NewsOne To Host Inaugural "Barack Obama Day"

ATLANTA, Feb. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- iOne Digital's leading online platform for news and information for and about Blacks in American, NewsOne will host its inaugural "Barack Obama Day" at the historical Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. This day of programming will be dedicated to exploring the work and legacy of the nation's first African American president. The symposium will feature a diverse group of thought leaders, public intellectuals and writers, including keynote speaker, scholar and author, Michael Eric Dyson, author Mychal Denzel Smith (Invisible Man Got the Whole World Watching), cultural critic Michaela Angela Davis, Panama Jackson (Very Smart Brothers), writer Rembert Browne and Joshua DuBois (former Presidential advisor and author, The President's Devotional), as well as scholars Greg Carr (Howard University), David Wall Rice and Jamila Lyn (Morehouse College). The symposium will be live-streamed at Newsone.com/bsulive/ beginning at 10AM EST.

An exclusive reception for local influencers and young professionals will take place at the members-only club, The Gathering Spot, and will feature a discussion about Obama's support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, moderated by author/political commentator, Marc Lamont Hill. Guests will enjoy a special preview of Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities and a Q+A with filmmaker, Stanley Nelson. The film which examines the impact HBCUs have had on American history, culture, and national identity will air nationally on the PBS series, Independent Lens in early 2018.

"The relationship between our audiences and this president is a complicated and special one," says Jamilah Lemieux, Vice President of News and Men's Programming at iOne Digital. "It is our goal to use this holiday as an opportunity to have healthy, nuanced dialogue about his successes, his challenges and what the African American community must do to continue to push for equality in this country," continues Lemieux. "We hope that Obama Day will continue to grow in the years to come, and that folks will host similar events in their own communities."

Barack Obama Day is powered by NewsOne and Black Students United, an upcoming iOne Digital platform dedicated to connecting Black students at both HBCUs and Traditionally White Institutions (TWIs) across the country, in partnership with Planned Parenthood and the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. Other event supporters include the United Negro College Fund, Firelight Media, Sister Song, Liquid Soul, Village Micro Fund, and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta - Young Professionals.

For additional information on NewsOne's "Barack Obama Day" event, please contact Natarsha Gilliard at ngilliard@interactiveone.com or call (646) 695-3814.

About NewsOne

NewsOne is your destination for news and information for and about Blacks in America. Filled with original stories, diverse opinions, photos, videos and polls, let NewsOne be your daily stop and make your voices heard! For more information, visit www.newsone.com

About iOne Digital

iOne Digital is the definitive digital platform for African American and Millennial audiences, reaching millions each month through its suite of online, mobile, social and content offerings. It owns and operates a number of branded destinations, including GlobalGrind (Millennials), HelloBeautiful (Women), NewsOne (Affluent) and TheUrbanDaily (Men) - as well as digital destinations for dozens of local radio stations and syndicated radio talent. Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, radio-one.com] launched iOne Digital (originally Interactive One) to complement its existing portfolio of media companies targeting Black Americans. Since then, its news, entertainment, video and lifestyle content has driven its growth. For more information, visit www.interactiveone.com.