February 11, 2008

TV personality, author Boykin to speak at Purdue on diversity

The speech, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. and is sponsored by Purdue's Black Cultural Center.

Boykin is a host of the BET show "My Two Cents" and also has appeared on the Showtime television series "American Candidate." His other media appearances include "Oprah," "The Montel Williams Show," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Tony Brown's Journal," "Tom Joyner Morning Show" and numerous other television and radio programs.

He is the author of several books, including "Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies and Denial in Black America," which made the New York Times bestseller list in 2005. He also has written "The Politics of Gay Rights," "Dangerous Liaisons" and " Gay Men at the Millennium." His book "One More River to Cross: Black and Gay in America" is taught in colleges and universities throughout the country.

Boykin was a special assistant to President Bill Clinton and also was appointed by Clinton along with Coretta Scott King and Rev. Jesse Jackson to a U.S. presidential trade delegation to Zimbabwe in 1997. He taught political science at American University in Washington, D.C., from 1999 to 2001. He is founder and first board president of the board of the National Black Justice Coalition. Boykin delivered a landmark speech to 200,000 people at the Millennium March on Washington.

He is a graduate Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, where he was a classmate of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

"Keith Boykin is among America's leading commentators on race and sexual orientation," said BCC director Renee Thomas. "This will be a great opportunity to hear his views on what needs to be done to become more inclusive."

Writer: Greg McClure, (765) 494-9394, gmcclure@purdue.edu

Source: Renee Thomas, (765) 494-3091, rathomas@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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