Political repression and the power of racial language will take center stage when the Conversations on Race and Policing series hosts authors Clay Risen and Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor for two November discussions.

Both programs run from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom and are free and open to the public.

A split-screen promotional graphic featuring author Clay Risen and his book cover. Left side: A professional headshot portrait of Clay Risen, a man with wavy dark hair, blue eyes, and a full beard, wearing a grey suit jacket, a peach vest, a white collared shirt, and a striped tie. Right side: The book cover for "Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America" by Clay Risen. The cover has a vibrant red background with the words "RED SCARE" in large cream-colored text. An illustration of Uncle Sam's hand pointing forward bursts through a torn paper hole in the center. A blurb at the top by Rachel Maddow reads: "Clay Risen’s deep, gorgeous new history is as revelatory to me as it is moving."

On Nov. 18, Risen, a New York Times reporter and editor, will discuss “Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America.”

Drawing in part on newly declassified documents, the book examines the anti-communist campaign that gripped the United States after World War II. It explores how Sen. Joseph McCarthy and a wider network of officials and organizations pursued alleged communist conspiracies, damaging thousands of lives. The New Yorker, Chicago Tribune and The Boston Globe named it among their best books of the year.

A multi-panel banner featuring author Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor and Marc Robinson. Left panel: The book cover for "Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me" by Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, featuring a vintage photo of a young Richard Pryor sitting beside a young girl wearing a hat who is leaning over to kiss his cheek. Center panel: A portrait of Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor with short, curly salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a black blazer and white collared shirt, leaning thoughtfully against a rustic wooden fence outdoors. Right panel: A portrait of Marc Robinson, a smiling Black man with short hair, a beard, and glasses, wearing a grey suit jacket over a blue polo shirt while holding an open book in front of a bookshelf.

On Nov. 19, Pryor, a history professor at Smith College, will discuss her book, “Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me.” Marc Robinson of Cal State San Bernardino’s history department will host and moderate.

Part memoir and part history, Pryor’s book examines the N-word through her scholarship and experiences growing up as comedian Richard Pryor’s Black Jewish daughter. It connects her family story with the slur’s historical and contemporary use.

The first 20 Zoom attendees at the Nov. 19 program will receive copies of Pryor’s book. Robie Madrigal and CSUSB Libraries Dean Rebecca Lubas are supporting that event.

The Conversations on Race and Policing program began following the May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd and its aftermath. Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer, triggering widespread protests, demands for systemic policing reforms and profound discussions about race and racism. The events also led to the creation of Cal State San Bernardino’s Conversations on Race and Policing, abbreviated as CoRP.

In subsequent court cases, three other former Minneapolis police officers implicated in Floyd’s death received prison sentences.

The series has featured scholars, journalists, law enforcement officers, lawyers, activists, artists, educators, administrators and others from throughout the nation who have shared their experience and expertise on issues related to race and policing.

Since June 2020, more than 140 forums have taken place, and video recordings of the sessions have been posted in the Conversations on Race and Policing Lecture Series Archive.

The last scheduled program in the series for the fall semester will be at noon on Dec. 2, featuring  Janet Reitman, author of “The Inheritance: An American Tragedy in Five Acts.”

The organizing team for Conversations on Race and Policing includes Michael German, Stan Futch, Amber Broaden, Robie Madrigal, Jeremy Murray, Matt Patino and Mary Texeira, representing CSUSB and collaborating community and educational organizations.

For more information, contact Madrigal at rmadriga@csusb.edu or Murray at jmurray@csusb.edu.

Also visit the Conversations on Race and Policing webpage.