On Monday, February 5, RWC hosted for the 18th annual African American read-in in the Muntz Hall Lobby. Several special guests, RWC faculty, staff, and students read excerpts from books of prose and poetry written by African American authors. According to Helen Kegler, who coordinated the event for the college, an estimated total of over 150 people participated by reading or listening and eating the southern style luncheon. “That is a tremendous number which we will submit to the National Council of Teachers of English, the sponsoring organization,” Kegler said.
Among the guest readers were Ohio’s regional author of four recently published and nationally recognized novels, Sheila Williams; the Assistant Pastor of Cincinnati’s Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, Rev. Gregory Edwards; and second grader Andre Rhodes, reading from a book about his African heritage, a work recognized through a special award from the late Coretta Scott King.
The National African American Read-In is sponsored annually in February by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the Black Caucus Division, and has been endorsed by the International Reading Association.
The purpose of the read-in is to make the celebration of literacy a traditional part of African American Heritage Month. On Sunday, February 4, many churches also hosted read-ins and RWC joined many schools in hosting the read-in on February 5.
RWC also holds the distinction of being a “Community Host,” encouraging churches and schools to take part and tallying the numbers involved for a report to be sent to the NCTE. Annually, more than a million people in 49 states, the West Indies, and countries in Africa participate.
There were also prizes of books written by Sheila Williams and a book table with free bibliographies of works by African American authors and selected novels.
Members of the RWC African American Read-In Committee were Helen Kegler, Ginny Hizer, Michelle McKinney, Sue Sipple, and Tami Phenix.