With all of the talk about the media, the timing could not have been better for a presentation at Lauralton Hall in Milford by history professor and author Dr. Darryl Mace about the role of the press in shaping public opinion. Students gathered on February 13th in observance of Black History Month to hear Dr. Mace’s thought-provoking lecture/discussion, “The Power of the Press: From Fire Hoses and Freedom Rides to Flippant Speculations and Fake News.”
Dr. Mace, Chair of the History and Political Science Department at Cabrini University and author of In Remembrance of Emmett Till, asked the student body to consider the role of the press in bringing about social change in the Civil Rights movement and to examine the role of the media in shaping their own opinions.
“As educators we have a responsibility to help young people understand and appreciate the critical role of the media in the past and in the present,” said Lauralton Hall President and Head of School Dr. Toni Iadarola. “A free press is essential to our democracy. We wanted to remind students that, as part of being well-informed citizens, they can make conscious choices as consumers of news.”
When a Lauralton student asked Dr. Mace for his thoughts on how to stop the spread of fake news, Mace’s advice was “Don’t click. Consider the news source and be intentional about the news you select. The more we click, which is what allows these outlets to thrive, the more fake news perpetuates.”
Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of Mercy, Lauralton Hall is the first independent Catholic college-prep school for young women in Connecticut. More than 470 students from over 40 Connecticut towns attend. Inspired by the Mercy Tradition, their mission is to empower young women to pursue their highest potential through lifelong learning, compassionate service, and responsible leadership in a global society. For more information, visit www.lauraltonhall.org. Lauralton Hall is located at 200 High Street, Milford.
About Dr. Darryl Mace
Dr. Darryl Mace is Chair of the History and Political Science department at Cabrini University in Philadelphia. He studies cultural history, the Civil Rights Movement, the experiences of Africans in the diaspora, media studies, popular culture, and gender theory. Mace earned his Ph.D. in History and a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies from Temple University.
PHOTO: Lauralton Hall students listened to author and Professor Dr. Darryl Mace discuss the role of the press in shaping public opinion at an assembly at the high school on Feb. 13th in honor of Black History Month.