The 20th Annual Black Issues Conference (BIC) offers a forum for research and discussion of African American culture and issues impacting the African American community.

Keynote Speaker | Bobby Seale | African American political activist and co-founder and national chairman of the Black Panther Party. 

Bobby Seale is a fifty year plus African-American social change activist, founding Chairman and national organizer of the Black Panther Party. He was the eighth defendant of the 1969 Chicago Seven conspiracy trial.  

Born in Texas in 1936, Bobby Seale's early 1960s activist life was influenced by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X when in 1966, he preached a doctrine of militant black empowerment and was co-founder of the Black Panthers.  During this time, Seale’s work evolved from his engineering position with NASA’s Gemini Missile program to grassroots political electoral community organizing.  By the end of 1968, Seale created coalitions with all people of color, civil rights organizations and those in the anti-Vietnam war movement to advocate for greater electoral empowerment of the “All Power to the All the People” movement.

Conference | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.

Rates:  BGSU Student: Free | BGSU Faculty, Staff, Alumni: $25 | Students: $20 | General Public: $35.00

Individuals interested in purchasing a table email BIC@bgsu.edu

REGISTER

Sponsored by: The Office of Multicultural Affairs | The Black Student Union

For all Beyond the Dream events visit bgsu.edu/beyondthedream

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (Full Program)

Survey

Registration and Check-in | 9 a.m.

Tracked Sessions | 10 - 11:20 a.m.
High School Student Workshop | Room 201A
College Student Workshop | Room 206
Faculty-Staff-General Public Roundtable | Room 207

Luncheon with Bobby Seale | 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Room 202

Jerome Library Exhibit | 1:30 - 5 p.m. | Room 306

Concurrent Sessions | 1:30 - 5 p.m. | Various Locations

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Closing Remarks | 5 p.m. | Room 202