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My name is Julie L. Lester. I am an Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Composition at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tennessee. My dissertation engaged the work of Zora Neale Hurston and its influence on Caribbean writers of Speculative and Science Fiction, the inimitable Nalo Hopkinson, and Erna Brodber. I graduated with my Ph.D. in African American Literature from the University of Memphis in 2011 under the sage guidance of Dr. Reginald Martin, Ph.D. Being very evidently Caucasian, one of the first, and (obviously) unavoidable questions my students ask me is why I chose African American Literature as my specialty. My response is that I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. My parents, John and Willene Lester, both educators in their own rights, grew up in Neshoba County, Mississippi. As a young person, I grew up relishing the aroma of fresh cornbread and turnip greens, fried chicken, pole beans, boiled peanuts, collards, fresh corn, molasses,...

On April 25th, 2012, I had the distinct pleasure of accompanying my English 2650 (African American Literature) class from Southwest Tennessee Community College, on a field trip to the National Civil Rights Museum located at the historic Lorraine Motel. We were able to tour the museum, which included the hotel room shared by Dr. Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy shortly before King's assassination on April 4, 1968. Below are a few photographs I took of the event.  One of the most iconic signs of African American--and American History. My students, Yram Sikes and Holly Melcalf. Lauren and Holly meeting me at the Museum. Stacy Scott, Terrika Finnie, Holly Metcalf, Tamarly Eatmon, Patricia Tia, Van Taylor, Lauren Rose, Nakisha Vaxter, Yram Sikes, Whitney Phipps, and Marvin Mcneal.  Lauren Rose. A perfect, candid moment. Wreath that marks the site where Dr. King was murdered. Jaqueline Smith continues her protest against the b...