Understanding black American history — Mandela Social Justice Day

USI’s Mandela Social Justice Day

Mohammad Albazzaz, Staff Writer
February 13, 2021

Students can hear about the enduring impact of slavery on the university’s Mandela Social Justice Day.

The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council will be hosting the Mandela Social Justice day, an event that remembers Nelson Mandela’s contribution to civil rights and activism.

Manisha Sinha is the author of the book “The Counterrevolution of Slavery: Politics and Ideology in Antebellum South Carolina,” and a professor at the University of Connecticut.

Sinha will be the keynote speaker for the Mandela Social Justice day on Feb. 18.

Sinha will be talking about the importance of knowing the history behind slavery and abolition.

“It’s really important to know black American history,” Sinha said. “Not just to understand our present, but also to understand where we are going in the future.”

She said the message behind her speech will be the impact of slavery on racial injustice today.

Sakina Hughes, co-chair of the Mandela Social Justice Day and director of Africana studies, said the university’s vision is to connect students and faculty to diversity.

“We have to know where we come from to know where we’re going, that history is now,” Hughes said. “We have to know our history in order to move forward as a socially aware and just society.”

Perci Hale, junior theater major and vice president of the Black Student Union, will be on the student activism panel on Feb. 18.

Hale said the panel will talk about how to get involved, and what activism looks like on campus.

“Everybody can learn from it, everybody can get something new to learn how to help someone else,” Hale said.

All of the events for the Mandela Social Justice Day are on Feb. 17 and 18.

Events on Feb. 17