Steve Cokely holds these truths to be self-evident: Jews inject black children with the AIDS virus and they are conspiring to control the world.

Cokely, who has been proclaimed the most controversial black speaker and researcher, will be speaking again at NIU. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium of the Holmes Student Center.

Cokely’s last appearance in October drew 400 students to the auditorium and raised much controversy. In a pamphlet advertising the event, tonight’s appearance promises to provide an “even stronger message for the so-called minorities.”

At his last appearance, Cokely promised to return to NIU and give a free lecture. Last semester’s event was sponsored by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and cost $500.

Shantan Russell, vice president of the Black Interhall Council, attended Cokely’s last lecture. “I could agree with certain things he said,” Russell said. “He made a lot of sense to me.”

Michelle Emmett, director of University Programming and Activities, said, “It’s the basic philosophy of the university to allow freedom of speech for all activities and events as long as they do not jeopardize the safety and welfare of the community and sometimes this means bringing in speakers or artists who may be controversial and/or inflammatory.”

A representative from CAB said although members of the organization sponsored Cokely’s October appearance, they were given a completely different agenda than what actually was covered.

“We want everyone to be aware we are not sponsoring his appearance this semester,” the representative said.

Willard Draper, assistant director of Student Housing Services, was unwilling to divulge any information about his involvement with Cokely’s appearance. He did say that one of the groups he heads is sponsoring the event.

As a student at NIU in 1975, Cokely has said he was sent to a psychiatric ward for allegedly threatening the life of then-NIU President Richard Nelson.

In May 1988, after a three-year appointment as coordinator of special projects in Chicago, Cokely was fired from his position because of racial comments he made against Jews.

Before the “anti-semantic” controversy, he had been fired by a former Chicago alderman for criticizing Columbus Day as a “racist holiday.”

Additionally, Cokely has contended that Jews are part of an international conspiracy to rule the world. He also has urged the parents of black students to remove their children from school.

Cokely also has said he believes immunization programs are a cover-up for “mandatory disease receiving.”