Speaker: Dr. Jeffrey K. Coleman, Northwestern University
Title: The Past, Present, and Future of Black Spain
Abstract: In this lecture, Dr. Coleman will give a historical overview of Black Spain highlighting key figures, debates, and events that have led to the recent boom in Afro-Spanish cultural production today. Blackness in Spain has oscillated between consumption and rejection, both violent processes steeped in racism. However, a new generation of Afro-Spaniards is rejecting those narratives, making its claim on Spanish authenticity through literature, film, stand-up comedy, social media, and activism, forcing the nation to reconcile with its multiracial reality. In doing so, we must then reconsider who is considered to be Spanish.