<. Julian Bond, a central figure in America’s Civil Rights Movement, a historically influential student activist, and a pioneer politician, will visit Carleton October 6th through 8th for the first ever biennial Broom Lecture in the American Demographic Experience series.
While the entire Northfield community is invited to meet with and listen to Dr. Bond, his time at Carleton will be primarily devoted to speaking with students. This is an unprecedented approach for Carleton visiting lecturers.
“I’m especially excited to learn about Dr. Bond’s ideas for effective activism, since he helped start what was probably the most powerful student activist group in American history,” said Nick Welna ’13. This unique opportunity will allow students to converse with Bond and think seriously about his work, philosophy and teachings.
The Broom Lecture series, which hopes to bring a distinguished scholar in American demographics to Carleton every two years, is the work of Carleton Professor Peter Brandon. The series intends for the scholar to reside on campus for a couple of days in order to mingle and share ideas with students.
“I am delighted that Julian Bond is coming to Carleton to mix with students and share his perspectives with us. With the issues of diversity on college campuses, inclusion, civil rights, and the role of the federal government foremost on people’s minds, this is a unique opportunity to hear the views of a person who has been intimately involved with such issues for over 40 years,” said event organizer Professor Peter Brandon.
The inaugural lecturer, Dr. Bond, has been the Chairman to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1998. The NAACP is the largest and oldest of its kind; this July marked its 100th anniversary.
Dr. Bond has also been greatly involved in the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) since its establishment in 1971. He was the SPLC’s first president and currently serves on its Board of Directors. The SPLC is recognized as “a place that steps up for people when no one else can,” says a student familiar with the organization.
Dr. Bond is currently a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at American University in Washington, D.C., and a faculty member in the History Department at the University of Virginia.
His leadership in social justice began in 1960 when he, along with several hundred other students across the country, founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Dr. Bond served as the group’s Communication Director between 1961 and 1966, where he edited the organization’s newsletter, “The Student Voice.” SNCC pushed the Civil Rights Movement forward by organizing and participating in sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration campaigns throughout the South. At the time Dr. Bond was also studying English at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
While at Morehouse, Dr. Bond founded the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights (COAHR) which helped integrate Atlanta’s public spaces through nonviolent protests.
One semester before graduation, Dr. Bond left college to work for the Atlanta Inquirer, eventually rising to be the paper’s managing editor.
In 1965 Dr. Bond was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. He served in the House until 1975, when he was elected to the Senate. Originally the House voted not to allow Dr. Bond to take his seat because of his vocal disapproval of the Vietnam War. But the Supreme Court ruled the House’s action a violation of Dr. Bond’s rights and he was given his seat. In 1971 he returned to Morehouse and graduated with a B.A. in English and in 1986, after twenty years of service, Dr. Bond retired from the Georgia Congress.
In the 1980s and 90s, Dr. Bond was a commentator on America’s Black Forum, the oldest black-owned television show.
Dr. Bond will be at Carleton between October 6th and 8th. His keynote speech will be on October 8th in the Concert Hall at 12:00 pm (Common Time).