DECORAH -- A historian, educator and author will present a plenary address at the fifth annual Midwest Black History Conference on Feb. 29 at Luther College.

Timothy Tyson will talk about memory as a historical moment at the one-day conference, which draws history writers, researchers, scholars and performers to interpret the black diaspora.

Tyson wrote "Blood Done Sign My Name," the story of a racially motivated murder from his childhood and his father's involvement as an advocate for equality. Tyson is an adjunct professor at Duke University and the University of North Carolina.

The 2008 Black History Conference will also commemorate the legacy of Mahalia Jackson, a renowned gospel singer who helped move the genre into American mainstream culture.

The conference coordinator is Sheila Radford-Hill, executive director of the Luther Diversity Center.

Plenary sessions include a tribute to Jackson by gospel singer Mary Williams, who will perform and discuss her ministry. A gospel choir organized by Luther College Ministries and the Luther Diversity Center will perform with Williams.

The conference will include an art exhibit of limited edition prints by Richard Thomas that portray black heritage in the 1960s and today. The exhibit will be the focus of Thomas' presentation on visual art, memory and justice. Thomas was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and resettled in Waterloo.

The conference, titled My Soul Looks Back: Music and Memory in the Black Experience, is accepting registrations. For information, schedule and registration forms, go online at luther.edu/student-life/diversity/conference/index.html or call the Luther Diversity Center at (563) 387-1014.

A $25 registration fee covers the cost of conference sessions, materials and meals.