BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) African-American Studies Program will host its annual open house event, "Talking Books," from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 in Heritage Hall Lobby, 1401 University Blvd. The event is free and open to the public. Call 205-975-9652 for details.

The open house is an opportunity for current and prospective students to learn about the African-American Studies Program and to meet its faculty and staff.

The term "Talking Books" is a metaphor for the blend of African-American oral tradition and the Euro-American written tradition, organizers say. It comes from the autobiography of a slave named Olaudah Equiano who wrote and published his life story as The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African in 1788.

About the UAB African-American Studies Program
The UAB African-American Studies Program is built on expertise in many disciplines, including history, political science, literature, music, sociology, public health and foreign language.