Book Discussion: A Hope in the Unseen

Two Saturdays ago, many of us gathered here at the Banneker-Douglass museum to discuss A Hope in the Unseen... by Ron Suskind. Currently this book is being discussed throughout Maryland, as part of the One Maryland One Book program (you can read more about it here ). We continued this discussion by inviting several speakers to join our panel and share their own experiences.

Our panelists, Kelsey Bush and Kimberley White, contributed to the conversation by telling their stories--as did the moderator, our Librarian Archivist, Joni Jones. They compared their experiences to that of Cedric Jennings, the main character in the book. Although many of the experiences were similar--identifying with the cultural divide between inner city and higher-education culture--other parts of their own narratives reflected a different experience of growing up African American, such as Busch who, raised in the military, grew up in a diverse environment. Encouraging audience participation, we were then able to engage the conversation by relating our own experiences and raise our own questions, particularly as it related to education and raising children in a society which today is very different, yet very much the same.

The conversation continued over lunch, as the panelists joined the crowd in an informal discussion, continuing to work through and process the various issues presented and how they apply to daily life.

While the event itself was very successful and enjoyed by the many participants, it is hoped that the conversation does not end behind these walls. Indeed, the conversation continued the next day at the Bates Legacy Center and through programs throughout Maryland. Interested to see if there is an event in your area? Click here to see what is coming up in the next few weeks. Cannot attend? Leave a comment on our blog!