In an effort to encourage discussion on issues such as race, class, globalization and labor, The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change is hoping to bring together students, faculty and community members in an open-dialogue forum where people can voice their opinions and beliefs.
The Hooks Institute will host an open house tonight from 3:00 to 5:00 in room 405 of The University Center.
"We want to get people in here so they can learn about our program and what we do," said Valerie Love, archivist for the program. "We are kind of tucked away up here in The University Center, so hopefully this open house will help us become more visible to students and faculty."
The Hooks Institute is a public policy program that works towards social and racial equality by bringing together members of The University of Memphis and the community at-large to discuss issues and support activism towards social change.
"We are involved in a lot of different programs right now, including efforts to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," Love said. "Right now we could use a lot of help, so we are hoping to get more people interested in volunteering with our different activities, especially the Katrina relief.
"Those who attend the open house will have an opportunity to talk with our staff, learn about our different programs and sign up to volunteer if they are interested."
Currently, the Hooks Institute is working on an archival project in which more than 400 boxes of Benjamin Hooks' personal and professional papers are being processed and organized.
"These papers have never been available to the public before," Love said. "They have just been sitting in these boxes for all these years. We are processing them so they will be easily available and ready to be used by researchers."
Benjamin L. Hooks formally served as the executive director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Under his leadership beginning in 1977, the NAACP gained prestige by addressing national issues from a minority perspective. It not only got involved in issues of race and class but also topics such as the environment, ecology and energy.
Hooks was also an ordained Baptist minister and a practicing lawyer in Memphis.
Since its creation in 1996, the Hooks Institute has dedicated its mission to advancing the understanding of the legacy of the American Civil Rights movement.
"Our program helps us to understand issues that people are affected by," said Deborah Compton-Holt, field organizer for the Hooks Institute. "It gives us a guide that helps us help people strive for more."
Valerie Love said she also believes that this organization should get students thinking about issues that they might not encounter in a typical class.
"This sounds like a good situation where students could easily talk about personal issues and voice their opinions," said Frank Okoh, a sophomore nursing major. "I would expect to come across people of different backgrounds and race if I were to participate in this open house."
