College and Community Connections

Overview

College and Community Connections celebrates the diverse people, cultures, and experiences that have shaped—and continue to shape—the United States. The Center serves as a campus and community hub for learning, reflection, and dialogue on identity, equity, and inclusion across American history.

Our Goal

To educate, inspire, and connect individuals through an honest exploration of America’s complex past and present. We promote understanding, empathy, and civic responsibility by highlighting the stories of historically underrepresented communities and the ongoing pursuit of the American Dream.

Our Vision

A campus and community that recognizes and values the shared and diverse experiences that define us—creating space for every individual to learn, belong, and thrive.

What We Do

The Center brings history to life through events, exhibits, and collaborations that deepen awareness of the American experience.

Educational programming — lectures, film screenings, interactive workshops.
Community partnerships — collaborations with local organizations and historians.
Cultural exhibits & collections — honoring contributions of underrepresented groups.
Student engagement — service, research, and storytelling opportunities.

Upcoming Events FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (unless otherwise noted). Maps and directions to all Sinclair locations To receive email notifications about upcoming events supported by the Building Community on Campus Office, email: Patty Peters
Ask Your Advocate! Meet Your Ombuddy! Meet Sinclair College Ombuds, Amy Hartman - In-person If you're familiar with Sinclair's Ombuds Office, you may know Sinclair College's "Ombuddy" Amy Hartman. Join Amy for an interactive session to learn what an Ombuds does, how they can help you navigate challenges, and why this resource is valuable. We will explore real-life situations, engage in dsicussion, and participate in a fun, interactive activity. This event is open to faculty and staff too - learn how the Ombuds Office supports our students. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Article Club Discussion: "Remembering the Rosenwald Schools," by Marion Wright Edelman - Zoom only Marion Wright Edelman, founder and President emerita of the Children's Defense Fund, shares the history of philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (President of Sears, Roebuck) who partnered with Tuskegee Institute's Booker T. Washington to fund the construction of nearly 5,000 schools for Black children across 15 Southern states, requiring local communities to raise matching funds and labor. By 1928, one in three rural Black schoolchildren in the South attended a Rosenwald school, and the article traces how these buildings — once central community hubs — were largely abandoned after school integration, and are now being reclaimed and preserved as historic landmarks. Read the article in advance and join Michael Carter for a review of the article and discussion. REGISTER	Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Zoom - A link and a copy of the article will be forwarded to you prior to the event date.
World Peace Day - In-person Tom Roberts, Sinclair College Ohio Fellows Advisor leads Sinclair's observance of World Peace Day. The Carter Center invites the Sinclair and Dayton community to join us for a Peace Circle. For just fifteen minutes, we'll pause together and reflect on this year’s theme: Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day. The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. More Information about World Peace Day REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED	Date: Monday, September 21, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Video & Discussion: "Enduring Evil of Slavery," with Bryan Stevenson - In-person Join us for a discussion of Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! interview with civil rights lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson, filmed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Stevenson speaks to the "Enduring Evil of Slavery" in the United States and abroad, the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, and the throughline from slavery to today. Stevenson frames "learning" itself as an act of resistance and expresses hope for continued truth-telling despite political pushback. Preview the Video REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Article Club Discussion: "Rethinking Monuments - It's Time to Leave the Great-Man Theory of History Behind" by Carolina Miranda - Zoom This article, from the April 14, 2026 edition of The Atlantic Magazine, and written by Carolina Miranda, asks a question - "Amid the wave of Confederate statue removals in the summer of 2020, what should come down, and what should go up in their place?" Read the article in advance and join Michael Carter for a review of the article and discussion. REGISTER	Date: Monday, September 24, 2026 Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Zoom - A link and a copy of the article will be forwarded to you prior to the event date.
Historical Walking Tour with Andrew Walsh: Sinclair College to the Dayton Arcade Join librarian and local history author Andrew Walsh for a walking tour highlighting Downtown Dayton history, architecture, and revitalization. You'll learn about why the blocks around Sinclair changed radically over time, see some remaining architectural gems, and get the latest on the large redevelopment projects reshaping the core of the city. The tour will include an interior look at the beautiful Dayton Arcade complex. Following the tour, stay for complimentary lunch and conversation, or grab a box lunch "to-go!" This event will also be offered on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. REGISTER	Date: Friday, September 25, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Meet in Building 11, Room 322, Our American Journey and wear your walking shoes!
