We are excited to announce we are hosting the inaugural Melvin Van Peebles Symposium in the spring! The symposium is to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Melvin Van Peebles, a 1953 OWU graduate and trailblazing Black filmmaker, by providing a platform to review, study, and share the historical and contemporary impact of his work. The symposium seeks to recognize emerging artists and artistry that extend Van Peebles’ radical tradition.
The two-day symposium will be held on campus March 31 and April 1, 2023, and include keynote addresses from scholars and artists such as award-winning Ohio journalist and author Wil Haygood and feature screenings and discussions of Van Peebles’ films.
This will be a ticketed event. However, current OWU faculty, staff, and students may attend at no cost but must register once symposium registration is open in the spring. We encourage you to save the date and consider incorporating the symposium into your spring schedule.
We also invite you to submit a proposal to present at the symposium. Presentations may engage in thought, action, and cultural production related to Van Peebles directly or indirectly from all relevant disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives; within various social, political, historical, and/or geographical contexts; and differing cultural mediums, including but not limited to, film, theater, music, art, literature, and business. Possible presentation formats include scholarly paper panels, roundtable conversations, performances, and film screenings. The submission deadline is January 4, 2023. To submit a proposal or for more information, visit Melvin Van Peebles Symposium
OWU Sponsoring Organization/Office: Van Peebles Planning Committee
Contact: Adrian Moran at dei@owu.edu