BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As Black History Month comes to an end, Moravian University will host a discussion about how Black filmmakers are rewriting history through their work.
The event is part one of the series dubbed, "America Through the Lens of Black Filmmakers," hosted by the university's office for equity and inclusion.
- Moravian University will host a discussion about how Black filmmakers have changed history through film
- The free event takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8
- Keynote speakers are Christopher Hunt and Belinda Waller-Peterson, deans of equity and inclusion
Faculty members Christopher Hunt and Belinda Waller-Peterson will lead the lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8.
Black directors are rewriting history
Hunt, who is Moravian's vice president and dean for equity and inclusion, will lead the discussion on how "critical race theory" has played a role in how Black filmmakers approach their work.
"What we have seen over the years is that much of Black history gets erased or 'whitewashed,''' he said.
"So what we want to discuss is how Black filmmakers have provided a counter-narrative that better represents and can encompass all of history — not just the select history that has been narrated in society."
In early February, Hunt and his staff held a reception to kick off an exhibit featuring photos and movie trailers of works by Black filmmakers such as Spike Lee, Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay and Kasi Lemmons.
They are among an esteemed group of Black artists who are rewriting history, Hunt said.
"A big part of our work is to provide many pathways for historically underrepresented students to feel a sense of belonging on campus. To not feel marginalized based on their racial or ethnic identity or any other identity they may have. We want to make sure students feel empowered to be their true selves everywhere they go."Christopher Hunt, vice president and dean for equity and inclusion at Moravian University
"Textbooks have been used for years to educate kids in schools, and the way they talk about slavery is obscene. They would talk about how slave masters were so affectionate towards their servants, and that there's no doubt that some slaves were treated badly, but most were treated kindly," Hunt said. "But directors like Steve McQueen, who directed '12 Years a Slave,' or Kasi Lemmons, who made 'Harriet,' provide a counter-narrative to balance out how history has been written for so many years."
Black women and the civil rights movement
Waller-Peterson will tap into the role Black women played during the civil rights movement.
"When we think of Black History Month, we are bombarded with images of students protesting in the streets and being hosed down and chased by dogs. Those images are ingrained in us," said Waller-Peterson, associate dean of equity and inclusion.
"But can we also think about those family units and communities that were providing support for those students, and the resources for those protests to happen for the marches, and for the women behind those civil rights marches? The dominant narrative is that it was the men that were participating and organizing the civil rights movement."
Addressing diversity
The speaker event is part of several initiatives the office of equity and inclusion hosted in February for Black History Month. They included a brunch for students, a panel discussion on race with student leaders and a Black Lives Matter march that was attended by 40 students and organized by the Black Student Union.
The office's mission is to provide a space for students that may feel underrrepresented in a school where 70% of undergraduates are white, Hunt said.
"We see the biggest growth of historically underrepresented students within our Hispanic, Latinx community, which is consistent with our geographic location," Hunt said. "The Lehigh Valley over the decades has become more diverse with that demographic. Our Black population has increased over the past 15 years, 20 years."
"So a big part of our work is to provide pathways for historically underrepresented students to feel a sense of belonging on campus — to not feel marginalized based on their racial or ethnic identity or any other identity they may have," he said. "We want to make sure students feel empowered to be their true selves everywhere they go."
The event is free. For info, go to moravian.edu/diversity
