February 23, 2023: Black History Month: Harlem Renaissance Comes to Springfield! 

About Queen Mother Imakhu (from website)

Queen Mother Imakhu, has enjoyed a well-rounded, forty-plus year career as an artist, activist, motivational speaker, lecturer, and yoga instructor.

The blessing of Imakhu's career has been to reach and empower diverse populations as a touring performer and workshop presenter.  As an arts educator, Queen Mother has also seen the self-esteem of Black and Brown students improve through cultural heritage instruction. Queen Mother has taught African/Latino drumming, dance, theater, music, visual and literary arts throughout her forty-plus year career. She has also specialized in teaching physically challenged, at-risk, and detention home Black and Latinx youth throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. She continues to teach drumming, dance, meditation and yoga to youth, elders, women healing from domestic violence, business people, health professionals, and actively performs in concert as a solo artist. Her concerts are motivational, educational, and truly unforgettable experiences.

For more info check out her website imakhu.info

About Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett

Rev. Pritchett is a long-time civil rights activist, mentor, and adviser. With 53 years of experience in higher ed, including his over 40-year career at Seton Hall, which began in 1978, he currently serves as the director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Program and the senior adviser to the provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Throughout his years at Seton Hall, he has functioned as the assistant dean of the Black Studies Center, a faculty mentor in Freshman Studies, an adjunct professor in the departments of Africana, Interdisciplinary, and Religious Studies, and the program director of the Seton Hall Gospel Choir. He is known well for coordinating the annual MLK, Jr. Day Symposium, which provides perspectives on racism, privilege, and justice while educating students on the principles of MLK as a civil rights leader. He has seen initiatives like the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Association grow immensely, now supporting up to 20 students each year financially. As someone who has inspired generations of Pirates through his many roles, and has contributed greatly to numerous campus organizations, the University continues to embrace Pritchett as a servant leader and a pillar amongst the campus community that has helped to challenge the University to be and do better."