Join Professor Ollie Johnson and Associate Professor Valerie Sweeney Prince from the Wayne State University Department of African Studies for an in-depth conversation with President M. Roy Wilson about his memoir, The Plum Tree Blossoms Even in Winter.

In this discussion, Professors Johnson and Prince will probe President Wilson about his turbulent upbringing and his rise to prominence in the fields of medicine and higher education,
then take questions from the audience.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Bernath Auditorium, David Adamany Undergraduate Library,
5155 Gullen Mall

Students, faculty, staff and the public are welcome to attend this conversation. A book signing will follow the conversation, and books will be available for purchase at the signing.

This event is part of Wayne State University's Black History Month programming.

About The Plum Tree Blossoms Even in Winter

Published in 2022 by the Wayne State University Press, this memoir traces President Wilson's life from a childhood marked by loneliness and want to an extraordinary life of accomplishment and acclaim. His accomplishments include the presidencies of four universities, dean of two medical schools, and deputy director of one of the National Institutes of Health's twenty-seven centers and institutes. Through this inspiring and deeply personal story of struggle and success, Wilson shares insights gleaned through his life experiences, many of which helped others reach their highest potential as students, faculty, physicians and people.