The Opal22 Arts and Edutainment Negritude programme will be a yearly programme to get the community to be enthused about debate, literature and the power of talking, reading and writing about authors from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Leicester’s Central Library will play host to the debate series – a fresh thought provoking take on the traditional format of debates.

Negritude examines and upholds the genius of literary Icons from African and Caribbean descent, challenging and championing their impact and contribution to the African literary diaspora.

Negritude is a literary movement. In the 1930’s and 1940’s black writers in Paris made the conscious effort for their cultural identities to shine across the Parisian literary scene. The Negritude movement and its champions concerned themselves not only with the written word but the African diaspora’s cultural, economic, social and political values as a whole.

Register here

Members of the community will be exposed to ideas new and old and encouraged to develop their own critical thinking prowess. With the guidance of rising and established literary stars, participants will be guided through the vast world of literature stemming from the African diaspora.

Guest authors will inspire the participants to read for pleasure, to exercise critical awareness, write for expression and be active members of their local literary scene.

Opportunities to participant in library interventions, perform across new spaces, and become a member of the central library are some of the opportunities that await!

NB: This event occurs every Thursday until the 29th of October 2020.

For more information visit the website

Image credit: Lois Mailou Jones – Harlem Renaissance Oil on Canvas