NORTHAMPTON – Poet, activist and black studies leader Sonia Sanchez will speak at Smith College next month.
Sanchez is the keynote speaker for this year’s Otelia Cromwell Day celebration. The talk, titled “Activism in Art: An Afternoon with Sonia Sanchez,” will be held Thursday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. It is free and open to the public, according to a release.
Sanchez was a prominent member of the black power and black arts movements of the late 1960s. She was also an advocate for black studies programs and was the first to teach a U.S. college course on black women and literature. She has authored over 16 books, according to the release.
Otelia Cromwell Day is named in honor of Smith’s first African American graduate, who died in 1972. Cromwell was also the first black woman to receive a degree from Yale University.
Other Cromwell Day events include a poetry workshop hosted by Sanchez and two sessions by women’s rights activist Loretta Ross. Crowmell’s niece will also lead a workshop. The day will also feature musical performances and other events. A full schedule is available at www.smith.edu/about-smith/college-events/otelia-cromwell-day/schedule.