McGill Community for Lifelong Learning

Color influences our perception because the brain uses colors to interpret space, mood, temperature, depth, and meaning. Different colors can change how we emotionally and physically experience an environment. Our reactions to color are shaped by both biology and culture. For example, blue is often associated with trust and stability in many western cultures, which is why many companies use it in logos and user interface. So, color does more than decorate our surroundings — it actively shapes emotion, behavior, focus, and spatial awareness. Come and discover how colors can change the perception of your surroundings.

This talk explores the discrimination, disenfranchisement, segregation and violent repression of African Americans in the U.S. South from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Frank describes how state laws and social customs enforced strict separation of Whites and Blacks in transportation, schools, housing, libraries, theatres and washrooms. He explores the thinking behind the system, the impact on African Americans and the struggle that finally brought the era to an end.