Thank You! From, HBCUstory

Dear Friends of HBCUstory:

There is a Bible passage in which Jesus conveys the difficulty of a prophet being accepted in his own land. While I certainly don’t consider myself a woman of the cloth, I can proudly say that the approximately 100+ attendees of the inaugural HBCUstory Symposium braved torrential rain and a number of flash flood warnings to support our efforts. Many of them were reticent to leave after our dismissal even though the library announced several times that it was reaching the end of its day. It still feels like it was all a dream! I cannot put into words what I feel in at this moment.

On behalf of the HBCUSTORY staff, as well as our presenting partners Nashville Public Library, and the Nashville Public Library Foundation, I would like to thank you once more for your participation and contributions to the success of the inaugural HBCUSTORY Symposium.

Thank you to the dynamic scholars who presented their work–ya’ll showed out! Thank you to NPL’s Special Collections Manger Andrea Blackman for your belief in this dream (Rattlers STRIKE)! Thank you to our Symposium attendees, to our sponsors Paul Quinn College, HBCU Digest, The HBCU Nation, WKND, Living Your Best Life Radio, Representative Harold Love, Jr., Martin Imagery, The HBCU Career Center, Solo Noir, Windsor Neckwear and Braces Sweets for their support. And, last but definitely not least, a big thank you to our volunteers for their smiles and energy. The success of the Symposium is each of yours to bask in. And for the 400+ of you who watched, tweeted, followed and liked our posts throughout the day, thank you too!

The highlight of my day was the presentation of the Storyteller of the Year Awards to the family of Fisk University alumna and Special Collections Librarian Beth Madison Howse and to Paul Quinn College President Michael J. Sorrell, Esq! Prez’s address was epic, demonstrating once again, why he is a legend in his own right. “Aunt” Beth’s HBCUSTORY and legacy will live on…forever! I couldn’t be more proud.

Our work is not done. Please share the link to the Symposium’s taped sessions at http://ustre.am/:2argZ with your family, friends, co-workers, church members, classmates…in short, share it with everyone you know! And please view and download our HBCUSTORY Symposium Commemorative Booklet 2013 online.

Please continue to actively follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our website at HBCUSTORY.com, as we continue to present, promote and preserve stories of the HBCU community. It is our pledge to honor the memories you’ve entrusted to us each and every day. There is much to do and we hope you’ll join us in making HBCU memories matter!

In supreme gratitude,

Crystal A. deGregory, Ph.D.
Founder and Executive Editor

HBCU Storyteller of the YearAwardees
Top: Daughter Bethany Howse Tolson (l) and sister Gail Madison Thompson (r) accept the late Beth M. Howse’s Storyteller of the Year Legacy Award. Bottom: Paul Quinn College President Michael J. Sorrell, Esq. (center) accepts the Storyteller of the Year Legend Award. Andrea Blackman of the Nashville Public Library (r). Photos courtesy of sponsor Martin Imagery.

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER!
    EXCELLENT JOB!! JUST KEEP ON KEEPING ON WITH THE EXCELLENT PROJECTS YOU BRING TO THE LIBRARY AND THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC.

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