In Memoriam: Toni Morrison (February 8, 1931- August 5, 2019)

Toni Morrison was a Nobel Laureate in Literature, an academic, and a public intellectual of great global importance throughout her intellectual and public life that spanned across 20th and 21st Centuries. Morrison's work continues to inspire artists, civil rights' activists, academics, and intellectuals as newer interpretations and readings of her corpus, both fiction as well as non-fiction, enriches the understanding about politics, power, race, gender, and history not only in the US but globally.

TISS Patna Centre has been doing research, training, and other activities around migration as well as justice. Toni Morrison's oeuvre provides a unique perspective to think at the intersection of migration and justice. The rich tapestry of Morrison's fictional world woven through the historical experience of slavery, migration, civil rights' movement, and quest for liberation and the strident yet sagacious voice of her non-fiction prose is relevant in the contemporary times as we grapple with multiple phenomena of refugeehood, internal migration, and violence in civic and public life at a global scale.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Patna Centre in collaboration with the Department of English, Patna University and College of Arts and Crafts, Patna University is organizing this event in remembrance of Toni Morrison.

Keynote speakers are Dr. Shreya Bhattacharji, Head of Department, Department of English, Central University of Jharkhand and Shri Prem Kumar Mani, well-known author. Dr. Bhttacharya will give an introductory lecture about the literary works of Toni Morrison. Shri Mani will speak about the relevance of Toni Morrison for the vernacular literature of protest in India. Students of Patna Women's College will stage a short play based on the key characters of Toni Morrison's novels. There will also be a poster exhibition depicting the life and works of Toni Morrison.

This memorial program brings together academics, activists, artists, intellectuals, students, and public to speak about the life, legacy, influence, and continuing relevance of Toni Morrison.