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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The pursuit of truth in a time of widespread cynicism and doubt about the very idea of truth will be explored during the University Center for the Humanities 2018-19 speaker series "Truth."

Seven scholars from across the nation will come to the Western ¾ÅÒ»Â鶹ÖÆƬ³§ University campus to discuss this central theme of the humanities. The series begins with two talks Tuesday, Sept. 25, and others to follow through spring semester.

Khalid el-Hakim, curator of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, opens the series at 3:30 p.m. in 2008 Richmond Center on the WMU campus with a presentation titled, "The Truth Hurts: Black History, Honesty, and Healing the Racial Divide." His talk will center on the development of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum with a focus on the current exhibit "’68: How Far Have We Come?" Using original artifacts from the exhibit, he will make present-day connections with the past by inviting the audience to engage in an honest dialogue about the impact of racism and the struggle for social justice in America.

That evening, Dr. Marion Nestle of New York University reveals how the food industry manipulates nutrition science and suggests what can be done about it. Nestle, Paulette Goddard professor, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health; and professor of sociology, will speak at 6:30 p.m. in Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, on "Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat."

Upcoming talks

All events in the series "Truth" are free and open to the public. For events on campus, free parking is available in Parking Structure 2, adjacent to Miller Auditorium.

• Sept. 28: Angela Davis, visiting scholar, Kalamazoo College, 2 p.m., WMU Dalton Center Recital Hall, "Art and Activism: On the Inside Out."
• Oct. 30:  Nikole Hannah-Jones, author and investigative journalist, 6 p.m., Miller Auditorium, "Race And Education In America."
• Nov. 8: Dr. Lara Blanchard, Lace Professor of East Asian Art, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 6:30 p.m., Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S. Park St, Kalamazoo, "Women Envisioning Women in Contemporary China: Subjectivity, Objectification, and the Problem of Authenticity in Art."
• Feb. 21: Mark Nepo, poet, author and philosopher, 7 p.m., 2452 Knauss Hall on the WMU campus, "More Together Than Alone: The Power and Spirit of Community."
• March 28: Kevin Young, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and poetry editor for New Yorker, 7 p.m., 2452 Knauss Hall on the WMU campus, "Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News."

For more information, visit the University Center for Humanities.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.