The Toni Morrison Society will be well represented at the spring meetings of the two
major scholarly organizations, where Society members will present papers and receive
an award.
April –College Language Association Meeting April 23-April 26,
Vancouver Washington
Toni Morrison Society President Michelle Hite, Board Member Kristine Yohe, and
Research and Publications Committee Member Zanice Bond will join Yumina Barbour-
Payne of the University of Virginia and Monic Ductan of Tennessee Technological
University in a Roundtable Discussion on “Teaching Affrilachia: Cultivating Community
and Culture. The Roundtable will feature discussions on Affrilachian writers and
community members and strategies for teaching about Affrilachia in the college
classroom. The panel will be held on Thursday April 24 th at 10:00am at the Hilton
Vancouver Washington Hotel.
“Teaching Affrilachia: Cultivating Community and Culture”
Chair: Zanice Bond, Tuskegee University
Teaching Affrilachian Literature as Antiracist Pedagogy,” Kristine Yohe, Northern
Kentucky University
“Ashley M. Jones, An Affrilachian in Alabama,” Zanice Bond, Tuskegee University
“Pivot to the Stage! A Director’s Pedagogy for Stage Adaptations of Crystal Wilkinson’s
Blackberries, Blackberries,” Yumina Barbour-Payne, University of Virginia
“Teaching the Now: How to Teach the Affrilachian Poets in Our Contemporary Political
Environment,” Monic Ductan, Tennessee Technological University
“Affrilachian Grandfathers: Leadership Lessons,” Michelle S. Hite, Spelman College
May-- American Literature Association Conference May 21-May 24
Boston, Massachusetts
As a member of the coalition of Author Society that make up the American Literature
Association, the Toni Society will again host two scholarly sessions at the meeting.
The first session, ”Toni Morrison and Eulogy,” will be a panel of scholarly papers
presented on Thursday morning May 22 nd and will be chaired by Vice President and
Society Program Chair Emmanuelle Andres.
The second session, a Roundtable on Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif” will be held on
Thursday afternoon, May 22 nd will be chaired by Society Membership Chair Tracyann
Williams.
“Toni Morrison and Eulogy.” Session 1-F: 8:30-9:50 am
Chair: Emmanuelle Andres, La Rochelle Université, France
Roundtable on "Recitatif". Session 4-G 1:00pm to 2:20pm
Chair: Tracyann Williams, Fordham University, New York
African American Literature and Culture Society Reading and Award Ceremony
Friday 6:00pm-8:00pm
At the ALA conference, the Toni Morrison Society will be one of the author-society
sponsors of the Reception and Awards Ceremony on Friday evening hosted by the
African American Literature and Culture Society. The Stephen Henderson Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Poetry will be presented to Tracy K. Smith. The Darwin T.
Turner Award will be presented to Society Board Member Farah Jasmine Griffin, and
the Octavia E Butler Award will be presented to Shirley Moody-Turner. The ceremony
will be held from 6:00pm to 9:00pm Staffordshire. Room at the Copley Hilton Hotel.
>>April 23-26, 2025 CLA Meeting 2025
>>May 2025
ALA Meeting 2025
Boston, Massachusetts
More Details Later
>>September 2025
Toni Morrison Collective Symposium
"Toni Morrison: Literature and Public Life"
Call for Papers