This lecture, led by Dr. Jasmine N. Porter-Rallins, will be hosted at the Detroit Center for Black Studies on Wayne State University’s campus. The Center is located in the Faculty Administration Building (FAB) at 656 W. Kirby Street, Suite 1001, Detroit, MI 48202. Please join us prior to the lecture for light refreshments. Parking will be provided for guests who RSVP.

Dr. Porter-Rallins examines Black boarding schools in the American South as vital sites of educational opportunity, community formation, and Black advancement. Dr. Porter-Rallins explores how these institutions created identity-affirming environments, rigorous academic preparation, leadership development, and pathways to opportunity amid persistent racial inequities. 

The Detroit Center for Black Studies at Wayne State University is a hub for dialogue, learning, and public engagement focused on Black life, history, culture, and thought in Detroit and beyond. Under the leadership of inaugural director Dr. Richard D. Benson II, the Center supports interdisciplinary learning and community connection while creating opportunities for students, faculty, and the public to engage with the rich traditions and contemporary significance of Black Studies.