Story updated due to change in April Ryan's event date.
For 20 years, the William G. Anderson Lecture Series, “Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey,” has featured icons of the American Civil Rights Movement and inspirational leaders from across the country dedicated to social activism and racial equality. Continuing this legacy, the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine will again present three nationally recognized speakers in February.
Kevin Murriel, senior pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, kicks off the series at 5 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center auditorium. He is the author of “Breaking the Color Barrier: A Vision for Church Growth through Racial Reconciliation,” an assistant professor of theology at Emory University and a social activist focused on translating methods from the Civil Rights Movement into modern-day strategies.
At 5 p.m. on Feb. 18, White House Correspondent and CNN political analyst April Ryan will speak at Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre. Ryan is the author of several books, her latest is titled “Under Fire,” and has been covering urban issues from the White House since the Clinton era. She was the recipient of the 2017 National Association of Black Journalist’s “Journalist of the Year” award and is an esteemed member of the National Press Club.
Bankole Thompson will close the series at 5 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center auditorium. Thompson is a leading voice on race, leadership and free speech issues and his work has played a crucial role in the fight for racial equality and economic justice. He is a regular op-ed columnist for the Detroit News and the editor-in-chief of The PuLSE Institute, a Detroit-based think tank committed to addressing the underlying issues of poverty and ways to fight it.
Each lecture is free to attend and will be followed by a reception, giving audience members the opportunity to meet and talk with the speaker. No reservations are required.
To learn more about the series, visit the Slavery to Freedom Facebook site or call the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at 517-432-4979.