Description:

Nitasha Sharma is Associate Professor of African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Performance Studies and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence at Northwestern.

As President Obama’s home state, Hawai'i has earned global recognition beyond its status as an island paradise. Yet what do Black residents say about their experiences in the islands? This talk speaks to a possible “Obama effect” that has led increasing numbers of African Americans from the U.S. continent to seek refuge in the Pacific, where they find a “respite” from racism. Yet the stories of Hawai’i-born and raised Black people reveal an underside to more sunny depictions.

This talk is part of the Evanston Northwestern Humanities Lecture Series, where Northwestern faculty share and discuss their research with the public in casual evening lectures at the Evanston Public Library. Co-presented by the Evanston Public Library and the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities at Northwestern.