Video & Discussion: "When Every Word Doesn't Belong to Everyone," with Ta'Nehisi Coates - Hybrid Complimentary LUNCH included! This clip is from a 2017 stop on Coates's We Were Eight Years in Power book tour, at a Family Action Network event hosted at Evanston Township High School in Illinois. During the Q& A, a woman in the audience — a Northwestern student — referenced an email sent to students ahead of a Lil Uzi Vert concert at Northwestern, stating that white students didn't have the right to say the n-word during the show, even though the artist uses it frequently in his lyrics. She said she agreed with the policy "100 percent," but asked Coates how to explain that to white peers who feel entitled to say the word when it comes up in the music. Please register by September 21, 2026, if you plan to join us for lunch The video clip is brief - 5 minutes - please watch it in advance and join Michael Carter for the discussion to follow. Watch Video REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom OR Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)
Book Read: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg - Offered on two dates - In-person or Zoom Sponsored by the SAGE Committee & the Office of College and Community Connections Join the SAGE committee for the Book Read and discussion of: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg. From the website, "Stone Butch Blues, Leslie Feinberg’s 1993 first novel, is widely considered in and outside the U.S. to be a groundbreaking work about the complexities of gender. Sold by the hundreds of thousands of copies and also passed from hand-to-hand inside prisons, Stone Butch Blues has been translated into Chinese, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovenian, Turkish, and Hebrew (with hir earnings from that edition going to ASWAT Palestinian Gay Women). The novel was winner of the 1994 American Library Association Stonewall Book Award and a 1994 Lambda Literary Award." Download a Copy of the Book REGISTER	In Person Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Zoom Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026 Time for both: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom OR Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)
Film Screening & Discussion - Threads in the American Tapesstry: Latino Contributions from the Founding Era Onward - In-person From the PBS VOICES: American Historia series, host John Leguizamo narrates an eye-opening journey through American history, from the colonial era through the Civil War and westward expansion, spotlighting the often-overlooked Latino figures and communities who helped shape the nation at every turn. A compelling look at whose stories get told — and whose get left out. This documentary examines the deep and often unrecognized role of Latino communities in shaping U.S. history, from the colonial period through the 19th century, challenging viewers to reconsider a fuller, more accurate American narrative. REGISTER	Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026 Time: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Discussion - Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964 - Hybrid September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. The Carter Center is spotlighting "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program," a six-poster exhibit located Our American Journey in Building 11, Room 322. The posters, from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, draw from historic photographs and firsthand accounts, tracing the story of the Bracero Program — a 22-year guest worker agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that shaped agricultural labor, immigration policy, and Mexican American communities for generations. To complement the exhibit, Derek Petrey, Sinclair College Professor of Spanish, Chair, Department of Humanities, Government and Modern Languages will lead an open discussion on the program's complicated legacy: the opportunities it created, the exploitation the workers endured, and its lasting repercussions in today's conversations about labor and immigration. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be fowarded prior to the event date)
Coffee with Carter! - In-person Join for an hour of open conversation with Michael Carter — Senior Advisor to the President, curator of the Michael and Debbie Carter Center for American History: Our American Journey, and a familiar face at Sinclair and in the community. Michael Carter brings a wealth of perspective and stories to share — this casual, informal session is open to all Sinclair faculty, staff, students, and community members - there's no set agenda beyond genuine conversation. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be available. REGISTER	Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Historical Walking Tour with Andrew Walsh: Sinclair College to the Dayton Arcade - In-person Join librarian and local history author Andrew Walsh for a walking tour highlighting Downtown Dayton history, architecture, and revitalization. You'll learn about why the blocks around Sinclair changed radically over time, see some remaining architectural gems, and get the latest on the large redevelopment projects reshaping the core of the city. The tour will include an interior look at the beautiful Dayton Arcade complex. Following the tour, stay for complimentary lunch and conversation, or grab a box lunch "to-go!" REGISTER	Date: Wednesday, Ocotober 7, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Meet in Building 11, Room 322, Our American Journey and wear your walking shoes!
