Kudos to Tim and the University of Mary Washington for pulling off this
historic event! It should generate some extremely positive publicity for the
debate community.
--Neil Berch
West Virginia University> Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:42:44 -0500> From:
[email protected]> To: [email protected]; [email protected]> Subject:
[CEDA-L] Inauguration Debate Series - January 19th at the Smithsonian> >
Greetings! > > This coming Monday (January 19th) six college debate teams will
debate> the priorities of the Obama administration at the Museum of Natural>
History as part of the inaugural weekend festivities. The event is free> and
open to the public and all who will be in the area are encouraged to> attend. >
> The official release with further details from the Smithsonian is copied>
below.> > All the best, > > - Tim> > > > newsdesk.si.edu> Press Room of the
Smithsonian Institution> > PRESS RELEASE - Jan. 7, 2009> > Smithsonian Hosts
“Great Debaters” in Inaugural Debate Series Jan. 19>
(http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/nmaahc_great_debaters.htm)> > Six college
debate teams from across the country will come to the> Smithsonian to discuss
the priorities of the new Obama administration> and debate issues such as the
economy, foreign policy and climate> change. The program marks the 100th
anniversary of the first debates> between Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Martin Luther> King, Jr. Day and the historic inauguration of
America’s first African> American President. The Inaugural Debate Series will
take place Monday,> Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Baird Auditorium at the
National> Museum of Natural History.> > The debate series features six teams
with some of the nation’s top> collegiate debaters, including schools with
close historical ties to the> real-life “great debaters” depicted in the 2007
film of the same name> starring Denzel Washington.> > Teams participating in
the debate include Michigan State University,> Wake Forest University, the
University of Mary Washington and the> University of Southern California, as
well as two schools representing> Historically Black Colleges and
Universities—Fayetteville State> University and Voorhees College. The debates
are presented by the> National Museum of African American History and Culture
in cooperation> with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges
and> Universities and the Debate Consortium, with support from the>
Presidential Inaugural Committee.> > The Debate Consortium was formed to help
African American colleges and> universities develop the capacity to field
high-quality debate on> crucial public policy issues.> > The students will
debate some of the most important issues confronting> the new Obama
administration, from energy and climate change to health> care, the economy and
foreign policy. The series will feature three> debates, each approximately 75
minutes in length.> > The first debate on energy and climate change, from 9:30
to 11 a.m., has> Michigan State University against Wake Forest University, two
schools> that represent the pinnacle of intercollegiate debate—both having won>
the National Debate Tournament, America’s most historic and prestigious>
national debate championship, in the past three years. > > The second debate,
from 11:10 a.m. to 1 p.m., features the University of> Mary Washington and USC
arguing health care and the economy. USC was> host to Wiley College in the
“Great Debate” of 1935 (although the film> substitutes Harvard for USC). The
most famous member of the Wiley> team—the distinguished civil rights leader
James L. Farmer> Jr.—concluded his long career as a professor of history at
the> University of Mary Washington.> > The third debate, from 2:10 to 3:30
p.m., on foreign policy, features> Fayetteville State University versus
Voorhees College, two Historically> Black Colleges and Universities that are
committed to making the virtues> of a debate education central to their
educational mission. > > The National Museum of African American History and
Culture was> established in 2003 by an Act of Congress, making it the 19th>
Smithsonian Institution museum. It is the only national museum devoted>
exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history> and
culture. The Smithsonian Board of Regents, the governing body of the>
Institution, voted in January 2006 to build the museum on a five-acre> site on
the National Mall. The Constitution Avenue site is adjacent the Washington
Monument and across the street from the Smithsonian’s> National Museum of
American History. For more information about the> museum, please visit
nmaahc.si.edu or call Smithsonian information at> (202) 633-1000, (202)
633-5285 (TTY).> > # # #> > SI-6-2009> > > Timothy M. O'Donnell> Director of
Debate and Associate Professor of Speech> University of Mary Washington> 1201
William St., #25> Fredericksburg, VA 22401> [email protected]> (540) 654-1252
(office)> (540) 654-1569 (fax)>
_______________________________________________> CEDA-L mailing list>
[email protected]> http://www.ndtceda.com/mailman/listinfo/ceda-l
_______________________________________________
CEDA-L mailing list
[email protected]
http://www.ndtceda.com/mailman/listinfo/ceda-l
