Montgomery County Public Libraries to Host Black History Month Author Event

Montgomery County Public Libraries to Host Black History Month Author Event History of American Media in Racial Discrimination to be Discussed Joe Torres, co-author of “News for All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media,” will be the guest speaker at a special event presented by Montgomery County Public Libraries in observance of Black History Month on February 29, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave. The free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Rockville Memorial Chapter. Registration is not required. “News for All the People,” written by Juan González and Torres, traces the fight for fair and just treatment for people of color in the news media from the earliest days of Colonial America to the present. The authors are both journalists and activists for African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian peoples. Their book discusses the role of racism in inaccurate and distorted reporting and in contributing to violence. Included are profiles of significant people of color in the battle for journalistic recognition. More than seven years in the making, this is a comprehensive and powerful statement of the history of American media and its role in racial discrimination. Torres is Senior Advisor of Government and External Affairs for Free Press, a media reform organization and former Director of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. He serves on the board at both the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and the Center for Media Justice. Gonzalez, an award winning journalist, is the co-host of “Democracy Now!,” former President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and a columnist for the “New York Daily News.”

To request ADA program accommodations, at least five work days in advance, or to receive more information about programs, call the library hosting the program; log on to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library; or call Ask-a-Librarian Language Line/Línea en otros idiomas: 240-777-0001. TTY users call Maryland Relay at 7-1-1.