In a culmination of events celebrating Black History Month, Mississippi State University will host guest speaker and CNN journalist Soledad O’Brien tonight at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. The event is sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center and the President’s Commission on the Status of Women.
O’Brien was selected and invited to be a guest speaker almost a year ago by CAB and will be lecturing on the topic of diversity. Her lecture, “Diversity on TV, Behind the Scenes and in our Lives,” is a part of the MSU Global Lecture series, which brought director Spike Lee to campus in November 2009. In addition to her successful career, O’Brien is a sought-after speaker who travels and lectures about her books and documentary work.
Cynthia Walker, division head of Speakers’ Committees for CAB, said O’Brien will also talk about her travels and experiences doing documentary work in different cultures.
“She is going to talk about how she adapted to being on TV and to working with different people,” Walker said.
She said O’Brien will talk about her work on several documentaries, one of which is called “Black in America.” This documentary examines the changes in African-American culture since the Martin Luther King Jr. era. O’Brien has also reported extensively on Hurricane Katrina and the Thailand tsunamis.  
CAB Student Director Lacey Johnson said O’Brien will talk about bridging racial gaps and walso said the lecture will be an interesting one. Johnson also said CAB tries to bring in guest lecturers whom students will recognize and who will draw large crowds.
“O’Brien has name recognition,” Johnson said. “The things she has always stood for are things we would like to have on campus.”
Johnson said she is hoping for a large audience.
“This is something we are really excited about. We are hoping for a huge turnout and to fill Lee Hall,” Johnson said.
Jackie Mullen, assistant director of the Colvard Student Union, said since the lecture falls between February and March, it will celebrate February as Black History Month, but also recognize March as Women’s History Month.
Mullen said the evening will begin with a reception hosted by CAB and HCDC and a select few students from these organizations will join O’Brien for dinner and have the opportunity to talk with her in a smaller environment.
A question and answer session will follow O’Brien’s lecture.
“Students, faculty, staff and community members will have a chance to ask her questions from the audience after she presents her speech,” Mullen said.
After the question and answer session, there will be a book signing in the Bettersworth Auditorium lobby, giving students a chance to meet and talk to O’Brien. Barnes & Noble will be selling copies of O’Brien’s books, including “The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities.”
Mullen said every year, CAB tries to bring in at least one speaker as part of its Global Lecture series, with usually only one a year being possible because of funding.
She said this will be a great opportunity for students to hear an inspirational and well-traveled speaker and is an event all students can benefit from.
“O’Brien has been all over the spectrum in the area of global issues,” Mullen said of the journalist’s work.
“O’Brien has name recognition,” Johnson said. “The things she has always stood for are things we would like to have on campus.”
Johnson said she is hoping for a large audience.
“This is something we are really excited about. We are hoping for a huge turnout and to fill Lee Hall,” Johnson said.
Jackie Mullen, assistant director of the Colvard Student Union, said since the lecture falls right after February and at the beginning of March, it will celebrate February as Black History Month, but also recognize March as Women’s History Month.
Mullen said the evening will begin with a reception hosted by CAB and HCDC and a select few students from these organizations will join O’Brien for dinner and have the opportunity to talk with her in a close environment.
A question and answer session will follow O’Brien’s lecture.
“Students, faculty, staff and community members will have a chance to ask her questions from the audience after she presents her speech,” Mullen said.
After the question and answer session, there will be a book signing in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium lobby, giving students a chance to meet and talk to O’Brien. Barnes & Noble will be selling copies of O’Brien’s books, including “The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities.”
Mullen said every year, CAB tries to bring in at least one speaker as part of its Global Lecture series, but usually only one speaker can come to MSU because of funding.
Mullen said this will be a great opportunity for students to hear an inspirational and well-traveled speaker and is an event all students can benefit from.
“O’Brien has been all over the spectrum in the area of global issues,” she said of the journalist’s work.