Special Film Screening Event: Major! Lead With Your Heart - In-person Sponsored by the SAGE Committee & the Office of College and Community Connections Join us for a screening and community discussion of MAJOR!, an award-winning documentary chronicling the life and activism of Miss. Major Griffin-Gracy, a Black transgender elder who spent over 40 years fighting for the rights of trans women of color — from the Stonewall uprising in 1969 to her role as Executive Director of the Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) in San Francisco from 2006-2014, through her survival of incarceration at Attica, and to her decades of advocacy against police violence and the prison industrial complex. Recognized at more than 60 film festivals worldwide, the film offers a powerful lens on resilience, identity, and the fight for justice at the intersections of race and gender. Following the screening, we'll open the floor for a guided conversation on the themes raised in the film. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, Ocotober 13, 2026 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair Conference Center, Building 12, Room 116, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402. Parking: Free parking located in Lot C, under Building 12.
Special Event! Visiting Author: "An Evening with Charlotte Watson Sherman" - In-person Join us this fall for a special campus visit with author Charlotte Watson Sherman, whose latest book, Learn, Baby, Learn: The Shindana Toy Factory's Legacy of Black Pride, tells the story of the first Black-owned toy company in America and the community that built it after the Watts uprising. Sherman is also the author of Brown Sugar Babe, Mermaid Kenzie, and This Opening Sky, and her work has appeared in Essence, Ms., and The Seattle Times. Come hear her story and get your questions answered in person. A selection of the author's books will be available for purchase. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 12, Smith Auditorium. Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12
Film Screening: Into the Lion's Den - The Hayden Fry and Jerry LeVias Story - In-person Join us for "Into the Lion's Den" a documentary by former Iowa Hawkeye Quinn Early about coach Hayden Fry and Jerry LeVias, the first Black scholarship football player in the Southwest Conference. It follows how in 1965 Fry, a Marine-turned-coach known for building character and winning traditions, took the courageous step of recruiting LeVias, a Black high school star, to SMU, and together they helped desegregate college football in the South. REGISTER	Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Coffee with Carter! - In-person Join for an hour of open conversation with Michael Carter — Senior Advisor to the President, curator of the Michael and Debbie Carter Center for American History: Our American Journey, and a familiar face at Sinclair and in the community. Michael Carter brings a wealth of perspective and stories to share — this casual, informal session is open to all Sinclair faculty, staff, students, and community members - there's no set agenda beyond genuine conversation. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be available. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Book Read - The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, by James McBride - Hybrid In recognition of November’s Education Month, please join Sinclair staff and community members for a meaningful discussion of The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, the New York Times bestselling memoir by James McBride. This powerful work shares the true story of McBride’s Jewish-raised white mother and her unwavering determination to instill the value of education in each of her twelve children. James McBride, a Pulitzer Prize–winning author and accomplished musician, weaves a narrative that is both deeply moving and inspiring. This engaging book and discussion promise moments of laughter, reflection, and heartfelt emotion, offering encouragement and perspective during these challenging times. Pick up your complimentary copy of the book in Building 11-322 OR borrow the book from your local library OR listen to the book, using your favorite audio app. REGISTER	Dates: Tuesdays - October 20, 27 and November 3, 10, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)
Film Screening & Discussion - Otis' Dream - In-person Complimentary LUNCH included! Join us for a screening and discussion of Otis' Dream, a powerful short film that tells the true story of Otis Moss Sr., a Georgia sharecropper who risked his life in 1946 attempting to cast his vote. Narrated across three generations — by his son, civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., and grandson Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III — the film traces a single day's journey that became a lasting legacy of courage and activism within one family, and within the broader fight for Black enfranchisement. After the screening, we'll open the floor for a discussion on voting rights, legacy, and what it means to carry a dream forward. REGISTER	Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
