National Underground Railroad Freedom Presents John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Glavic
(513) 333-7511
(513) 802-7355
jglavic@nurfc.org
Assia Johnson
(513) 333-7555
(513) 787-2110
asjohnson@nurfc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CINCINNATI, OH (August 2, 2016) - The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center announced today the 2016-2017 John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series—the series connecting the public with award-winning authors, historians and thought-leaders, discussing themes on history, race, culture and modern abolition. The 2016-2017 series begins August 11 at 6:00 p.m. with civil rights icon, author and 2016 recipient of the NAACP Spingarn Award, Judge Nathaniel Jones, where he will discuss his new book, Answering the Call: An Autobiography of the Modern Struggle to End Racial Discrimination in America. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Answering the Call: An Autobiography of the Modern Struggle to End Racial Discrimination in America chronicles Jones’ career in civil rights. Jones was the first African American Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio at Cleveland, appointed by Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He held that position until being appointed to serve as Assistant General Counsel to President's Johnson's National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. In 1969 Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP, invited Jones to assume the responsibility as general counsel of the NAACP. For ten years, he argued several cases before the United States Supreme Court and led national efforts to end school segregation and to defend affirmative action. Jones was later nominated by President Carter to the United States Court of Appeals in 1979 to which he became Senior Judge. He retired from the bench in 2002 but continued to take an active role in numerous organizations and institutions whose missions perpetuate the advancement civil rights causes.
“We are proud to present this engaging lecture series,” says Dr. Michael Battle, executive vice president and provost of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “This series is both unique and accessible—connecting the community with stellar authors, experts and civil rights icons in an open space where conversation is welcomed and understanding is the goal.”
In addition to Judge Jones lecture on August 11, the public will have the opportunity to hear from other such notable authors as: Dr. Manisha Sinha, author of The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition, September 20, and Harry Lembeck, regarding his new book, Taking on Theodore Roosevelt: How One Senator Defied The President on Brownville and Shook American Politics, November 1.
The John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center begins August 11 at 6:00 p.m. Cincy Magazine is the print media sponsor for the 2016-2017 series. The lecture is free open to the public. RSVPs are requested. For more information and to RSVP visit freedomcenter.org.
###
ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.
