Library to host seminar on civil rights history

The Main Library will host an event today discussing how the civil rights movement impacted Indiana while examining the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.\nStudents, faculty members and Bloomington residents are welcome to attend.\nThe Office of Multicultural Affairs will show the award-winning film series "The Eyes on the Prize" beginning at 9 a.m. in room E174 in the Main Library. It will be shown consecutively for six hours, ending at 3 p.m.\nThe panel discussion will take place in the same room at 7 p.m. The panel discussion brings the films together with presentations by speakers. \nIndiana historian and IU history professor James H. Madison and Clarence W. Gilliam, president of the Monroe County branch of the NAACP, are slated to speak.\nMadison will give an overall picture of the civil rights movement and how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. impacted Indiana and Monroe County.\n"This period is, in my opinion, the most important and interesting issue in American history," Madison said. "People should come to think about things they never thought about before, to think and not assume or take for granted the way things are now."\nGilliam will speak about local civil rights issues from part one of "The Eyes on the Prize" series, which covers the years 1954-1965. \nHe looks forward to the chance students will have to brush up on history.\n"People should come and learn about how Dr. King activated the country in searching for the American dream," Gilliam said. "It is a good opportunity to review the experience and get a live approach to what took place in the '50s and '60s."\nDeLoice Holliday, multicultural outreach librarian for the University libraries, will be present as a mediator to answer any questions. \nThis is the first time the library has sponsored an event that is part of a campus celebration, Holliday said. \nHolliday, Madison and Gilliam all expressed hopes that people will come voice their ideas and views on racism and participate as an audience.\n"I would like this to strengthen library programs and hopefully do it again next year with an even larger panel," Holliday said.