The 84th session of the "Science and Art" Assembly was held on March 12, 2026, at the Fikrat Amirov Conference and Concert Center on Khazar University's Bashir Safaroglu campus. This session was dedicated to the presentation of "In Search of Samad Vurgun and His Black Hero," a research work by Prof. Acad. Hamlet Isakhanli, founder of Khazar University and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Trustees.
Hamlet Isakhanli opened the session with introductory remarks and delivered the keynote address, which was accompanied by photographic and video materials. Noting that the absence of a name for the Black hero in People's Poet Samad Vurgun's poem "The Wishes of a Black Man" had sparked his interest in conducting research, Isakhanli emphasized that the subject had transcended mere curiosity and evolved into a formal scholarly inquiry. In pursuit of identifying this Black hero, the doors of libraries, archives, and numerous institutions across the United States and Poland were approached. Stating that the hero had ultimately been "found" following an intensive and lengthy investigation, Isakhanli pointed out that the figure had been erroneously presented as a painter, when in fact he was the singer Aubrey Pankey. The presenter also spoke about Pankey's artistic qualities as a vocalist. Following the address, lyrical music videos featuring Vurgun's Black hero were screened.
Remarks on the subject were delivered by Prof. Firdovsiyya Ahmadova (Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan), Prof. Eynulla Madatli (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of ANAS), Prof. Rahila Geybullayeva (BSU), Prof. Aslan Salmanov (Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature of ANAS), and others.
The session of the "Science and Art" Assembly concluded with discussions.