The National African American Read-In is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature. It was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month.

We are inviting middle school, high school, and college students to read aloud a selection by an author of color during this event, and members of the public are invited to read aloud as well. Selections should be no more than a few minutes long and need not be memorized. Selections should be kept family-appropriate, as this is an all-ages event. If you are interested in reading aloud during the African American Read-In, please contact Al Gorman at the Carnegie Center at 812-944-7336 or agorman@carnegiecenter.org.

Once the read-in is concluded, attendees can stay for a curator’s talk in the Carnegie Center’s exhibit #BlackArtMatters, opening February 3, 2017. #BlackArtMatters is inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter movement and is about sharing histories and celebrating lives, and encouraging understanding and respect among neighbors. This national exhibition showcases the artworks of ten contemporary African American artists.

For more information: http://www.nafclibrary.org/aari