Memphis has long been a hub for African-American culture and life. This week, Memphis is hosting the 99th annual Association for the Study of African-American Life and History Conference, one of the oldest conferences on African-American life.
The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History began in1915. Started by Carter G. Woodson, The ASALH was founded as a way to preserve, publicize, analyze and advocate African-American life, history and culture. They also helped start Black History Month.
“We are the founders of Black History Month and we research and disseminate information about Black life and culture,” Kenya King, an ASALH Executive Council member, said. “It serves to help people understand the contributions of African-Americans and looking back through history it helps us appreciate the work of those who have paved the way for us today.”
This year, the 99th annual ASALH Conference will be held at The Peabody Hotel from Sept. 24-28.This year’s theme is Civil Rights in America. According to the ASALH website, this theme was chosen to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
“We’ve come along way, or else I wouldn’t be sitting here. But we still have a long way to go. The historically disenfranchised are still not represented as fully as they should be,” Verner Mitchell, a professor of African-American literature at the University of Memphis, said. “There is still room for more doors to be open.”
Mitchell, as well as four of his graduate students, will be presenting on literature of the Harlem Renaissance during the conference.
“This is an national conference [with an international presence] so I think there will be sessions of interest for everyone, regardless of specific interests,” Mitchell said.
Admission to the event is based on the day and session. Some of the sessions will be free of charge. It started at 7:00 a.m. on Sept. 24 and it will go until 4:00 p.m. on Sept 28. The packed schedule includes bus tours, a film festival, youth day, teachers’ workshop, book signings, poetry slam, panel discussions and more.
Some U of M students and professors will also be presenting at the conference.
“My paper is about mass incarceration and its effects on politics,” President of the Association for the Black Studies Johnny Hayes Jr. said.
Students can also volunteer to help ASALH.
“I actually started as a volunteer. I wanted to volunteer my time for a worthy cause. It’s a non-profit organization,” King said. “So there always looking for more volunteers.”
Students can join ASALH for $35 a year or $1,000 for a lifetime membership. Members have access to present at the annual conference, a yearly vote at the Executive Council election, free subscription to the Journal of African-American History and more.
“You should join ASALH to contribute to and help preserve American history. Learning about your history teaches you about yourself,” King said. “Empowering people by helping them learn about themselves is one of the greatest things ASALH does. What this conference does, in my eyes, is it gives people a time to come together and discuss the things that have happened in African-American culture, life and society.”
ASALH has become part of the history of African-American life in the U.S. and at the same time it continues to push the boundaries of thought. It will continue to reshape and redefine culture in the United States and worldwide.
More information about ASALH and the event can be found on asalh.org
