smith Robertson Museum, 528 Bloom St, Jackson, MS 39202.
April 28 (Thursday), 6:00 (Central Time)-Talk and Interview, Thacker Mountain Radio (Square Books), Oxford, Mississippi, The show is currently archived through the end of May. The entire show is 1 hour long, with lots of great music that I recommend. My segment starts at about 27.50 minutes and lasts for 15 minutes.To hear the show, click here and then go to the May 6 broadcast.
April 26 (Tuesday), 5:00 (Central Time)-6:00 -In Conversation with Investigative Reporter Jerry Mitchell/Booksigning, Lemuria Bookstore, 4465 I-55 STE 202, Jackson, MS.
April 28 (Thursday), 6:00 (Central Time)-Talk and Interview, Thacker Mountain Radio (Square Books), Oxford, Mississippi, The show is currently archived through the end of May. The entire show is 1 hour long, with lots of great music that I recommend. My segment starts at about 27.50 minutes and lasts for 15 minutes.To hear the show, click here and then go to the May 6 broadcast.
Other Past Events
September 22, 8:30-3:00 (Central Time), 2022-Teacher Workshop: Using Local Voices to Teach the Voting Rights Story, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Natchez, Mississippi. Note: I’m excited to be traveling back to Mississippi to speak with teachers about In the Name of Emmett Till. My part of the day will take place from 9:00-10:30.
April 27 (Wednesday), 9:00 (Eastern Time), A conversation with Sabrina-Marie Wilson for her show, Building Abundant Success. The conversation aired on Ms. Wilson’s podcast and as part of the iHeart radio network, a national network. To get to hear the interview, click here.
March 6 (Sunday) 6:00 (Eastern Time), In Conversation with Lori Sanchez at Busboys and Poets Bookstore, at 450 K St NW Washington, D.C. 20001. To view the archived interview, google Mayer at Busboys and Poets on the YouTube Channel or click here.
March 2 (Wednesday), 12:46 (Central Time) 1:46 (Eastern Time), Interview with John Busbee on Culture Buzz, KFMG 98.9 FM, Des Moines, Iowa. To listen to the archived interview, click here.
February 24 (Thursday)-Noon, PennState Alumni Talk, A Lunch and Learn, To watch the archived talk click here.
February 22 (Tuesday), 5:00-6:00, Book Signing, Meet & Greet, Let’s Play Bookstore, 244 Main St, Emmaus, PA 18049.
Interview with John Busbee on Culture Buzz, KFMG 98.9 FM, Des Moines, Iowa. To listen to the archived interview, click here.
February 16, 6:25-7:00, Interview on What’s the 411? with Sharon Kay, On Jazzy 88.1 FM WFSK at Fisk University, To hear the archived interview, click here.
February 3, Thursday, from 3:45-5:15, Book Talk and Book Signing for Lehigh Valley Teachers, Administrators, and Other Friends. Live at the AfterWords Cafe, Reeves Library on the Campus of Moravian University. (3:45-4:15, Light Refreshments, Socializing & Book Signing, 4:15-5:15, Book Talk with Q & A. I will stay after for informal talk and more book signing.)January 17, Monday, 6:00-6:30.
January 17, 6:00-6:30, Interview with Silagh White, Lehigh Valley Arts Salon on Bethlehem’s WDIY, Here is a link to the archived interview: https://www.wdiy.org/show/lehigh-valley-arts-salon/2022-01-18/dr-robert-mayer-and-in-the-name-of-emmett-till-lv-arts-salon
January 15, Saturday, from 1:45-3:00, The African American Museum in Philadelphia, A Conversation. For the MLK 2022 Weekend. Presented virtually at the Museum. A video of the session is available on the Museum Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AAMPMuseum/ Scroll down to January 15 at 1:43pm.
November 11, Thursday, 2021 at 7:00p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT, Interview with Lissa Jones-Lofgren, ‘Urban Agenda’ on KMOJ Radio, Minnesota, on KMOJ Radio, 89.9 FM.
November 6, Saturday, 2021 1:00-3:00-Moravian Bookshop (Bethlehem, PA): Book Signing, for more information, click here.
October 14, 2021, 7:00 ET— Prince George's County Office of Human Rights: Live-Streamed Interview, to be archived on the Prince George's County Memorial Library YouTube channel. Click here.
October 13, 2021, 5:00-8:00-Book Talk as a Part of the Fundraiser for the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, The Lafayette College Pfenning Alumni Center. For more information, click here.
October 6, 1:00 (Recorded), Bob Barrett, WUWF (Pensacola, Florida), The Best Of Our Knowledge #1622: To hear the archived interview, click here.
October 2, 2021, 9:00am ET-David Rothenberg on WBAI, Free Speech Radio 99.5FM Pacifica Radio in New York City: Interview (Live) Note: I am quite excited to be interviewed by the amazing David Rothenberg (https://www.wbai.org/program.php?program=11). For a link to the archived show, click here. (My interview begins around 1 hour and 2 minutes in.)
September 25, 2021, 4:00, Book Talk as a Part of the Fundraiser for the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, (For those unable to attend the October 13 Event) Hopewell Drive in Allentown, PA.
September 21, 6:30-7:00-Courageous Conversations-Channel 39 (PBS), Lehigh Valley: Interview. For a link to archived broadcast click here.
September 15, 1:00-2:00 ET- Book Talk as a Part of the Mississippi Department of Archives & History, History is Lunch Program. The program will be live-streamed on Facebook and archived on the the Lunch is History YouTube channel. For a link to the archived talk on YouTube click here.
September 13, 11:20-11:58 ET-Interview on Now You’re Talking w/ Marshall Ramsey, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Listen to the archived interview by clicking here.
September 12, 2:00-4:00-Aaron’s Books (Lititz, PA): Book Signing for the Eastern PA Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators PAL Book Fair.
August 23, Monday 3-4-WUTC, Chattanooga: Scenic Roots Interview, The Young Civil Rights Activists Who Said His Name, Interview. Listen to the archived interview by clicking here.
August 5, Thursday at 8:30 a.m.- Book Club on Mississippi Edition, Mississippi Public Broadcasting (https://www.mpbonline.org/) Listen to the archived interview by clicking here (Scroll down to bottom of page and start at 16:53).
Talking at Dieruff High School in Allentown on February 22, 2023.
Teacher Talk, February 3, 2022, Moravian University What a Wonderful Event!!!!!
I had a wonderful talk on Sunday March 6 (2022) with Lori Sanchez at Busboys and Poets in D.C. The name Busboys and Poets is a reference to Langston Hughes who also makes an appearance in my book.