Center of Racial Justice, W.E.B. Du Bois Center to Host 2026 Black Artistic Freedom Conference Feb. 21
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The College of Education’s Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research (CRJ) and the UMass Libraries W.E.B. Du Bois Center will bring together educators, scholars, students, artists and thought leaders to Furcolo Hall for its annual Black Artistic Freedom Conference 2026: TV OFF: Hip-Hop as the Revolution for Critical Conversations and Resistance to Conform, a daylong event featuring symposium, networking reception and poetry slam on Saturday, Feb. 21.
Now in its third year, the conference merges education and activism through the arts, uniting scholars and creatives across multidisciplinary fields. The program, spearheaded by a steering committee composed of graduate and undergraduate students from across the university, offers a platform for in-depth discussions, workshops and exhibitions that highlight the cultural significance of Black creativity as a catalyst for societal change.
This year’s conference will feature scholars and professional artists from across the country, including keynote speaker, J. Ivy, a hip-hop poet, two-time Grammy Award Spoken Word winner and author.
Imani J. Wallace, education doctoral candidate and conference founder, said this year’s conference theme emerged from Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 single “TV Off” from his album “GNX.” The song blends personal introspection with societal critique, encouraging reflection on authenticity, community and the complexities of urban life. Sampling Gil Scott-Heron’s protest song, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” Lamar critiques societal distractions and urges listeners to observe injustices that often go unreported and focus on what truly matters.
“Those are the moments when people need to stand together to show that there is power in numbers,” Wallace said. “There is a voice when people dance together, come together and create space with one other.”
A symposium including sessions, panel discussions, research presentations, performances, Ivy’s keynote address and distinguished guests will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided.
From 5-8 p.m., the W.E.B Du Bois Center will host the W.E.B. Du Bois Poetry Slam Invitational in Furcolo’s Carney Family Auditorium. In partnership with the UMass Amherst W.E.B. Du Bois Center, students and guest poets are invited to competitively showcase spoken-word poetry in honor of Black History Month and the life and legacy of Du Bois.
All events are free and open to the public. Registration, which is due Sunday, Feb. 8, can be completed via the Black Artistic Freedom Conference online form.
For more information, visit the College of Education website or contact Wallace at iwallace [at] umass [dot] edu (iwallace[at]umass[dot]edu).
This event is hosted by CRJ, the UMass Amherst College of Education, the UMass W.E.B. Du Bois Center, with support from partners across campus and beyond.