Florida Southern College to Host Black History Month Speaker

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Jan 31, 2022, 17:30 ET

LAKELAND, Fla., Jan. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Southern College is hosting Dr. Timothy Askew for a Black History Month event in the Evelyn and Warren Willis Garden of Meditation on campus.

The English professor from Clark Atlanta University will speak about his analysis of the song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," on Feb. 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

After Dr. Askew's speech, there will be time for a question-and-answer session.

The famous song is widely known as the Black National Anthem, which Dr. Askew discusses in his book, "Cultural Hegemony and African American Patriotism: An Analysis of the Song, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.'"

Dr. Askew has studied the literary, musical, and cultural history of the song and will share with members of the Florida Southern community his research on the melody he believes is a "symbol of every American voice and of every voice of people in the world who have a history of struggle," he said.

Dr. Askew received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College, his master's degree from Yale University, and was a NCEA Doctoral Fellow at the University of South Florida. He also obtained his Ph.D. from Emory University and had the distinction of being the first Ph.D. Marshal at the university.

Founding president of the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Dr. Askew was the lead practitioner who brought Phi Kappa Phi to Clark Atlanta University in 2013. He is a renowned scholar and lecturer on the song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

The event for Black History Month is presented by the Evett L. Simmons Multicultural Center, which contributes to the development of all FSC students by promoting diversity.

"We are so excited and honored to have Dr. Timothy Askew come to Florida Southern and share his deep knowledge of a song that resonates with so many," said Vanessa Beckham, director of the Simmons Center. "It will be an incredible experience for students, faculty and staff who attend."

About Florida Southern College

Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked at #8 among the "Best Regional Universities in the South" by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 "Best Colleges" guide and is included in The Princeton Review's 2022 Best 387 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022." The 2021-2022 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC has appeared on The Princeton Review's top 20 "Most Beautiful Campus" national listing for 12 consecutive years. Connect with Florida Southern College.

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SOURCE Florida Southern College