2026 Fall Faith Forum - All Are Welcome! - In-person What do different faiths have in common? Where do they differ? And what can we learn from each other? Join us for the Fall Faith Forum, an open panel discussion featuring local spiritual leaders from a variety of traditions. Whether you're deeply religious, spiritual-but-not-religious, questioning, or just curious, this is your chance to ask questions and hear honest, respectful dialogue about faith, spirituality, and the human experience. Come with your questions—leave with greater understanding. REGISTER Contact Multi-Faith Campus Minster, Paul Strozier, for more information.	Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
Book Read - The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home, by Wil Haygood - Hybrid A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR! Award-winning author and journalist Wil Haygood explores how the Vietnam War became a mirror for the struggle of Black Americans—fighting for freedom abroad while demanding equality at home—and a powerful lens through which to understand the racial and political divides that continue to shape American life. The author will join the discussion virtually on Week #3 - Don't miss it! Pick up your complimentary copy of the book in Building 11, Room 322 OR borrow a copy from your local library, OR listen to the book on your favorite audio app. REGISTER	Dates: Thursdays - November 5, 12 and 19, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)
Film Screening - Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts - In-person Enjoy this film screening and discussion of Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, an award-winning documentary exploring the complex legacy of the all-Black Army regiments formed after the Civil War. Through historian interviews, descendant testimony, and archival footage, the film traces how these soldiers fought for their own citizenship and dignity at home while serving as instruments of U.S. expansion abroad — a story of courage, contradiction, and sacrifice. After the screening, we'll open the floor for a discussion on service, identity, and the cost of the American promise of citizenship. REGISTER	Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026 Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom
2027 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Save-the-Date! Details to Follow	Date: Monday, January 18, 2027 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402
Special Event! Visiting Author Series: An Evening with Wil Haygood WIL HAYGOOD is the author of ten nonfiction books, many of which have won literary awards. His book, The Butler, was made into a film directed by Lee Daniels. He will visit Sinclair College on Tuesday, January 19, 2027 to discuss his most recent book, The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home. Haygood has been a correspondent for the Washington Post and The Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In 2022, he received the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Peace Prize Foundation. A Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, Haygood is currently Boadway Visiting Distinguished Scholar at Miami University in Ohio and has recently been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences. 5:30 p.m. - Doors open! Enjoy Snacks & Drinks - No reserved seats, arrive early for the best seats. A selection of the author's books will be available to purchase on the evening of the event. REGISTER	Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2027 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Smith Auditorium, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402 Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12.
2027 Black Unity Conference, featuring Visiting Author - Tara Roberts Plans are underway for the 2027 Black Unity Conference. Here's sneak peek at our Special Guest and Keynote Speaker for this year's event: Tara Roberts is a writer and storyteller whose work shines a light on the origin story of Africans in the Americas—bringing empathy, nuance and complexity to their journey. She was a fellow at MIT’s Open Documentary Lab and, throughout her career, has worked as an editor for CosmoGirl, Essence, AOL, EBONY and Heart & Soul. Tara is the first Black female National Geographic Explorer to appear on the cover of National Geographic magazine, where her story has reached over 26 million people. Working alongside Diving With a Purpose—a team of Black scuba divers—Tara spent several years searching for shipwrecks that once carried captive Africans during the transatlantic slave trade. Along the way, she documented the stories of the divers, historians, archaeologists and communities she encountered, culminating in the National Geographic Society-funded podcast Into the Depths. This critically-acclaimed series received close to half a million downloads and was included on ‘Best of’ lists for Essence magazine and Spotify. Most recently, she was named the 2022 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, becoming the first Black American to receive the honor. </b> Robert's most recent release, Written In the Waters, is described as, "An adventurous blend of personal and cultural history from a star National Geographic Explorer and “a pioneer and an inspiration.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love. SAVE-THE-DATE	Date: Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6, 2027 Time: TBD Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Smith Auditorium, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402 Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12.

