African American Speakers

Charles Johnson

National Book Award winner for Middle Passage, Dr. Charles Johnson writes captivating novels that address issues of being African-American in today’s U.S. society.

Derrick Pitts

NASA’s first Astrobiology Ambassador & Chief Astronomer and Planetarium Director at the Franklin Institute.  His motto: Eat, breathe, do science. Sleep later.

Lorene Cary

Powerful storyteller, educator, and social activist delivering autobiographical, historical, and fictional stories about issues surrounding race and class.

Shola Lynch

Award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and film curator of documentaries: Free Angela & All Political Prisoners and Chisolm ’72-Unbought and Unbossed

Charles Neblett

Original Civil Rights Movement Freedom Singer – Civil and Human Rights Activist. President and founder of Community Projects, Inc.

Nikki Giovanni

World-renowned poet, activist, writer and educator. Over the past thirty years, Nikki Giovanni, one of the foremost black poet activists, has brought the eyes of the world upon her.