VANCOUVER, Wash. — Washington State University Vancouver will bring noted historian, author and speaker Carl Mack to campus Feb. 18 for a lecture that will focus on several elements of black history.
The 7 p.m. event is scheduled for the Student Services building lecture hall and is free and open to the public.
Mack’s lecture will center on aspects of black history that are often overlooked, such as the role of African Americans in the American Revolution. “For African Americans to feel a sense of belonging in America, we need to know about the significant contributions we have made to the culture and development of the United States,” he said.
As an adolescent, Mack learned little about African American culture. As an adult, he learned about his “rich, deep and beautiful heritage” and became motivated to educate others. He created “Black Heritage Day,” a daily black history calendar that he hopes will educate all of America about “these contributions and present us in a new light to others, but more importantly, to ourselves.”
Mack is president for the Seattle branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He works as an engineer with Metro Transit in King County and coordinates the county’s Minority Engineering Internship Program. His work in the community includes educating children, prison inmates and corporate organizations about black history. Mack also has received numerous awards for his community involvement and humanitarian efforts.
Mack’s dynamic speaking style has gained him national media recognition, and his lectures are said to engage audiences of every age, gender, race and ethnicity.
Sponsors for the event include WSU Vancouver Student Services, Associated Students of WSU Vancouver and the WSU Vancouver Diversity Task Force. WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of I-5 and I-205, off the 134th St. exit.
