It started last year with a young New York City teacher by the name of Ruth Sherman who read a book she thought would educate her African-American and Hispanic students about their culture.

Some parents felt threatened by the book, titled “Nappy Hair,” and Sherman eventually resigned from her school.

Sherman then contacted Carolivia Herron, author of the book, about her situation.

“Over 50 people attacked Ruth before even reading the book,” Herron said Thursday night, in her speech given in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

About 250 students, faculty and community members attended Herron’s presentation.

Herron, an African American, said she was upset at the ignorance of those attacking Ruth and the book.

“The parents figured that a book with that title must have been written by a white author,” she said.

The night started off with a reading of “Nappy Hair” by the Iowa State minority theatre group.

Many members of the audience read along with their own copies of the book.

Since age three, Herron wanted to be a writer, she said.

After reading “Paradise Lost” and “The Iliad” during her teen-age years, she realized she wanted to write an epic about her African-American heritage.

“The book is my child, and the readers are my grandchildren,” Herron said.

She also touched on what many African Americans have to go through while growing up, including situations they face and how they must conform to others’ standards.

Amber Wichmann, junior in elementary education, said she found Herron to be “very moving.”

“It does a lot for a young child struggling in a school where he is the minority,” she said. “I like how she focused on the dialect; I feel that is an important aspect of the culture.”

Several audience members complimented Herron on her energetic speech.

“I enjoyed the presentation a lot,” said D’bra Thompson, senior in management information systems. “I felt it was geared towards me, an African-American female, and I can relate to it from times throughout my life. I appreciate that.”