Upcoming Events

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (unless otherwise noted).
Maps and directions to all Sinclair locations

To receive email notifications about upcoming events supported by the Building Community on Campus Office, email: Patty Peters

Ask Your Advocate! Meet Your Ombuddy! Meet Sinclair College Ombuds, Amy Hartman - In-person

If you're familiar with Sinclair's Ombuds Office, you may know Sinclair College's "Ombuddy" Amy Hartman. Join Amy for an interactive session to learn what an Ombuds does, how they can help you navigate challenges, and why this resource is valuable. We will explore real-life situations, engage in dsicussion, and participate in a fun, interactive activity. This event is open to faculty and staff too - learn how the Ombuds Office supports our students.

REGISTER

Date:
Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Article Club Discussion: "Remembering the Rosenwald Schools," by Marion Wright Edelman - Zoom only

Marion Wright Edelman, founder and President emerita of the Children's Defense Fund, shares the history of philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (President of Sears, Roebuck) who partnered with Tuskegee Institute's Booker T. Washington to fund the construction of nearly 5,000 schools for Black children across 15 Southern states, requiring local communities to raise matching funds and labor.

By 1928, one in three rural Black schoolchildren in the South attended a Rosenwald school, and the article traces how these buildings — once central community hubs — were largely abandoned after school integration, and are now being reclaimed and preserved as historic landmarks.

Read the article in advance and join Michael Carter for a review of the article and discussion.

REGISTER

Date:
Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Zoom - A link and a copy of the article will be forwarded to you prior to the event date.

World Peace Day - In-person

Tom Roberts, Sinclair College Ohio Fellows Advisor leads Sinclair's observance of World Peace Day. The Carter Center invites the Sinclair and Dayton community to join us for a Peace Circle. For just fifteen minutes, we'll pause together and reflect on this year’s theme: Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

More Information about World Peace Day

REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED

Date:
Monday, September 21, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Video & Discussion: "Enduring Evil of Slavery," with Bryan Stevenson - In-person

Join us for a discussion of Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! interview with civil rights lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson, filmed in Edinburgh, Scotland. Stevenson speaks to the "Enduring Evil of Slavery" in the United States and abroad, the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, and the throughline from slavery to today. Stevenson frames "learning" itself as an act of resistance and expresses hope for continued truth-telling despite political pushback.

Preview the Video

REGISTER

Date:
Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Article Club Discussion: "Rethinking Monuments - It's Time to Leave the Great-Man Theory of History Behind" by Carolina Miranda - Zoom

This article, from the April 14, 2026 edition of The Atlantic Magazine, and written by Carolina Miranda, asks a question - "Amid the wave of Confederate statue removals in the summer of 2020, what should come down, and what should go up in their place?"

Read the article in advance and join Michael Carter for a review of the article and discussion.

REGISTER

Date:
Monday, September 24, 2026

Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Zoom - A link and a copy of the article will be forwarded to you prior to the event date.

Historical Walking Tour with Andrew Walsh: Sinclair College to the Dayton Arcade

Join librarian and local history author Andrew Walsh for a walking tour highlighting Downtown Dayton history, architecture, and revitalization. You'll learn about why the blocks around Sinclair changed radically over time, see some remaining architectural gems, and get the latest on the large redevelopment projects reshaping the core of the city. The tour will include an interior look at the beautiful Dayton Arcade complex.

Following the tour, stay for complimentary lunch and conversation, or grab a box lunch "to-go!"

