Independent thinkers across the country, including UT students, faculty and staff, and Toledo-area citizens, will celebrate freedom of expression during the 17th Annual UT Banned Books Week Vigil Thursday, Sept. 25.
Inspired by the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, the event will start at 9 a.m. and run through 5 p.m. in the Carl Joseph Memorial Reading Commons on the fifth floor of Carlson Library.
In 20-minute presentations every half hour, speakers from the University and surrounding community will talk about censorship and the importance of personal reading.
“This event creates solidarity within the community while celebrating the right to read freely,” Dr. Paulette Kilmer, UT professor of communication, said.
This year a tribute to Stan Lee will recognize his efforts to end comic book censorship in 1971. He challenged the Comic Magazine Association of America’s restrictive code that was established in 1954.
In addition, Dr. David Tucker, UT professor of communication, will deliver the Dr. Linda Smith Lecture, “A Deck of Cards,” at 9:30 a.m.
Throughout the day, snacks and refreshments will be available, along with door prizes that include donated banned books and other goods.
Topics and speakers for the event will be:
• 9 a.m. — “Celebrating Reading” by Marcia King-Blandford, interim director of UT Libraries, and Dr. Jeffrey Wilkinson, UT professor and chair of communication;
• 9:30 a.m. — “The Dr. Linda Smith Lecture: ‘A Deck of Cards’” by Dr. David Tucker, UT professor of communication;
• 10:30 a.m. — “Censorship in Black: Hurston, Ellison and Baldwin” by LaVelle Ridley, UT Jesup Scott Honors College student;
• 11 a.m. — “The Dynamics of Expression in the Invisible Prison” by Dr. Renee Heberle, UT professor of political science;
• 11:30 a.m. — “A Ban Against Women’s Rights and Freedoms — A Historical Perspective” by Warren Woodberry, Toledo author;
• Noon — “Avoiding the Echo Chamber: The Benefit of Dissenting Opinion” by Sarah Ottney, managing editor of the Toledo Free Press;
• 12:30 p.m. — “President Obama’s Fave Novel: Censoring Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon” by Dr. Glenn Sheldon, UT professor of humanities and faculty member of the Jesup Scott Honors College;
• 1 p.m. — “Pinball, Peep Shows and Pulp Fiction: A Brief History of Censorship in Northwest Ohio” by Dr. Michael Brooks, Bowling Green State University professor of history and graduate coordinator;
• 1:30 p.m. — Screening of “Video Moments With Stan Lee and Living Action Heroes Inspired by Comic Books”;
• 2 p.m. — “Graphic and Explicit Content: The Censorship of Horror Video Games” by Torrie Jadlocki, UT communication student;
• 2:30 p.m. — “Jeopardy!” led by Amanda Eggert, editor in chief of The Independent Collegian, and Samantha Rhodes, managing editor of The Independent Collegian;
• 3 p.m. — “Those @#%$#^ [Beep…..] Censors: What Are They Looking for?” by Arjun Sabharwal, UT assistant professor of library administration;
• 3:30 p.m. — “You Can’t Read That!!!” by Cindy Ramirez, English teacher at Bedford Senior High School;
• 4 p.m. — “Filthy Words or Uplifting Story? The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Dr. Sharon Barnes, UT associate professor of women’s and gender studies; and
• 4:30 p.m. — “Moments From ‘Oh! Cabaret!’” by Irene Alby, UT associate lecture of theatre.
Sponsors who have contributed to this event include Ann Lumbrezer; Barnes & Noble University Bookstore; Barry’s Bagels; UT College of Communication and the Arts; The Independent Collegian; UT Jesup Scott Honors College; Kroger; Lamda Pi Eta (UT Communication Honor Society); New Sins Press; Phoenicia Cuisine; Toledo Free Press; Society for Professional Journalists; UT Center for Experiential Learning and Career Development; UT Federal Credit Union; UT General Libraries; UT Office of the Provost; UT Student Government; UT Toledo Friends of the Library Foundation; UT departments of Art, Communication, English Language and Literature, Foreign Languages, and Theatre and Film; UT offices of Dean of Students, Excellence and Multicultural Success, Greek Life, Marketing and Communications, and Student Involvement; and WXUT.
