African American Speakers

Dr. Reagon is a Freedom Singer who highlights her forty year journey as a cultural activist, scholar and artist. Founder of 'Sweet Honey In the Rock,' she renders her passionate convictions in a moving and memorable mixture of song and spoken word, drawing on the life stories of 19th and 20th century African American women whose struggles for freedom guide her in this moving presentation.

"Dynamic", "heartwarming" and "soulful" are words often used to describe Lucas' portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His uncanny resemblance to King is breathtaking, and his performance consistently brings standing ovations and a deeper appreciation of King's life, work and vision.

Best-known for her Obie Award-winning play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, Ntozake Shange's work is informed by her passionate interest in issues relating to race and feminism. Named "A Living Legend" by the National Black Theatre Festival, Shange has declared herself "a poet first, and a playwright second". Her work empowers women to take responsibility for their lives by learning to love themselves and challenge their oppressors.

Leading the battle for environmental justice, from dealing with the toxic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to curbing urban sprawl, Dr. Bullard tells the stories of frontline warriors who are fighting environmental and human rights abuses. His research and activism challenges government and industry policies that place people of color and the poor at special risk. He is the author of 15 books, including “Race, Place, and Environmental Justice After Hurricane Katrina.”

A true Renaissance man, Johnson is a poet, Buddhist philosopher, novelist, teacher, cartoonist, screenwriter and essayist. His writing, including the National Book Award winning novel, "Middle Passage," braids history, philosophy and artistry to show how the power of the past shapes the present. His engaging speaking style draws the audience into an unforgettable dialogue.

Professor Overton is the author of Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression, a book describing the way that politicians manipulate election laws to their advantage while diluting the value of the average American's vote. He is a law professor at The George Washington University Law School and a leading election law scholar.  Overton served as Chairperson of Barack Obama's Government Reform Committee, a group of more than 30 experts who advise the Obama presidential campaign on campaign finance reform, lobbying, voting rights and government ethics and transparency policies. 

Jerry Lawson, former lead singer, arranger & producer of the legendary Persuasions for 40 years & 22 albums, is heading in many new directions. Among his variety of new endeavors he is  now presenting a unique 'musical lecture'  titled “Don’t Start Me To Talkin’.”  This program is hardly a dry lecture of music history. It offers a lively and entertaining look at the lineage of a cappella singing in America from slavery to R&B and pop to rap. He’ll also share a sneak peek from an upcoming documentary about his life and stellar career. A show for all ages, Jerry guarantees a night of fun, and laughter filled with songs, stories, and sing-alongs. A real “hallelujah goodtime"!

New York Times best-selling author, journalist, performance poet, songwriter, screenwriter, entrepreneur, innovator and energetic and fiery speaker, Tyree is a true Renaissance man who discusses literature, culture, racism and business strategies with ease.

With his work both praised and attacked for the forceful vision and social critiques they bring to audiences, the provocative director and producer has become an American film icon, and continues to lead the way in defining the African American experience for millions of people. Lee talks about movies, money, race and the need for greater diversity in film, media and life.

Fonzworth Bentley is a pop icon, musical artist and author who caught the world's attention as the flawlessly dressed personal assistant to Sean P Diddy Combs. Now he's the one sharing his secrets and working to bring his generation back to the grace and dignity of their ancestors.

Rapper, scholar, bestselling author, educator, and community activist. A powerful and self-assured woman of color, she provides eloquent insights into today's social issues, which are rooted in her deep love and pride for the African American community. Her novel "The Coldest Winter Ever" has received critical praise as a gritty and powerful coming-of-age story.

The founding chairman and national organizer of the Black Panther Party compares the activism of the 1960s with new-millennium social change advocacy. He covers topics as diverse as all peoples: civil-human rights and economic liberation in today's high tech computerized scientific globalized social order. He is the author of A Lonely Rage and Seize The Time.

Abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth's life is told in her own words using her speeches and songs in this dramatic presentation by Kathryn Woods.  Born a slave, Isabella Baumfree walked away from slavery to become an evangelist, when she wasn't being a maid or laundress.  In her travels she met preachers and advocates of all sorts, and evolved into Sojourner Truth.

This Oscar-winning actor is known all over the world for his sensitive and powerful portrayals in such socially charged films as No Way Out, Blackboard Jungle, The Defiant Ones and In the Heat of the Night, just to name a few. His activism and dynamic acting have made him one of Hollywood's most respected and honored stars for more than five decades.

Roy Brooks, author of "Re-Thinking the American Race Problem" is a leading legal scholar and civil rights activist. He argues persuasively that African Americans are owed reparations for the centuries of enslavement their ancestors endured. Brooks' new book is "Racial Justice in the Age of Obama."

An award winning journalist and former Washington Post reporter, Patrice Gaines works to empower girls and young women at risk, drawing from the heart of her experiences on the streets and in prison. She is the co-founder of Brown Angel Center, seeking to provide formerly incarcerated women and their families with the tools to renew their lives. Gaines is author of Laughing in the Dark and Moments of Grace: Meeting the Challenge to Change.

June Cross follows news coverage and cultural thinking about race, sex, Hollywood, and politics.  She is an Associate Professor at Columbia Journalism School, a writer, and an award-winning  producer. Her first book, a memoir titled “Secret Daughter,”  (based on an Emmy-winning documentary) was published by Viking in May 2006. She has worked for PBS’s Frontline  and  The Newshour, as well as  for CBS News. Her most recent documentary, The Old Man and the Storm, followed three generations of a New Orleans family as they struggled to return to normal lives. It aired on PBS’ FRONTLINE in January 2009. 

In 1859, Frederick Douglass, a relentless anti-slavery orator, was being sought by the state of Virginia with a warrant of arrest for his alleged activity in the armed assault on the Federal Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. This historical moment beset with national and personal drama is the setting for "Frederick Douglass, 1859." Guy Peartree renders Frederick Douglass with sensitivity to the historical and folkloric features of this period in American history.

Journalist and author of “In Conflict: Iraq War Veterans Speak Out on Duty, Loss and the Fight to Stay Alive,” which was turned into an award-winning play. Latty is also the author of the critically acclaimed “We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans, from World War II to the War in Iraq.” 

A world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator, and one of the most widely read American poets, Giovanni remains as determined and committed as ever to the fight for civil rights and equality. Her focus is on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others.

Lorene Cary has written “Black Ice: A Memoir”, “The Price of a Child: A Novel”, and “Pride: A Novel”, along with “Free!: Great Escapes from Slavery on the Underground Railroad” – a collection of real-life stories for children. She is the recipient of many awards, including the Women’s Way Agent of Change Award.