Journalist and author Roland S. Martin will deliver a commentary on race, politics, and ethics in public life, April 20 at 4 p.m. in Sage Chapel. His talk, "It's Time For Us to Rebuild," is free and open to the public.

The hour-long presentation will be accompanied by music performed by Christina Blacken '10 and the Cornell World Drumming and Dance Ensemble, conversation with the audience, a book signing and a reception in the chapel.

The event is an Africana Sunday Program, a once-a-month event in the Sage Chapel Vespers Series that is devoted to issues of concern and creativity in the African and African-American communities.

In his talk, Martin will reference a passage from the Book of Nehemiah, in which Nehemiah seeks to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.

"At a time when we see rampant black-on-black violence, politicians tossing their careers away due to sexual immorality and the prophetic voices from the pulpit coming under attack, Nehemiah's vision to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem carries significant meaning today because the walls of faith and morality have crumbled," Martin has said. "The lessons Nehemiah offers us can be the right blueprint to rebuild that wall to protect us from the evils in society."

Martin is a frequent contributor to CNN, known for his commentaries on race and the Democratic Party in the presidential primaries. He is a special correspondent for Essence magazine, a nationally syndicated columnist and host of a Chicago radio show.

He is the author of two books: "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America" (2002) and "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" (2007). For more information, visit http://www.rolandsmartin.com.

Sage Chapel Vespers is an integrated program of spoken word, music and other art forms that celebrate the humanistic and spiritual aspects of the university's intellectual pursuits. The series theme for April is "Belief and Public Life." For information, contact Roberta Moudry at (607) 272-4068 or visit http://www.curw.cornell.edu/sage.html.