From April 26-29, the Institute for Research in African-American Studies (IRAAS) at Columbia University will be hosting the Manning Marable Memorial Conference. This year's theme will be "A New Vision of Black Freedom" and will feature presentations on everything from Critical Black Studies to police brutality and the politics of graffitti and tattooing.

The conference will also include Sujatha Fernandes, whose recently published Close to the Edge: In Search of the Global Hip-Hop Generation, offers a fascinating look at hip-hop, cultural identity and politics. 

For more information on the conference, including the registration information, full schedule and speaker bios, as well as lodging and contact information, please visit the IRAAS website.