10/17/2026
Millersville University’s Hazel I. Jackson Lecture Series, which celebrates Black literature and culture, will feature Dominican American poet and writer Melania Luisa Marte on Oct. 21. Her presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Student Memorial Center and is free and open to the public.
The annual lecture series honors Hazel I. Jackson, who became the first African American woman professor hired at Millersville University in 1970. During her career, Jackson introduced African American literature into the University’s curriculum and brought celebrations of Black culture to campus.
Following Jackson’s retirement in 1994, Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El, then-director of the African American Studies program, established a lecture series and scholarship in her honor. The series continues to bring literary artists to Millersville to share perspectives shaped by the Black American experience.
This year’s speaker, Melania Luisa Marte, was selected in part because of the Afro-Caribbean experiences represented in her work.
“The Hazel I. Jackson lecture celebrates literature through our Black studies programs here,” says Dr. Caleb Corkery, professor of English. “Part of that history is the Afro-Caribbean experience. Marte is Dominican American and a rising star in the world of American poets.”
Through Marte’s appearance, organizers hope students and members of the surrounding community will have an opportunity to learn more about Afro-Caribbean experiences and their place within literature.
“We hope Marte will highlight perspectives and experiences emerging from the Caribbean,” says Corkery. “We also hope she will bring attention to the lives of many from Afro-Caribbean descent in our community.” Read more here: https://bit.ly/4hWjD9f
