A single piece of paper interrupted Wedenesday’s final Schuneman Symposium lecture, which featured the Rev. Jesse Jackson and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Clarence Page.
The lecture, which concluded the second day of the symposium in Baker University Center Ballroom, centered on how the media define major events through coverage.
Fittingly, Jackson received word not 20 minutes into the lecture announcing that George Zimmerman had been charged with second-degree murder for the Feb. 26 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla.
Throughout the lecture, Jackson highlighted how the media can define aspects of society, especially views pertaining to the Martin case.
“In many ways, the phenomenon cast a broad light,” Jackson said. “It throws a whole new light on social justice.”
Martin’s death was deemed by many to be a social injustice because race might have played a part in his shooting.
Jackson said the country should not stop discussing racial issues now that Zimmerman has been arrested. In the shadow of that slaying, Jackson emphasized his hopes that society will uphold a “multicultural, but not multi-racist,” view.
During the speech, Jackson also touched on the importance of making Martin’s death an example to change the way people act toward racial discrimination.
“The raw of the injustice (in that situation) is that it has touched something deeper in everyone,” Jackson said. “There’s a Trayvon in every town.”
Hillery Glasby, an English instructor, brought her class to the symposium — a task she assumed the students wouldn’t enjoy. But Glasby was quickly convinced otherwise when her class stayed to attend Page’s speech earlier in the day even though there were no chairs left.
“It’s really amazing that they can get exposed to these speeches,” Glasby said.
“(Jackson’s) whole idea of movement over moment was really inspiring. Movements start with students.”
Page provided a unique give-and-take with Jackson, as he has covered the Reverend since his early days with the Chicago Tribune.
“(Media) frames the narrative through which we understand big events,” Page said.
Though the talk of media’s importance was overshadowed by the news of Zimmerman’s charges, many in attendance hung on every word and thoroughly agreed with Jackson.
“I really respect Rev. Jackson for these opportunities to speak on Trayvon Martin,” said Kyle Capogna, a doctoral student studying English. “It’s not going to end there, and that’s the bigger issue we have to tackle.”
sj950610@ohiou.edu
