San Jacinto College North Campus will present a lecture entitled “Misrepresentation in the Media” Feb. 25 as part of a series of events paying tribute to Black History Month.

Black History Month is a yearly tradition for the College, with each campus hosting a multitude of commemorative events during February.

Integrated Reading and Writing (INRW) professor, and event organizer Ron Burnett said he hopes the lecture will “start a dialogue” regarding the manner in which African Americans are presented in news and entertainment.

Furthermore, he said he hopes to “posit to the audience that there are many factors that contribute to a ‘poor and biased’ representation of African Americans in the media and by the media.”

Likewise, Burnett said misrepresentation of the African American community is not intentional.

“The media is getting it wrong about African Americans ‘on accident’ and through misinformation with little or no fault of their own,” Burnett said.

In addition, Burnett said he is confident this lecture can stand out from the numerous events held at the College by generating raw and sincere discourse.

“We haven’t the room for political correctness when truth is at stake,” Burnett said. “Then, and only then, can an honest dialogue, motivated by understanding, be achieved.”

While the event was created as an accolade to Black History Month, Burnett said it also aims to advance society on a larger level; in the way people think of, and perceive, themselves and one another.

“If this conversation can move people in that direction,” Burnett added, “then that will be an important step forward in history, and not Black history.”

Meanwhile, North campus’s Men of Honor director, Ron Hopkins said the lecture, along with the other events, is significant for both students and the College.

“It is important for us to host events to commemorate Black History Month because one of the core values of the College is diversity,” Hopkins said. People of all ethnic backgrounds need to try to understand and cooperate with others of different ethnic backgrounds.”

“Misrepresentation in The Media” will take place Wed., Feb. 25, at 11:30 a.m. in the Monument Room of the Slovacek Student Center on North campus.