DURHAM, N.C. - Have African Americans been disproportionately affected by the recession? And, if so, what can be done about these negative impacts?

These will be the questions on the minds of black economists and other experts at an African-American Economic Summit Nov. 1-2 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.

Free public discussions will cover topics including housing, education, labor, wealth, health and incarceration as they pertain to African Americans and their communities. After the discussions each day, experts will hold private sessions to draft policy recommendations for correcting ills identified in the discussions. The recommendations will be sent to North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue and President Barack Obama.

The summit is presented by UNC's Institute of African-American Research and Duke's Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality. Sessions open to the public will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 1 in UNC's Hyde Hall and from 8 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Nov. 2 in Duke's Social Sciences Research Institute conference room at 2024 W. Main St., Durham.

"The economic crisis is so dire," said Fatimah L.C. Jackson, director of UNC's institute and co-organizer of the summit. "This will be one of the few times that economists with expertise in the issues facing African Americans will have a collective voice in making policy recommendations."

Added William "Sandy" Darity, summit co-organizer and director of Duke's Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality: "There has never been a forum to construct a policy agenda addressing the economic crisis in black America conducted by black economists. The premise behind the summit is that the combination of the current economic crisis and ongoing black-white disparities make it compelling that the voice of black economists be heard."

Nov. 1 speakers will include N.C. Rep. Dan Blue (D-Wake) on "North Carolina and the U.S. Economic Situation" and Andrea Harris, director of the nonprofit N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development, on the "Economic Situation of N.C. African-Americans."

On Nov. 2, speakers will include economists Julianne Malveaux, president of Bennett College in Greensboro; Ronald A. Johnson, dean of the business school at Western Carolina University; Sandra Phillips, assistant professor of finance at Syracuse University; and Patrick Mason, a professor of economics and director of the African-American studies program at Florida State University.

Go here for a complete schedule and list of presenters and to register. For more information, call (919) 962-6810.