WHAT:

Michael Eric Dyson, best-selling author, political analyst and professor of sociology at Georgetown University, will be the keynote speaker for the Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society’s (FOCIS) 10th anniversary lecture, “Race in America.” The event will be the fall finale for the FOCIS 10th Anniversary Celebration lecture series, “What in the World is Going On?”

An audience question-and answer-session will take place following Dyson’s presentation. A reception and book signing is scheduled in the atrium after the Q&A. Admission is free but reservations are required. To RSVP, visit the FOCIS registration site.

WHEN:

6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Community Arts Auditorium, 450 Reuther Mall, Detroit, MI 48202

MORE INFO:

Dyson, an American Book Award recipient and two-time NAACP Image Award winner, has been named one of the 150 most powerful African Americans by Ebony magazine. He is the author of a number of influential books including, April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Death and How It Changed America.

FOCIS will present this program with promotional partner Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute.

​*Media planning to attend, please contact Tom Reynolds, treynolds@wayne.edu; 313-577-8093.

About FOCIS

Established in 2007, FOCIS is a special initiative that focuses Wayne State University's problem-solving resources on an eclectic range of topics important to the campus community and beyond. FOCIS lectures and related events bring together the institution's teaching, research and service missions to advance the frontiers of knowledge, promote informed debate and encourage responsible citizenship in an increasingly fast-paced, interconnected and complex global society. FOCIS presents coordinated public programs, foreign-study projects, research opportunities and ongoing community dialogues addressing specific issues that confront the citizens of Detroit, the United States and the world.

About the Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement

The Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement was created through the generosity of alumnus Eugene Applebaum, founding chair of the Wayne State University Foundation. The Applebaum Chair is a catalyst for cooperation among the university and community organizations on issues in business and economic development, education, health, international outreach, politics, and other areas. FOCIS is the Applebaum Chair's primary public platform.