Georgia Writers Hall of Fame: Induction and other Programs

This two-day event of campus programs occurs on Sunday Nov. 8 and Monday Nov. 9.  Vereen Bell, Taylor Branch, Paul Hemphill, and Janisse Ray are the 2015 inductees. The actual induction ceremony, free and open to the public, will be held Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. in the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Building.

On Sunday, November 8 the following events will be held leading up to the induction ceremony the following day:

At 1 p.m., "Sustainability: Preserving our Environmental Heritage" will feature a series of "lightning talks" by selected UGA students and Ray about the issue of sustainability. Ray is an award-winning environmental writer and activist whose current passion is the issue of sustainability. The five- to six-minute student presentations will focus on their research in relation to Watershed UGA, a town and gown initiative to involve the UGA campus and the Athens community in restoring local streams.

"Watershed UGA is transforming our local streams into a living laboratory," said Kevin Kirsche, director of the UGA Office of Sustainability, which is presenting the lightning talks along with the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame.

Attention turns to civil rights at 2 p.m. for "A Conversation with Taylor Branch and UGA Students about the Civil Rights Movement," with footage from the Civil Rights Digital Library.

A panel of UGA students has selected a series of short film clips that align with events detailed in "The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement," written by Branch. Each student has prepared a question for Branch about these events and how they relate to contemporary issues and events. The panel of students was selected by Barbara McCaskill, a UGA English professor and a member of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame Board of Judges.

At 4 p.m., an author discussion featuring Branch and Ray will be held, followed by a reception. Moderated by Hugh Ruppersburg, a University Professor of English, Branch and Ray will discuss what it means to be a Georgia writer and will share details of their writing life.

An exhibit featuring the four 2015 inductees, including photos and manuscripts, will be displayed in the gallery of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library of the Special Collections Building through December.

The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame is part of the Spotlight on the Arts festival, a 10-day event highlighting UGA units and facilities, from visual arts and creative writing to music, dramatic arts, dance and more to foster an awareness and appreciation of the arts and an environment conducive to artistic innovation.

For more information, visit: http://www.georgiawritershalloffame.org/events/index.php