Gun Violence in Contemporary Society is Topic of Constitution Day Program on September 15 at William Paterson University in Wayne The topic of gun violence in today’s society, in the context of both the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment and the Black Lives Matter movement, will be explored in a lecture during William Paterson University’s observance of the 12th annual Constitution Day on Thursday, September 15, 2016. Adolph Reed, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and a founding member of the U.S. Labor Party, will present the lecture, titled “Gun violence in a Neoliberal Age: Beyond the Second Amendment and Black Lives Matter,” to be held from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in University Commons Ballroom C on campus. Federal legislation signed in December 2004 requires all educational institutions that receive federal funds to implement an educational program in mid-September each year that provides students with increased awareness and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution and to help develop the habits of citizenship. The program is sponsored by the American Democracy Project (ADP) at William Paterson University, part of a nationwide initiative coordinated by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) that seeks to increase civic engagement levels of U.S. students attending public colleges and universities in the 21st century. A special session for students only will follow the lecture. Reed, who specializes in race and American politics, is the author of numerous books and articles focused on racial and economic inequality and is a frequent contributor to The Progressive and The Nation. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, he taught at The New School for Social Research, Northwestern University, and Yale University. The program is also sponsored by the University’s Departments of Africana World Studies and Political Science. For additional information, contact Christine Kelly, professor of political science interim director of the American Democracy Project, at ADP@wpunj.edu. 09/11/16
