AN award-winning author, whose work sparked a formal apology from US President Bill Clinton for that country's treatment of an African-American war hero, is to speak at the Elbow Beach Hotel this weekend.

Also a noted historian and professor, Dr. Robert Allen will speak at a gala banquet in honour of the Friends of the College Library's (FOCL) tenth anniversary.

His works have consistently achieved prestigious awards ? , received the Nonfiction Award from the American Library Association in 1996 and the American Book Award in 1995, while a television documentary, , won both Emmy and Media Alliance Awards.

However, it is perhaps his most recent work, , which introduced Dr. Allen to the American public. The book, which chronicles the heroism, rejection and eventual recognition of an African-American soldier's efforts in World War Two, concludes with a formal apology by President Clinton and the US Army.

"I think that was an important step that was taken there," he said in an interview from his home in California. "To acknowledge the injustice that was done with Sgt. (Eddie) Carter, a black soldier in World War Two, and in the Port Chicago case ? another book that I wrote about the injustice that was done to the young African American sailors there.

"I think it was important to recognise that what happens in these situations, is that resistance to discrimination and segregation of the black community is often criminalised. People who take part in protests, who try to stand up for justice, are treated as criminals and end up in the criminal justice system with the result then, that instead of seeing these individuals contributing to social change they instead become demonised as criminals."

Dr. Allen will read from his book at the Bermuda College Library tonight. Although a collection of works by African-Americans, he feels that Bermudians should be able to understand the struggles expressed by the authors. "I think in every society, including Bermuda, there is a struggle to develop our young people," he explained. "Certainly here in the United States ? and probably in Bermuda as well ? young, black men in particular, have been often left out of social, economic, and cultural development. They're often excluded."

q Dr. Allen is to read from his award-winning book, at the Bermuda College Library at 7 p.m. this evening. Admission is free and copies of the book will be available for signing after the reading. He will also be the keynote speaker at a reception and gala banquet in the Bermuda Room of the Elbow Beach Hotel at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets, $110, are available from Daurene Aubrey. For more information, telephone 239-4034.