Author of book on Barbara Johns to speak at Longwood April 2

Teri Kanefield, an author whose books for young readers include a biography of civil rights pioneer and Prince Edward County native Barbara Johns, will speak Wednesday, April 2, at 7 p.m. in Longwood University’s Wygal Auditorium.

The event, free and open to the public, will include a booksigning at 8 p.m. by the San Francisco resident who also writes short stories and essays.

Kanefield is the author of The Girl from the Tar Paper School: Barbara Rose Johns and the Advent of the Civil Rights Movement, a Junior Library Guild Selection published in January 2014. In a recent review, the Richmond Times-Dispatch called it a "fascinating and intimate portrayal of a revolutionary protest, its young leader and her community." The book tells the story of the important role Farmville played in the civil rights movement.

Kanefield is the fifth speaker in the Longwood Leadership Forum, which began in January. The series highlights outstanding examples of leadership in the arts, education, literature, sciences, technology and philanthropy. For more information, call (434) 395-2003 or visit the Longwood Leadership Forum online.

This is presented in partnership with the Friends of the Janet D. Greenwood Library and the Robert Russa Moton Museum.