Prof. Williams Joins “Mapping Malcolm” Co-Contributors at New York Book Launch Event
Assistant Professor Darien Alexander Williams of Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) joined a dynamic group of scholars, writers and artists at a launch event for Mapping Malcolm, a new book featuring an essay by Williams that explores the legacy of Malcolm X.
The launch event included a panel discussion featuring Williams, editor Najha Zigbi-Johnson, and contributors Joshua Bennett, professor of literature and distinguished chair of the Humanities at MIT; Denise Lim, assistant professor in Art and Design History and Theory at The New School’s Parsons School of Design; Nsenga Knight, an Afro-Caribbean American Muslim artist from Brooklyn, New York; Akemi Kochiyama, a Harlem-based writer and scholar-activist; and Ladi’Sasha Jones, a writer, designer, and curator.
The robustly attended event was held recently at the Center for Art, Research, and Alliances (CARA) in New York City.
It is one of several events that celebrates the recent publication of what Williams calls a “community book project.” His chapter in the book focuses on the opening musical acts that preceded Malcolm X speeches in the 1960s, particularly in Boston and New York. His is one of many notable voices featured in the book, including Marc Lamont Hill, Akemi Kochiyama, and Ossie and Guy Davis. The book mixes academic texts with works by artists, community organizers, and other nonacademic individuals. In keeping with the book’s melding of different mediums and sources, Williams features music and a playlist informed by archival sources in his chapter.
The book, Williams notes, is a “helpful accompaniment” to the well-known autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley that “expands on the impact of Malcolm X’s life and work on the built environment.”
The book is available for purchase by Columbia University Press.