LECTURE & RECEPTION: 5:30pm Thursday Nov.5, 2009, John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street, Brown University, Providence, RI

EXHIBIT: Nov.5, 2009 - Jan.29, 2010, John Hay Library, Brown University, Providence, RI

All Friends of the Library are invited to attend this upcoming program:

Black Lavender 2, a groundbreaking exhibit and lecture on Gay Black Men living and working in Rhode Island, will be held at the John Hay Library at Brown University, 20 Prospect Street, Providence, RI on Thursday, November 5th at 5:30pm. Dr. Daniel Scott will discuss his oral history project on Rhode Island Black gay men. A reception follows and is free and open to the public.

Gay Black men from 1919 to present are profiled in this unique exhibit of photographs, printed material and artifacts, showing their contributions to life and culture to Rhode Island, and demonstrating how surprisingly consequential and, at times, unexpectedly mainstream they are. The exhibit will remain open until January 29th weekdays from 9am-5pm at the John Hay Library.

This project is funded by the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities and is part of its “On the Road to Freedom” initiative which explores African American life in Rhode Island.

The Brown University Library and the R. I. Philatelic Society invite you to celebrate the Society's 125 years of charted activity on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at two events taking place at the John Hay Library at Brown University. The American Philatelic Society recognizes RIPS as the oldest continuously running philatelic society in America.

Join us in the foyer of the John Hay Library from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm where the RIPS will host a temporary U.S. postal station. A special commemorative cancellation and cover will be available for purchase.

From 7:00-9:00 pm that evening, there will be a reception on the third floor of the John Hay Library where a major portion of the University's extensive philatelic collection will be on display. Members of the RIPS will be available to answer questions about the collection, and a small exhibit on stamps and the society's history will also be on view.

For over 30 years, members of the Rhode Island Philatelic Society have volunteered to catalogue, update and prepare exhibits for several world class philatelic collections given to the University by alumni. The plate block, revenue and error collection of Webster Knight, the George S. Champlin international collection and the Peltz and Morriss collections of special delivery stamps each offer great research potential for local collectors. This close bond between Brown University and the RIPS made the John Hay Library a natural choice for both entities to celebrate this 125 year legacy.

For more information, contact Jane Cabral at 401.863.2163 or FOL@brown.edu, or Chester Browning, President of the R. I. Philatelic Society at 401.821.8658 or cbrowning4@cox.net.

Lynn Nottage ’86 is an American Pulitzer Prize winning playwright whose work often deals with the lives of African Americans and women. Ms. Nottage will be giving this year’s Wilmeth Lecture on April 22, 2010.

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