Posted on October 6, 2005 at 4:40 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Ten years ago the principal of tiny Randolph County High School stood before his assembled students and pronounced that no interracial couples would be allowed to attend the senior prom. Student Revonda Bowen, who is biracial, stood and challenged the edict and its motives. In response, she says, the principal said he wanted to prevent “mistakes” like her.

Bowen’s battle for her dignity focused the world’s attention on this small Deep South community and sparked an international debate on racism. Now she has told the story of those events, along with what has happened to her since then, with the help of her editor, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) associate professor of management Vickie Cox Edmondson, Ph.D.

The two will sign their book, No Mistakes, No More Tears: The Revonda Bowen Story (Authorhouse 2005), at a reception Saturday, October 22, 7-9 p.m., at the UAB School of Business, 1150 10th Avenue South. The event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the Birmingham Chapter of the National Black MBA Association, Alabama Black Faculty Association, UAB African-American Faculty Association and Law Office of Reginald McDaniel. To attend, RSVP by Saturday, October 15 to www.revondabowen.com and click the RSVP tab.

No Mistakes, No More Tears: The Revonda Bowen Story is the story of Bowen’s courageous stand against her principal and racism. She said this book is her gift to all young people who must stand up for themselves.

Books may be ordered through the publisher, Authorhouse, www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=30821, or any online book store