Earl Graves Jr. will speak at 7 p.m. tonight in the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium as part of Black History Month.

Graves, CEO of the magazine Black Enterprise, will address various ways in which blacks are portrayed in the media.

“He was invited to speak because as the CEO of a major magazine, Black Enterprise magazine, the students believed that he could speak about the topic of media portrayals very eloquently,” said Campus Activities Board Activities Advisor Lesley Clements.

Graves’ appearance will kick-off CAB’s speaker series for the spring semester.

“CAB always attempts to program speakers of an educational and entertaining nature who can provide audience members the opportunity to broaden their view of their world.” Clements said. “This will be a time for students to hear Mr. Graves speak and ask questions, as the CEO of a magazine, as to how they make decisions on who and what to write about in the publication.”

“It is important for students to come and listen because he shares his portrayal of black Americans, how we are seen in the media, the news and magazines,” said Devetta Blackman, CAB’s Unity and Diversity coordinator.

Future CAB speakers will include award-winning journalist Joan Morgan in March and travel documentary host for the Travel Channel Doug Lansky in April.