New York Times Columnist Charles Blow, known for his thought-provoking Op-Eds and recent memoir, “Fire Shut Up My Bones,’’ will be the opening speaker for the 2015-16
Eckerd College Presidential Event Series.
His talk, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Eckerd College Fox Hall.
The annual Presidential Event Series brings well-known scholars, artists, writers, scientists and other distinguished individuals to the campus for conversations about critical issues affecting the world today. This year’s focus is on race, class, gender and sexuality.
Blow’s frank discussion of race, social injustice, culture and politics has earned him a considerable following both
in the New York Times and as a TV commentator for CNN and MSNBC. His memoir details his experience growing up in poverty, his history of childhood sexual abuse, graduating magna cum laude from Grambling State University in Louisiana, and eventually landing a job with one of the most prestigious newspapers in the country.
The Presidential Event Series continues on Thursday, Sept. 17, with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and
Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee. The author of “Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War,’’ Gbowee led the women’s peace movement that played a role in ending the second Liberian civil war.
She is currently president of an organization providing educational and leadership opportunities to girls, women and teens in West Africa.
Her TED Talk discusses the untapped potential of girls to transform the world.
For more information about the Eckerd Presidential Series, including additional talks throughout the year,
follow this link.
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