This event will also be offered on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

REGISTER

Date:
Friday, September 25, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Meet in Building 11, Room 322, Our American Journey and wear your walking shoes!

Video & Discussion: "When Every Word Doesn't Belong to Everyone," with Ta'Nehisi Coates - Hybrid

Complimentary LUNCH included!

This clip is from a 2017 stop on Coates's We Were Eight Years in Power book tour, at a Family Action Network event hosted at Evanston Township High School in Illinois. During the Q& A, a woman in the audience — a Northwestern student — referenced an email sent to students ahead of a Lil Uzi Vert concert at Northwestern, stating that white students didn't have the right to say the n-word during the show, even though the artist uses it frequently in his lyrics. She said she agreed with the policy "100 percent," but asked Coates how to explain that to white peers who feel entitled to say the word when it comes up in the music.

Please register by September 21, 2026, if you plan to join us for lunch

The video clip is brief - 5 minutes - please watch it in advance and join Michael Carter for the discussion to follow.

Watch Video

REGISTER

Date:
Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom OR Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)

Book Read: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg - Offered on two dates - In-person or Zoom

Sponsored by the SAGE Committee & the Office of College and Community Connections

Join the SAGE committee for the Book Read and discussion of: Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg. From the website, "Stone Butch Blues, Leslie Feinberg’s 1993 first novel, is widely considered in and outside the U.S. to be a groundbreaking work about the complexities of gender.

Sold by the hundreds of thousands of copies and also passed from hand-to-hand inside prisons, Stone Butch Blues has been translated into Chinese, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovenian, Turkish, and Hebrew (with hir earnings from that edition going to ASWAT Palestinian Gay Women). The novel was winner of the 1994 American Library Association Stonewall Book Award and a 1994 Lambda Literary Award."

Download a Copy of the Book

REGISTER

In Person Date:
Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Zoom Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026

Time for both: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom OR Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)

Film Screening & Discussion - Threads in the American Tapesstry: Latino Contributions from the Founding Era Onward - In-person

From the PBS VOICES: American Historia series, host John Leguizamo narrates an eye-opening journey through American history, from the colonial era through the Civil War and westward expansion, spotlighting the often-overlooked Latino figures and communities who helped shape the nation at every turn. A compelling look at whose stories get told — and whose get left out.

This documentary examines the deep and often unrecognized role of Latino communities in shaping U.S. history, from the colonial period through the 19th century, challenging viewers to reconsider a fuller, more accurate American narrative.

REGISTER

Date:
Thursday, October 1, 2026

Time: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Discussion - Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964 - Hybrid

September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. The Carter Center is spotlighting "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program," a six-poster exhibit located Our American Journey in Building 11, Room 322. The posters, from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, draw from historic photographs and firsthand accounts, tracing the story of the Bracero Program — a 22-year guest worker agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that shaped agricultural labor, immigration policy, and Mexican American communities for generations.

To complement the exhibit, Derek Petrey, Sinclair College Professor of Spanish, Chair, Department of Humanities, Government and Modern Languages will lead an open discussion on the program's complicated legacy: the opportunities it created, the exploitation the workers endured, and its lasting repercussions in today's conversations about labor and immigration.

REGISTER

Date:
Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be fowarded prior to the event date)

Coffee with Carter! - In-person

Join for an hour of open conversation with Michael Carter — Senior Advisor to the President, curator of the Michael and Debbie Carter Center for American History: Our American Journey, and a familiar face at Sinclair and in the community. Michael Carter brings a wealth of perspective and stories to share — this casual, informal session is open to all Sinclair faculty, staff, students, and community members - there's no set agenda beyond genuine conversation.

Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be available.

REGISTER

Date:
Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Historical Walking Tour with Andrew Walsh: Sinclair College to the Dayton Arcade - In-person

Following the tour, stay for complimentary lunch and conversation, or grab a box lunch "to-go!"

REGISTER

Date:
Wednesday, Ocotober 7, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Meet in Building 11, Room 322, Our American Journey and wear your walking shoes!

