Jackson State University News January 14, 2014 JSU to be site of White House Town Hall, national conference focused on educating African Americans The Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) will hold its 8th Annual Gathering of Leaders conference April 23-26 on the JSU campus. COSEBOC, JSU and the Mississippi Center for Education Innovation announced the conference plans Jan. 16 at Blackburn Middle School. "We are extremely pleased that the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans will hold a Town Hall at Jackson State University immediately following our Gathering of Leaders," said COSEBOC Executive Director Ron Walker. "Led by our colleague David Johns, this event will feature an extraordinary roster of nationally renowned speakers and opportunities for discussion." You can sign-up to attend the White House Town Hall for free, as part of our Gathering online registration.<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/8th-annual-gathering-of-leaders-onward-and-upward-advancing-the-affirmative-development-of-boys-and-registration-9441111619?err=29> Walker said the Gathering theme, Onward and Upward! Advancing the Affirmative Development of Boys and Young Men of Color, speaks volumes. "I am excited that this theme links to the history of the work to guarantee freedom, justice, equality and educational equity for people of color. The Civil Rights Movement of the '50s, '60s, and '70s was one of the most impactful times in American history," Walker said. " In Mississippi and across this nation, individuals such as Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Cesar Chavez, Dennis Banks, Bob Moses, Russell Means, Dolores Huerta, Viola Liuzzo, Hollis Watkins, Fannie Lou Hamer and countless others worked hard for freedom, justice and the opportunities afforded to us today," said Walker. The White House Town Hall will begin Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. The event's agenda can be found at http://www.coseboc.org/gathering-agenda-2014 SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.