Feb. 8, 2008 – Brooklyn Law School’s Black Law Students Association marked the beginning of Black History Month on Feb. 1 with an Opening Ceremony celebration at the Forchelli Conference Center. Throughout the month, BLSA will host a series of programs designed to commemorate Black History Month, celebrate diversity, and reflect on the struggles and achievements of African-American legal professionals.

The Opening Ceremony featured a presentation by Professor David Dante Troutt, who is the Justice John J. Francis Scholar at Rutgers School of Law - Newark and the editor of After the Storm: Black Intellectuals Explore the Meaning of Hurricane Katrina. Professor Troutt spoke about the historical background of New Orleans, the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, and its political and social ramifications. He brought these topics together with a discussion of the 2008 presidential primaries, localism, and community identity.

Troutt’s presentation introduced a month-long series of BLSA events focused on voter empowerment, gentrification, and cultural identity.

For more information about BLSA, visit their Web page.

By Jennifer Fisher ’08