What is East Lansing's One Book, One Community? The annual One Book, One Community program, co-sponsored by the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University, encourages the city-university community to read the same book and come together to discuss it in a variety of settings.
OBOC Announces 2014 Selections The City of East Lansing and Michigan State University announce the 2014 OBOC program, featuring three voices on the continuing struggle for racial equality. This year, OBOC is offering students and community members a "menu" of literary and cinematic works, including:
- The graphic novel, “March Book One” by U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, is a vivid, first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights. The authors will speak to the community on Monday, Aug. 25 at the MSU Academic Welcome at 9 a.m. and the East Lansing Hannah Community Center at 7:30 p.m. It's free.
- The memoir, “The Grace of Silence” by award-winning journalist and NPR contributor Michele Norris, explores her family's racial legacy and discusses how America talks about race. On Monday, Sept. 15, Norris will speak about her memoir and the "Race Card" project and sign books at 7:30 p.m. at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts as part of the World View Lecture Series. The event is ticketed.
- The film, “Fruitvale Station” by director Ryan Coogler, is based on a true story of a 22-year-old black man who was killed by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer on a subway platform in Oakland, Calif. The film is on DVD and will be shown at the East Lansing Public Library several times before Coogler’s visit. The event will be free and will take place in September.
Project 50/60 The OBOC program is coordinated in conjunction with MSU’s year-long Project 60/50, which commemorates the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision and the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Community Events A series of community and campus events are planned around the themes of the struggle for racial equality. The 2014 calendar will be updated as the program is announced in the coming weeks.
Thank You to Our 2013 Sponsors and Partners OBOC would like to thank our partners and sponsors who have supported the 2013 program: Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Friends of the East Lansing Public Library, SU Federal Credit Union, Alan and Mildred Friend, Coldwell Banker Briarwood, Sam Singh, East Lansing Educational Foundation and Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment of Humanities.
Contact Us If you have any questions about this year's program or would like to share ideas about future book selections, please email OBOC Coordinator Mandie Maxwell @ onebook@msu.edu.
© 2010 City of East Lansing & MSU