The Denison University Urbanscapes Series welcomes its keynote event speakers Chuck D, hip-hop artist, and Gaye Theresa Johnson, Black history professor, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). They will explore the topic “Hip Hop in the New Millennium.” The event is free and open to the public.

Chuck D is the founder and lead rapper for Public Enemy, considered to be one of the most influential hip-hop groups of our time. Public Enemy was known for its progressive soundscapes and its sophisticated, politically astute lyrics. He is co-presenting with his wife, Black Studies Professor Gaye Theresa Johnson, whose own work focuses on social movements, identity, and U.S. cultural history, with an emphasis on music. Johnson is currently a professor at Stanford University and University of California-Santa Barbara. She has published several articles and recently completed a book titled “The Future Has a Past: Politics, Music and Memory in Afro-Chicano Los Angeles.”

The McGregor Connections Initiative at Denison University connects students with renowned scholars and activists, spotlights intersections between academic disciplines and fosters academic achievement. This year’s McGregor Connections theme is “Urbanscapes,” during which the campus community explores the relationship between people and the urban environment.

The event is sponsored by the Black Studies Program in Celebration of its 40th anniversary at Denison, the Black Student Union, the Laura C. Harris Fund, the McGregor Connections Initiative, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Women’s Studies Program.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville — Urbanscapes hosts speakers Chuck D and Gaye Theresa Johnson at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). Free and open to the public. For more information, contact 740-587-5651.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575