The Penn State Worthington Scranton Diversity Committee celebrates Black History Month with a multifaceted event that will include music and a lecture. A Celebration of Black History is open to the pubic free of charge. The event is scheduled for Monday, February 19th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the K. Bruce Sherbine Lounge of the Study Learning Center. A reception will follow the event. In the event of inclement weather, the alternate date is Monday, February 26th.
Penn State Worthington Scranton's "Celebration of Black History" will include music by the Youth and Young Adult Choir of the Mount Zion Baptist Church of Wilkes-Barre. The Choir sings under the direction of Mrs. Belinda Tabron.
Added to the musical selection will be a presentation on "Slavery in New York City." This presentation will explore the history of slavery in New York and will be presented by E'va Tettenborn, Ph.D., assistant professor of English at Penn State Worthington Scranton.
Dr. Tettenborn, Ph.D. completed undergraduate studies in English and American Literature at Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. She earned her first of two master of arts degrees in English and American Literature at the State University of New York at Oswego. Her second was earned at Otto von Guericke University. Dr. Tettenborn earned her doctoral degree from Binghamton University, State University of New York in English and American Literature.
Prior to coming to Penn State Worthington Scranton, she was assistant professor of English at New York Institute of Technology.
Dr. Tettenborn's bibliography lists several critical essays in such diverse publications as: Atenea: A Bilingual Journal of the Humanities and Social Science; "Ann Petry's Short Fiction: Critical Essays"; Callaloo; "Notes on Contemporary Literature"; and The CEA Critic. Her reference entries appear in "Popular Contemporary Writers"; "The Encyclopedia of Themes in Science Fiction and Fantasy"; and "A Gift of Song: An Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African American Writers."
A prolific presenter and a much invited speaker throughout the United States, Dr. Tettenborn's dissertation was entitled, "Empowering the Past: Mourning and Melancholia in Twentieth-Century African American Literature."