Special Film Screening Event: Major! Lead With Your Heart - In-person

Sponsored by the SAGE Committee & the Office of College and Community Connections

Join us for a screening and community discussion of MAJOR!, an award-winning documentary chronicling the life and activism of Miss. Major Griffin-Gracy, a Black transgender elder who spent over 40 years fighting for the rights of trans women of color — from the Stonewall uprising in 1969 to her role as Executive Director of the Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) in San Francisco from 2006-2014, through her survival of incarceration at Attica, and to her decades of advocacy against police violence and the prison industrial complex.

Recognized at more than 60 film festivals worldwide, the film offers a powerful lens on resilience, identity, and the fight for justice at the intersections of race and gender. Following the screening, we'll open the floor for a guided conversation on the themes raised in the film.

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Date:
Tuesday, Ocotober 13, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair Conference Center, Building 12, Room 116, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402.

Parking: Free parking located in Lot C, under Building 12.

Special Event! Visiting Author: "An Evening with Charlotte Watson Sherman" - In-person

Join us this fall for a special campus visit with author Charlotte Watson Sherman, whose latest book, Learn, Baby, Learn: The Shindana Toy Factory's Legacy of Black Pride, tells the story of the first Black-owned toy company in America and the community that built it after the Watts uprising. Sherman is also the author of Brown Sugar Babe, Mermaid Kenzie, and This Opening Sky, and her work has appeared in Essence, Ms., and The Seattle Times. Come hear her story and get your questions answered in person.

A selection of the author's books will be available for purchase.

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Date:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 12, Smith Auditorium.

Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12

Film Screening: Into the Lion's Den - The Hayden Fry and Jerry LeVias Story - In-person

Join us for "Into the Lion's Den" a documentary by former Iowa Hawkeye Quinn Early about coach Hayden Fry and Jerry LeVias, the first Black scholarship football player in the Southwest Conference. It follows how in 1965 Fry, a Marine-turned-coach known for building character and winning traditions, took the courageous step of recruiting LeVias, a Black high school star, to SMU, and together they helped desegregate college football in the South.

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Date:
Thursday, October 22, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Coffee with Carter! - In-person

Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be available.

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Date:
Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Book Read - The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, by James McBride - Hybrid

In recognition of November’s Education Month, please join Sinclair staff and community members for a meaningful discussion of The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, the New York Times bestselling memoir by James McBride.

This powerful work shares the true story of McBride’s Jewish-raised white mother and her unwavering determination to instill the value of education in each of her twelve children. James McBride, a Pulitzer Prize–winning author and accomplished musician, weaves a narrative that is both deeply moving and inspiring.

This engaging book and discussion promise moments of laughter, reflection, and heartfelt emotion, offering encouragement and perspective during these challenging times.

Pick up your complimentary copy of the book in Building 11-322 OR borrow the book from your local library OR listen to the book, using your favorite audio app.

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Dates:
Tuesdays - October 20, 27 and November 3, 10, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)

Film Screening & Discussion - Otis' Dream - In-person

Complimentary LUNCH included!

Join us for a screening and discussion of Otis' Dream, a powerful short film that tells the true story of Otis Moss Sr., a Georgia sharecropper who risked his life in 1946 attempting to cast his vote. Narrated across three generations — by his son, civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., and grandson Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III — the film traces a single day's journey that became a lasting legacy of courage and activism within one family, and within the broader fight for Black enfranchisement. After the screening, we'll open the floor for a discussion on voting rights, legacy, and what it means to carry a dream forward.

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Date:
Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

2026 Fall Faith Forum - All Are Welcome! - In-person

What do different faiths have in common? Where do they differ? And what can we learn from each other?

Join us for the Fall Faith Forum, an open panel discussion featuring local spiritual leaders from a variety of traditions. Whether you're deeply religious, spiritual-but-not-religious, questioning, or just curious, this is your chance to ask questions and hear honest, respectful dialogue about faith, spirituality, and the human experience.

