Luther College presents the Spring 2019 Humanities Distinguished Lecture

Award winning historian, author, professor and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, Ibram X. Kendi will present the Humanities Distinguished Lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 28 in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life on the Luther College campus.

This event is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Kendi’s lecture will focus on the topics discussed in his books, “The Black Campus Movement: Black Students and Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education, 1965-1972” and “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America,” the latter of which allowed him to become the youngest winner of the National Book Award at the age of 34.

Kendi’s visit to campus is a part of a series of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of Luther’s Black Student Union.

Some of Kendi’s achievements include being a visiting professor at Brown University, a 2013 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow and a postdoctoral fellow at the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis among many other fellowships. He received a degree in journalism from Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University and his doctorate in African American studies from Temple University.

The Luther College Black Student Union is an organization that was established in the fall of 1968 by a group of students looking for a space to celebrate their culture, accomplishments and share in their struggles. The yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of this organization formally commenced during homecoming 2018 on the weekend of Oct. 26. It continues with a calendar of lectures, speakers and other events to celebrate BSU’s 50th anniversary.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,005, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.