April 17 JFA talk - The Dizzy Gillespie for President Movement - Dr. Gaffney
Virginia Cononie
“'I'm Running for President Because We Need One': The Dizzy Gillespie for President Movement and the Black Freedom Struggle, 1963-1964” – a talk by Dr. Nicholas Gaffney
Please join us on Monday, April 17, for an intriguing presentation and discussion, “'I'm Running for President Because We Need One': The Dizzy Gillespie for President Movement and the Black Freedom Struggle, 1963-1964,” with Nicholas Gaffney, Ph.D., Director of the Center for African American Studies (CAAS) at USC Upstate and Assistant Professor of History.
The talk will take place at 6:30 pm in Tukey Theater on the ground floor of the Library building.
All are welcome; the event is free and open to the public.
This is the third in a series of presentations in celebration of the exhibition, Justice for All: South Carolina and the American Civil Rights Movement, which is now on view on the Library’s 1st and 2nd floors. You can learn more about the Justice for All exhibition, events, and related resources via the JFA website: https://uscupstate.libguides.com/justice-for-all
About the talk
This presentation examines John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie's campaign for the presidency of the United States in the 1964 general election. Gillespie's run for the presidency was driven less by a genuine interest in capturing the Oval Office and was more significantly motivated by a desire to use the power and influence of his celebrity to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Black Freedom Struggle remained a focal part of the 1963-1964 election season's political discourse.
Growing out of his childhood experiences in Cheraw, South Carolina, Gillespie introduced a series of policy initiatives and potential political appointments that would transform the federal government into a vehicle that would position people of color within the United States and abroad to achieve economic and political self-determination. Gillespie performed the role of the candidate during live performances and interviews with the press to place his radical vision for America's future into circulation.
We look forward to seeing you at this and future JFA events. For more information about this event, please call the Library at (864) 503-5620.