In honor of Black History Month, Coastal Carolina University will present a lecture given by Cassandra L. Jones, "Jumping off the Screen: Race, Violence and Adolescence in 'The Hunger Games,'" on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. in the Edwards Recital Hall. It is free and open to the public.

Jones, who is an instructor of African American studies at the University of South Carolina Upstate, will explore the intersection of gender, race and violence from America's past into the present. She will discuss the roles of innocence and grief in "The Hunger Games" and in the recent racially charged deaths of African Americans by law enforcement.

The figure of Rue in the 2012 film adaptation of the best selling book "The Hunger Games" represents black girlhood, innocence and purity. Her death in the film demonstrates the cruelty of the film's government and leads to a rebellion. Upon the film's release, fans took to the Internet to discuss the character being cast as an African American. Rue's skin tone made some fans feel her death "wasn't as sad," demonstrating how racism impacts empathy towards the character based on skin tone and not based on her youth or innocence.

The Edwards Recital Hall is in room 152 in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts on 133 Chanticleer Drive W.

For more information, contact Jamie Piperato, assistant director for multicultural student services, at 843-349-2792.