Coming Back & Moving Forward

Robert K. Durkee '69, Vice President and Secretary of the University, presents opening remarks to the Coming Back & Moving Forward conference. He reflects upon the experiences of African-Americans and people of color at Princeton University and describes the initiatives that have been undertaken to promote greater diversity and engagement to enrich the quality of experience for all students.

Eddie Glaude *97 h83, William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies, explains the ways that Americans seek to understand the first African-American President of the United States in examining African American identity in our national history. Glaude describes that how we look back affects how we look forward. Presented on the occasion of the Coming Back & Moving Forward conference, Fall 2009.

Cornel West *80 h76 h94, Class of 1943 University Professor in the Center for African American Studies, shares personal stories from his memoir Living and Loving Out Loud. Presented on the occasion of the Coming Back & Moving Forward conference, Fall 2009.

University President Shirley M. Tilghman discusses the first 2006 Coming Back conference for alumni of color, the key involvement of past participants in the expanded 2009 Coming Back & Moving Forward event, and major university initiatives that took place in the interim, such as the establishment of the Carl A. Fields Center and Community House.

Highlights from documentary first screened during the Coming Back & Moving Forward conference in October 2009, which touches upon five decades of Princeton experiences and features interviews conducted during Princeton University’s 2006 Coming Back and Looking Forward Conference.

Documentary on five decades of Princeton experiences, featuring interviews conducted during Princeton University’s 2006 Coming Back and Looking Forward conference.

Michael Eric Dyson *93, University Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University, shares the chapter "Wright Turns, Wrong Signals" from his forthcoming book, Presidential Race: Barack Obama and Blackness in America. Presented on the occasion of the Coming Back & Moving Forward conference, Fall 2009.