1:27 p.m., Feb. 25, 2009----The University of Delaware's Black American Studies Program will convene a day-long symposium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, in the Trabant University Center, Main Street and South College Avenue, on UD's Newark campus, to explore the significance of Barack Obama's election to the presidency of the United States.

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The program will examine this historic event from several perspectives. There will be two morning panels, two afternoon panels and a keynote address by Jabari Asim, editor in chief of Crisis, the magazine of the NAACP, and author of the soon to be released Harper/Collins book What Does Obama Mean?

The first panel, scheduled from 9:15-10:30 a.m., will consider the meaning and implications of Barack Obama's election from several perspectives, asking if America is now a “post-racial society” and if the election marks the culmination of the civil rights movement.

Speakers will include Leland Ware, Louis L. Redding Chair for the Study of Law and Public Policy; David Wilson, assistant professor of political science and international relations; Erica Armstrong Dunbar, associate professor of history; and Ray Wolters, professor of history. Moderator will be James M. Jones, director of the Black American Studies Program and professor of psychology.

The second panel, set from 10:45 a.m.-noon, will present the local community's reactions to Obama's election and will include local community leaders, religious leaders, elected officials and other community representatives.

Speaking will be Lawrence Livingston, pastor of Mother African Union Church; Wilmington Mayor James Baker; and Rhonda B. Graham, editorial writer for the Wilmington News Journal. Moderator will be Carol Henderson Belton, associate professor of English and associate director of the Black American Studies Program.

The third panel, scheduled from 1:45-3 p.m., will be a cross-section of University of Delaware students who will comment on their reactions to Obama's election from their unique perspectives.

Participating will be Vanessa Garcia Pabon of the Campus Alliance de la Raza; Paul Ruiz of the College Democrats; Emily Robertson of the Student Anti-genocide Coalition; and Vince Hill and Charles Drummer of the NAACP. Moderator will be Teagan Gregory, president of the StUDent Government Association.

The final panel from 3:15-4:30 p.m. will explore Obama's election and rise to power from a global perspective of Pan African, East Asian, Latin American and European perspectives.

Speakers will include Julio Carrion, professor of political science and international relations; W.O. Maloba, professor of Black American studies and assistant vice president for affirmative action and multicultural programs; Muqtedar Kahn, associate professor of political science and international relations; David Pong, professor of history and director of East Asian Studies; Alice Ba, associate professor of political science and international relations; and Sebastian Anderka, graduate student in public policy. Pong will serve as moderator of this panel.