Georgia State Center for Studies on Africa and Its Diaspora to Host Fourth Annual Global Read-a-Thon

ATLANTA — Literature will once again unite audiences from around the world in celebration of Africa and the African diaspora during Georgia State University’s Global Read-a-Thon, led by the Center for Studies on Africa and Its Diaspora (CSAD).

The fourth annual CSAD Global Read-a-Thon is set for Feb. 18 and will bring together scholars, authors, artists and students for a shared exploration of dramatic works from across Africa and the African diaspora.

This year’s theme, “The Table Read,” spotlights landmark plays and the communities that continue to bring them to life.

“By gathering readers and performers around the same table, we honor the playwrights whose words have carried our histories, challenged our imaginations and brought our communities together on stages across Africa, the African diaspora and the world,” said Edvige Jean-François, executive director of CSAD.

Suzanne Malveaux, founder of Malveaux Global Media, will return as host. A former CNN anchor and White House correspondent, she brings a reporting background and global perspective that have been central to the program’s success.

This year’s lineup includes actor Keith Arthur Bolden, opera singer Indra Thomas, August Wilson scholar Sandra Shannon, True Colors Theatre Artistic Director Jamil Jude, Nigerian actress and director Joke Silva and Atlanta Ballet dancer Rachel Zinman. The group is joined by academics Isaiah Wooten of Swarthmore College and Anastasia Wilson with Georgia State’s School of Film, Media and Theatre. Wooten and Wilson will lead the table read, contributing expertise in African and diasporic literature and performance.

Global collaboration remains central to the Read-a-Thon, with Germany returning for the fourth time and readers from Kenya, Nigeria and St. Croix taking part. The program will also feature live interviews with participants joining from overseas.

Students played a central role in the lead-up to this year’s Global Read-a-Thon. On Feb. 4, Renee Schatteman, an associate professor in Georgia State’s Department of English, led a student edition of “The Table Read” at Georgia State’s Troy Moore Library. The student edition featured Georgia State students participating in dramatic readings and facilitated discussions of the plays, helping set the stage for the worldwide event Feb. 18.

“Each year, the Global Read-a-Thon invites us to gather around literature in new and meaningful ways,” said Elizabeth West, a professor of English, director of academics for CSAD and the Amos Distinguished Chair in English Letters. “In 2026, ‘The Table Read’ puts the vibrancy of dramatic writing at the forefront, connecting the Georgia State community — and our global partners — through the shared experience of bringing plays to life.”

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) will livestream the Read-a-Thon on its website for the second year in a row. Viewers can also watch the broadcast on YouTube and Facebook Feb. 18 from 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit csad.gsu.edu/2026-csad-global-read-a-thon/.

The Center for Studies on Africa and Its Diaspora is an academic research center focused on increasing global understanding of people from Africa and the African diaspora and their ongoing contributions to the world. CSAD, housed in Georgia State’s College of Arts & Sciences, brings together scholars, thinkers and innovators from the public and private sectors to address critical issues affecting Africa and its diaspora and to identify solutions that support a more equitable and principled society. Learn more at csad.gsu.edu.