Come with your questions—leave with greater understanding.

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Contact Multi-Faith Campus Minster, Paul Strozier, for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

Book Read - The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home, by Wil Haygood - Hybrid

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR! Award-winning author and journalist Wil Haygood explores how the Vietnam War became a mirror for the struggle of Black Americans—fighting for freedom abroad while demanding equality at home—and a powerful lens through which to understand the racial and political divides that continue to shape American life.

The author will join the discussion virtually on Week #3 - Don't miss it!

Pick up your complimentary copy of the book in Building 11, Room 322 OR borrow a copy from your local library, OR listen to the book on your favorite audio app.

REGISTER

Dates:
Thursdays - November 5, 12 and 19, 2026

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom or Zoom (a link will be sent to you prior to the event date)

Film Screening - Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts - In-person

Enjoy this film screening and discussion of Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, an award-winning documentary exploring the complex legacy of the all-Black Army regiments formed after the Civil War. Through historian interviews, descendant testimony, and archival footage, the film traces how these soldiers fought for their own citizenship and dignity at home while serving as instruments of U.S. expansion abroad — a story of courage, contradiction, and sacrifice. After the screening, we'll open the floor for a discussion on service, identity, and the cost of the American promise of citizenship.

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Date:
Thursday, November 5, 2026

Time: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College, Dayton Campus, Building 11, Room 324. Our American Journey Classroom

2027 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Save-the-Date!

Details to Follow

Date:
Monday, January 18, 2027

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402

Special Event! Visiting Author Series: An Evening with Wil Haygood

WIL HAYGOOD is the author of ten nonfiction books, many of which have won literary awards. His book, The Butler, was made into a film directed by Lee Daniels. He will visit Sinclair College on Tuesday, January 19, 2027 to discuss his most recent book, The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home.

Haygood has been a correspondent for the Washington Post and The Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In 2022, he received the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Peace Prize Foundation. A Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, Haygood is currently Boadway Visiting Distinguished Scholar at Miami University in Ohio and has recently been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

5:30 p.m. - Doors open! Enjoy Snacks & Drinks - No reserved seats, arrive early for the best seats.

A selection of the author's books will be available to purchase on the evening of the event.

REGISTER

Date:
Tuesday, January 19, 2027

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Smith Auditorium, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402

Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12.

2027 Black Unity Conference, featuring Visiting Author - Tara Roberts

Plans are underway for the 2027 Black Unity Conference. Here's sneak peek at our Special Guest and Keynote Speaker for this year's event:

Tara Roberts is a writer and storyteller whose work shines a light on the origin story of Africans in the Americas—bringing empathy, nuance and complexity to their journey. She was a fellow at MIT’s Open Documentary Lab and, throughout her career, has worked as an editor for CosmoGirl, Essence, AOL, EBONY and Heart & Soul. Tara is the first Black female National Geographic Explorer to appear on the cover of National Geographic magazine, where her story has reached over 26 million people.

Working alongside Diving With a Purpose—a team of Black scuba divers—Tara spent several years searching for shipwrecks that once carried captive Africans during the transatlantic slave trade. Along the way, she documented the stories of the divers, historians, archaeologists and communities she encountered, culminating in the National Geographic Society-funded podcast Into the Depths. This critically-acclaimed series received close to half a million downloads and was included on ‘Best of’ lists for Essence magazine and Spotify. Most recently, she was named the 2022 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, becoming the first Black American to receive the honor. </b>

Robert's most recent release, Written In the Waters, is described as, "An adventurous blend of personal and cultural history from a star National Geographic Explorer and “a pioneer and an inspiration.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love.

SAVE-THE-DATE

Date:
Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6, 2027

Time: TBD

Location: Sinclair College Conference Center, Smith Auditorium, Dayton Campus, Building 12, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402

Parking: Free parking in Lot C, located under Building 12.