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Emancipation Proclamation Speakers

Signed by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was an early step to free slaves in the United States. 150 years later, the speakers below will share with you the ramifications of that document and where we must go to ensure equality for all now and forever.

Dr. Boyce WatkinsDr. Boyce Watkins is one of the most highly sought after African-American scholars in the world. Specializing in financial psychology, educational motivation, and black social commentary, Dr. Watkins has presented his message to millions, making regular appearances on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC News, BET, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Black Enterprise Magazine and many more national media outlets. Brilliant, articulate, and...


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Judge Karen Mills-FrancisJudge Karen Mills-Francis has a colorful and engaging style that is as distinctive as her bold burgundy robe and her bright blonde hair. As quick to aid the helpless as she is to dismiss the hare-brained, Judge Karen confidently dished out justice to a national television audience with the half-hour syndicated courtroom series, Judge Karen. She is famous for the lines "Stay in your Lane, I know how to Drive". For fall 201...


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Hill Harper is an award winning actor, bestselling author and philanthropist. Hill is the author of three New York Times bestsellers: Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, and The Conversation. Letters to a Young Brother was named “Best Book for Young Adults” by the American Library Association in 2007. Hill currently stars on the hit television drama CSI:NY as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes. CSI is the most successful television franchise i...


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Donna Brazile

Political Commentator and Chair of the Voting Rights Institute

Veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist, television political commentator, Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the Democratic National Committee, and former chair of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute. Last, but never least, she is a native of New Orleans.   Aside from working for the full recovery of her beloved New Orleans, Ms. Brazile’s passion is encouragin...


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Judy A. SmithJudy A. Smith is the founder and President of Smith & Co, a leading strategic and crisis communications firm with offices in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Over the last 25 years, Ms. Smith has brought her unique combination of communication skills, media savvy, legal and political acumen to clients facing a wide array of issues and challenges throughout the United States and abroad. Ms. Smith honed her skills through her experien...


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Hard hitting, inspiring, intelligent, honest, and direct. These are some of the words used to describe the style and approach of Emmy award winning broadcaster Ed Gordon. Known for his stellar interaction with newsmakers from the worlds of politics, entertainment, and sports his name is synonymous with the “big” interview. Gordon’s knack for landing exclusives and his no-nonsense style make him one of television’s most respected journalists. Now,...


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Kenneth Morris

Direct Descendant of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington

Kenneth B. Morris, Jr. is descended from two of the most important names in American history: he is the great-great-great grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great grandson of Booker T. Washington. His life until the year 2007 could be described as distinguished yet decisively disengaged from his lineage until Providence called.   Today, Ken's career and life path are driven by a mission to end human trafficking and all forms of servit...


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"Pursuing Justice...Because You Deserve It"   Acknowledged by President Barack Obama as a National Emerging Leader, Christopher M. Chestnut, Esq. is America’s next great voice for legal justice.  Chestnut, a Florida native and graduate of Florida State and University of Florida’s Levine School of Law, served on the Florida finance team for then presidential candidate Obama, which helped lead to a convincing victory in the battleground state.   ...


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  Farai Chideya is a multimedia journalist who has worked in print, television, online, and radio. Prior to joining NPR's News & Notes, Chideya hosted Your Call, a daily news and cultural call-in show on San Francisco's KALW 91.7 FM. Chideya has also been a correspondent for ABC News, anchored the prime time program Pure Oxygen on the Oxygen women's channel, and contributed commentaries to CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and BET. She got her start as a researc...


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Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is one of the leading hip-hop generation intellectuals in the country. His work, which covers topics such as hip-hop culture, politics, sexuality, education and religion, has appeared in numerous journals, magazines, books, and anthologies. Dr. Hill has lectured widely and provides regular commentary for media outlets like NPR, Washington Post, Essence Magazine, and New York Times and has been a regular guest on CNN, MSNBC, a...


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Gregory S. Parks, J.D., Ph.D., is a leading scholar, author, and lecturer on (1) Black Greek-letter organizations ("BGLOs") and (2) the role of unconscious race bias in contemporary society. Dr. Parks has served as a law clerk for judges on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, Prince Hall Affiliated.   Dr. Parks...


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John W. Marshall

John Marshall, son of Thurgood Marshall, our nation's first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, specializes in motivational speeches dealing with his father's role in our nation's civil rights movement and his place in American History.

John W. Marshall is the younger of two sons of Thurgood Marshall, the lead attorney in Brown v Board of Education, and our nation’s first African-American Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. John specializes in motivational speeches dealing with his father’s role in our nation’s civil rights movement and his place in American history. He has also been the featured speaker for numerous law enforcement and fire and rescue rel...


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Christopher J. Tyson is an Assistant Professor of Law at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. His teaching and scholarship focuses on the areas of local government law, real estate and urban development. Professor Tyson’s interests also include matters of race, politics and youth mentoring. Prior to joining the faculty of the LSU Law Center, he practiced as a real estate and land use attorney with the law firm Jones Walker...


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