The OLC is excited to announce that Ohio native, award-winning journalist and author Wil Haygood will speak during the 2022 Convention and Expo on Thurs., Sept. 29 at the Glass City Center in Toledo. Haygood has brought to life some of the most important stories in American history. His 2008 Washington Post article about an African-American man who served eight U.S. presidents inspired the film The Butler, and his most recent book, Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World, reflects a lifetime of thinking about the lack of representation of Black people in movies.

As a middle-schooler growing up in Columbus, Haygood went to the movies a lot and he noticed that the performers had one thing in common: They were white. In his new book, Haygood spans the history of Hollywood, noting the prejudices, stereotypes and other obstacles faced by filmmakers and actors of color as they attempted to bring their stories to the screen. He will share his thoughts on race in America, freedom of the press, and seeing his work turned into a Hollywood film during his keynote presentation entitled, “The Profound Importance of Libraries in a Writer’s Life.”

Registration for the Convention and Expo will open in July, but you can book your hotel room now at a reduced rate. More information about this year’s Convention and Expo is available at olc.org/convention-expo.