The Department of Writing, Rhetoric, & Discourse welcomes Dr. Cedric D. Burrows, an assistant professor of English At Marquette University, on Tuesday, February 9 at 4:30–6:00pm. Dr. Burrows will present a research talk titled "Whitescripting and Afroplaining Reconstruction, Black Power, and Black Lives Matter," drawn from his recent book Rhetorical Crossover: The Black Presence in White Culture. Dr. Burrows will explore how the mainstream and African Americans narrate the events of Reconstruction, The Black Power Movement, and Black Lives Matter, three events in American history that have often been subject to misinterpretations in dominant culture.

Whitesplaining operates under the belief that African Americans are unequipped to function in American culture without a degree of dependency on whites. Thus, it dictates that whites are better spokespersons about the Black experience. In response, African Americans create Afroplaining, which uses direct language to challenge dominant narratives and reaffirm African American identity. Thus, this presentation examines how these dual narratives affect the discussion of Reconstruction, The Black Power Movement, and Black Lives Matter in mainstream culture.