Massasoit’s One Book, One Community to Explore Civic Engagement & Art-as-Protest
Sept. 6, 2019 – This year, Massasoit’s One Book, One Community program will feature the graphic novel trilogy March by U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell and culminate in an April 2020 visit by Powell, the illustrator of the series. The One Book, One Community season spans the duration of the 2019-20 academic year with monthly events to explore civil rights, civic engagement, and art-as-protest.
In addition, the Massasoit Library will host two Herb Block exhibits, Herblock on Democracy this fall and The Long March in Spring 2020. The campus will welcome the Haitian Artist Assembly of America (formerly Massachusetts) as they bring their protest art to campus in conjunction with a Black History Month celebration. More activities will be announced as the year continues.
Massasoit One Book, One Community 2019-20 Events:
September 20 – Fall Kickoff
Why Vote? Lecture and Mock Voting Event presented by Massvote’s J. Cottle
An exploration of the root causes of voter apathy including disenfranchisement, literacy, and the electoral college.
11:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Massasoit Student Lounge
October 9
Civic Engagement Initiative Professional Panel presented by MassVote
Interactive professional panel discusses personal commitment to creating a culture of civic participation among historically disenfranchised groups in under-served communities in Massachusetts.
11:00 – 11:50 a.m.
Location to be announced
November 22
Native American Cultural Awareness Day
Join Massasoit Professor Rita Jones Hyde and Webmaster Lloyd King in this exploration of Native American protest history. The sessions will include a live protest demonstration by local Native Americans. A cultural fair will be held in the theater foyer following the lecture/demonstration.
10:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Buckley Performing Arts Center
April 15-16
Nate Powell, illustrator of March, discusses his work
Brockton Campus 4/15:
Keynote & Book Signing: 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Buckley Performing Arts Center
Canton Campus 4/16:
9:30 – 10:45 Artists’ Workshop
About Nate Powell
Nate Powell is the first cartoonist ever to win the National Book Award. He began self-publishing at age 14, and graduated from School of Visual Arts in 2000. His work includes new Eisner-nominated Ozark horror tale Come Again, civil rights icon John Lewis; legendary March trilogy, comics essay About Face, You Don’t Say, Any Empire, Swallow Me Whole, The Silence Of Our Friends, The Year Of The Beasts, and Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero.
Powell’s work has also received a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, three Eisner Awards, two Ignatz Awards, the Michael L. Printz Award, a Coretta Scott King Author Award, four YALSA Great Graphic Novels For Teens selections, the Walter Dean Myers Award, and is a two-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Powell has discussed his work at the United Nations, as well as on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, CNN, and Free Speech TV. His books have been placed on school curriculum in over 40 states, and his animated artwork in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Selma: The Bridge To The Ballot has reached over a million students in 50,000 schools across the nation.
From 1999 to 2009, Powell worked full-time providing support for adults with developmental disabilities alongside his cartooning efforts. He managed underground record label Harlan Records for 16 years, and performed in punk bands Soophie Nun Squad and Universe. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana.