Wayne State University will pay tribute to pioneering African-American certified public accountants (CPAs) during a networking lunch and lecture celebrating Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The event is free, but prior registration is required online at http://business.wayne.edu/event.php?id=260 or by calling 313-577-0300.

Wayne State will honor the late Richard H. Austin, former Michigan Secretary of State and Michigan's first black CPA, at the luncheon portion of the event. The school will also recognize student leaders from Wayne State's National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) chapter and past recipients of the Richard H. Austin Fund for Accounting Excellence Scholarship.

The scholarship fund was established as a tribute to Austin's career and to recognize the academic achievements and career potential of Wayne State accounting students.

The second half of the event will feature a lecture by Theresa A. Hammond, author of A White-Collar Profession, African American Certified Public Accountants since 1921. Hammond's address will explore the stories of African-American professionals who have excelled in a career where less than one percent of CPAs are black. Her book chronicles the courage and determination of African Americans who sought to enter the field and explains links between race, education and economics.

More information about the event, including registration information, can be found online at http://business.wayne.edu/event.php?id=260.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.

The School of Business Administration at Wayne State University provides quality business education through degree programs accredited by AACSB International.