Esteemed Author, Activist, Minister William J. Barber II to Speak at Dickinson
Rev. Dr. William Barber II
Celebrated author, social activist, minister to visit Dickinson Nov. 20
By Supasinee Siripun '27
This event was originally scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
The Rev. William J. Barber II, celebrated author, social activist and minister, will deliver a speech at Dickinson titled “We Are Called to Be a Movement.” The lecture will take place on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium (ATS), 360 W. Louther St. The event is free and open to the public.
The keynote will also be livestreamed and available via a link at clarkeforum.org. A book signing will follow the lecture. Books will not be available for purchase at the event.
Barber asserts that it is time for change and togetherness, and that it's up to us to heed the call to move to higher ground. In this address, he will explore how the American people can overcome the politics of rejection, division and greed; collectively uplift the disadvantaged; and revive democracy.
Barber is president of Repairers of the Breach and a co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. He is a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books, including White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy and We Are Called to Be a Movement. He is also a professor at Yale Divinity School. By relaunching the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign, Barber unites people of all walks of life in a fight against poverty. He has earned national acclaim for his Moral Monday movements, dedicating himself to uplifting those impacted by systematic racism, poverty and injustice.
Barber’s efforts have been recognized through accolades including the 2018 MacArthur “genius grant"; the North Carolina Award, the state's highest civilian honor; the 2015 Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award; and 12 honorary doctorates. Barber has also given national keynotes, including at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and the homily at the 59th inaugural prayer service for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
This program is sponsored by Dickinson’s Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues. For additional information, please visit clarkeforum.org or email clarkeforum@dickinson.edu.
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Published February 7, 2025