The UST community is invited to participate in informal discussions related to the 15th annual Luann Dummer Lecture in Celebration of Women's History Month.

Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine, will deliver the Luann Dummer Lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, in the O'Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium. Brown Trickey was one of nine African-American students who, on Sept. 25, 1957, under the watch of 1,200 armed soldiers and a worldwide audience, helped to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

The women's center will offer three different discussion opportunities:

• This year's traditional book discussion will examine Dr. Elizabeth Jacoway's text titled Turn Away Thy Son: Little Rock, the Crisis That Shocked the Nation. The book, the product of 30 years of digging behind the conventional account of the crisis and interviewing participants on both sides of the controversy from officials to ordinary citizens, provides a detailed historical timeline of the crisis and its aftermath.

The book shows in vivid detail why school desegregation was the hottest issue in the South. Jacoway's account includes an examination of the fear of "race mixing," and includes the role of two women's groups, one on each side, during the crisis. Participants will receive a free book; discussion leaders will recommend particular chapters.

• The first of two films is an installment of "Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Movement." This film is recommended for anyone who does not know about the events at Little Rock in 1957-58. Each film is just under an hour in length; a 30-minute discussion will follow each film.
• The second film is "Journey to Little Rock: The Untold Story of Minnijean Brown Trickey." It introduces you to this year's speaker and tells the story, not just of her life in Little Rock, but it also follows her life of passionate social activism. A 30-minute discussion will follow the film.

Men and women are invited to participate. See the schedule below. Additional discussion groups will be arranged, including one on the Minneapolis campus; see the LDCW Web site for updates.

To sign up for a discussion group, e-mail Pat Alexander in the Luann Dummer Center for Women with your name, e-mail address, campus mail number, phone number and indicate your position as faculty, staff, student or other.

Also, let her know the date and time below that is your first choice for a discussion group. (All sessions will be held in the women's center, Room 103, O'Shaughnessy Educational Center, unless otherwise indicated.)

Discussions: Please note the changes.  We have cancelled the book discussion and film on March 10. 

• 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 4 – discussion on the film, "Journey to Little Rock," led by Dr. Anne Klejment, History Department
• Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, March 6 – book discussion, led by Dr. Angela High-Pippert, Political Science, and Sarah Gillaspey, senior and political science major
• 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the Commuter Center, lower level, Murray-Herrick Campus Center – discussion on the film, "Eyes on the Prize," led by Dr. Corrine Carvalho, Theology Department
• Noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 – book discussion, led by Dr. David Todd Lawrence, English Department
• Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, March 27 – book discussion, led by Sarah Ligday, Office of International Student Services