The Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is sponsoring a campus-wide read of Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s memoir In My Place as a part of the 50th anniversary celebration of UGA’s desegregation.
Hunter-Gault, one of the first two African-Americans to enroll at UGA in 1961, will return to campus March 22 for “In My Place: An Intimate Discussion with Charlayne Hunter-Gault.” The public event will be held from 9-11 a.m. in the WNEG/WUGA-TV first floor broadcast studio. Space is limited. The event was originally scheduled for January but was postponed due to inclement weather
The book recalls the UGA alumna’s early years growing up black and female in the Deep South and the turmoil surrounding her entrance to the university. Hunter-Gault graduated from Grady College in 1963 and has had a distinguished career in newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
The college’s diversity committee encourages all members of the university community to read In My Place, which the UGA Bookstore is offering at a discounted price.
Campus-wide reads are a common practice at many universities as a way to help members of the campus community connect with one another and with challenging ideas and texts.
“Given the opportunity to meet with the author to commemorate a moment in history and to be able to talk with the author about what that moment was like personally is such an incredible gift,” said Leara Rhodes, associate professor of journalism and a member of the 50th anniversary planning committee. “We have to read this book.”
Fifteen Grady College students were provided copies of the book and have been selected to anchor the two-hour discussion, which will be moderated by Grady College Dean Cully Clark.
The campus read will give participants a richer understanding of Hunter-Gault’s experience and provide an opportunity for a more engaging dialogue during her visit, according to Rhodes.
