Symposium on voting is scheduled at Virginia State University

Virginia State University in Ettrick is teaming up with several community and civic organizations to host a "Voting Rights in America" symposium on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the L. Douglas Wilder Building on campus. The purpose of the symposium is to raise awareness of voting and its significance in the country during this year's momentous presidential election.

Symposium panelists will discuss the importance of voter registration and provide a historical overview of how voting has evolved within U.S. society and culture. Panelists include: Dr. Wallace McMichael, professor and chair of VSU's Department of Political Science and Public Administration; Dr. Dirk Philipsen, director of VSU's Institute for the Study of Race Relations; Kent Willis, executive director of American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia; Micah Womack, director of Rights Restoration; the Rev. Rayfield Vines, president of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP; Roy Tatem, a Democratic organizer; Ernesto Sampson, a Republican organizer; and Clovia Lawrence, news and community affairs director at 105.7 and 99.3 KISS-FM radio stations.

The symposium is a collaborative effort between VSU's Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Department of History, Institute for the Study of Race Relations and numerous community and civic organizations that promote voter turnout and civic engagement.