Slavery to Freedom series continues legacy while looking toward the future

When Marita Gilbert first attended the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s William G. Anderson Lecture Series Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey, she was a graduate student at MSU, navigating winter semesters and long stretches of academic work. Each February, during the university’s observance of Black History Month, the series arrived at just the right moment.

“It always felt like it came at a time when you needed something to push you through the rest of the semester,” she said.

For Gilbert, the series was more than a set of lectures. It was an opportunity to hear directly from policymakers, activists, advocates and change agents, many of whom had been on the front lines of civil rights struggles, without ever leaving campus. That access, she said, left a lasting impression.

“I loved that I could have access to their knowledge, experience and wisdom right here,” she said. “Not just as a student, but as part of a larger university and community.”

Now, years later as associate dean of Osteopathic Engagement and Community Practice at MSUCOM, Gilbert leads the Slavery to Freedom Series, carrying forward a program deeply rooted in legacy while intentionally shaping its future. Central to that work is honoring the foundation laid by William Anderson, whose vision and advocacy created the series. Gilbert describes him as a trailblazer within osteopathic medicine and the broader community, someone who used both his professional platform and personal stature to advocate for justice and stronger communities.

“He leaves an indelible legacy on this college, this university and the communities he served,” she said. With Dr. Anderson’s retirement last year, that legacy has become even more present.

For Gilbert, stewarding the series means protecting its purpose while allowing it to evolve.

“I see this as very forward-looking,” she said. “It is not only about thinking of our history as something in the past, but about what each of us has the opportunity to contribute in creating our future.”

That perspective guided the vision for this year’s series. In a moment when the value of historical knowledge is often questioned, Dr. Gilbert wanted conversations that honestly acknowledge where the country has been, including moments that are uncomfortable, while also recognizing resilience, progress and collective strength.

“If we speak honestly about our history, there are things we may not want to celebrate,” she said. “But there are also things that demonstrate our strength as communities.”

The 2026 Slavery to Freedom Series continues a 26-year tradition of featuring living icons of the American Civil Rights Movement and community change makers. This year’s speakers and lectures include:

• Feb. 5: Jelani Cobb, dean of the Columbia Journalism School, who will present “The Half-Life of Freedom, Race and Justice in America” at the MSU Multicultural Center.

• Feb. 12: Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, who will speak at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

• Feb. 26: Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway of the Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective, who will appear at the MSU Multicultural Center.

All events are offered at no cost and can be attended in person or virtually.

> Find more Black History Month events planned on campus this month.

This year’s speakers were selected with that balance in mind. The lineup of Cobb, Kendrick and Mary Ann and China Pettway brings together voices from journalism, sports history, art and cultural preservation, offering both intellectual depth and practical insight. While each event stands on its own, Gilbert said the speakers often end up in conversation with each other, even across different weeks.

“I love seeing how those connections emerge,” she said.

Selecting speakers is an intentional process. Participant feedback from previous years plays a role, as do national conversations around culture, history and justice. Gilbert is also deliberate about amplifying voices and perspectives that have not yet been included, while creating intergenerational dialogue between long-standing advocates and emerging leaders.

“Freedom work looks different across generations,” she said. “And that is something we want people to see and understand.

“Our history is nuanced. It is complicated. It is rich. It is informed by moments that are not pretty and moments that are triumphant and joyful.”

She hopes this year’s attendees walk away recognizing that history is not something owned by the past, but something actively shaped in the present. “We are all collaborators in the history we are making today,” she said. “We all own a piece of it, and there is work yet to be done for each of us.”

Several new elements further expand the reach of this year’s series. For the first time, a Slavery to Freedom event will be hosted at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. The location holds special meaning, according to Gilbert. Wright was also a physician and a contemporary of Anderson, and both men used their professional and community platforms to advance freedom work.

“It feels like a really powerful moment to be in that space,” Gilbert said.

Another new component will center on quilting and visual history, with guests from Gee’s Bend, Ala., and engagement with MSU’s archival quilt collections — among the largest of their kind in the country. Gilbert hopes these experiences help participants consider how history is preserved and carried forward, not only through words, but through art and tradition.

Ultimately, Gilbert sees the Slavery to Freedom Series as a place where seeds are planted.

“Not necessarily for the next Dr. Anderson,” she said, “but for the next individual who will do something phenomenal on behalf of community.”

If something learned through the series becomes a springboard for what comes next, she said, then the series continues to fulfill its purpose, honoring the past while shaping the future.

This story originally appeared on the College of Osteopathic medicine website.