Talking Black in America

Speaker: 
Documentary & Discussion with Producer Walt Wolfram
 
15 Nov 2018
 
8:00 PM
 
Great Hall, Memorial Union

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African American English is the most controversial and misunderstood variety of speech in America. The film Talking Black in America showcases the history and symbolic role of language in the lives of African Americans and highlights its tremendous impact on the speech and culture of the United States. It addresses the persistent misinformation about African American speech and situates it as an integral part of the historical and cultural legacy of all Americans.

The film’s executive producer Walt Wolfram will offer remarks and take questions following the 60-minute film. Wolfram is a Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University, a world leader in sociolinguistic research and publications, and the director of the Language & Life Project at NC State University, through which he has facilitated numerous television documentaries, audio compilations, and other publications.

Linguistic discrimination continues to affect speakers of the variety, and the ways it is linked to educational achievement and literacy are widely misunderstood by the public and by professionals in a number of allied fields. National discussions of language issues ranging from the proposed amendment to the Constitution to make English the official language of the United States to the public controversy about the decision of the Oakland Unified School Board to recognize Ebonics in their curriculum have indicated the critical, symbolic role of language differences in American society.