Public Lecture at the American Shelf at Fourah Bay College Library (April, 2008)

Public Lecture by American Speaker:

Film Shows

The US Embassy (Public Affairs Section) in collaboration with the American Shelf Program and the Arts Faculty at Fourah Bay College organized a film show to celebrate Black History Month.  The film, “African American Lives,” by Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr was serialised at the Mary Kingsley Auditorium at the College.  Hundreds of researchers (mostly students) attended the film shows on Thursday 31st January 2008 and 7th February 2008.  The film provoked a lot of meaningful reactions from the floor and the U.S. Embassy staff answered several questions asked by students.  The students were delighted to view the film as most of them were studying African American History.

Seminar on American Literature

The American Shelf Coordinator also organized a seminar on African American Literature for Final Year Students in Honours II and General on Friday, 22nd February 2008, in collaboration with the Literature Department of the College.  The chief facilitator of the program, Mr. Arthur Smith, a senior lecturer at the Literature Department conducted the program.  Students presented several papers on African American Literature followed by a very lively interactive question and answer session. The program lasted four hours and the students gained a lot as it contributed to their knowledge of African American history and literature.

Visit

The Information Resource Officer (IRO) for Coastal West Africa, Mrs. Anne J. Johnson visited the American shelf program at Fourah Bay College (FBC) where the Information Resource Center (IRC) Director at the US Embassy, Mr. James B. Taylor and Shelf coordinator, Ms. Suzannete Mangay appraised her on the concept of the American Shelf at the College and programs lined up.  The College Librarian, Mr. Oliver Harding also discussed issues of programming with the IRO followed by a tour of the facility to showcase the books, magazines and CDROMs already donated by the IRC to the American Shelf.

Dr. Maya Jasanoff
Associate Professor of History
Center for European Studies
Harvard University
27 Kirkland Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

Tel: (617) 495-4303, ext. 227
Fax: (617) 495-8509

Topic:  “The American Origins of Sierra Leone.”

Date:  Monday, April 7, 2008
Time:  1400 hrs to 1600 hrs
Audience: Students of History at the University of Sierra Leone and general public

This lecture was organized by the Public Affairs Section, US Embassy in cooperation with the American Shelf Program at Fourah Bay College.  About 35 people were in attendance.  It was a lively presentation followed by a question and answer session.

The American Shelf at Fourah Bay College Library Celebrates Black History Month (February, 2008)