Black History Symposium Series
February 8, 15, and 22
This year, Hattiloo dives deep into the complex and multifaceted journey of the Black community within the evolving landscape of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Join us for a series of free, thought-provoking symposia featuring local experts who will share their unique insights and experiences. Prepare to be inspired as these thought leaders deliver compelling keynote speeches followed by dynamic, audience-driven discussions.
These aren’t just lectures; they’re opportunities for our community to come together, share perspectives, challenge assumptions, and collectively envision a more just and equitable future.
SCHEDULE
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM:
- Continental Breakfast & Networking
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM:
- Welcome & Introductions
- Participant Expectations
10:45 AM – 11 AM:
- Break
11 AM – 11:10 AM:
- Speaker Introduction
11:10 AM – 11:30 AM:
- Keynote Address
11:30 AM – 12 PM:
- Moderated Discussion
12 PM – 12:15 PM:
- Break
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM:
- Debrief
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
CHARITY CLAY recently joined the History department as a visiting professor of African American History at Rhodes College. She comes to Rhodes after being a 2023-24 research fellow at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. Before that she was a professor of Sociology at Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. Clay is an integrated methods sociologist of the African Diaspora who has taught courses in Sociology, Women’s and Gender Studies and African American and Diaspora Studies. Her work centers around place based understandings of Black liberation and resistance movements. These movements date back to the 1600s with Marronage from enslavement in the New World; include decolonization movements on the African continent during the 1900s, and provide frameworks for understanding the Social Media era of Black Freedom struggle in the United States.
CHARLES W. MCKINNEY, JR. is an Associate Professor of history at Rhodes College in Memphis. His areas of expertise are the Civil Rights/Black Power Era, African American Activism, and African American Politics. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Morehouse College and completed his doctoral studies at Duke University. His first book was titled Greater Freedom: The Evolution of the Civil Rights Struggle in Wilson, North Carolina. His second project, co-edited with Aram Goudsouzian, is An Unseen Light: Black Struggles for Freedom in Memphis, Tennessee. His most recent book, co-edited with Françoise Hamlin, is titled From Rights To Lives: The Evolution of the Black Freedom Struggle, published by Vanderbilt University Press.
His writing has appeared in newspapers and information venues across the country, including the Memphis Commercial Appeal, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Black Perspectives, Vanity Fair, and MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. He has provided commentary on radio programs across the country, news outlets in the United Kingdom, Europe, China, New Zealand, Australia, and has appeared on CNN.
Charles is the proud father of Vanessa, Ayodele and Chioke, and is married to Natalie McKinney.
RUSS WIGGINTON serves as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum. He assumed this role in August 2021 and brings vast experience in education, fundraising, operations, and community engagement.
Prior to assuming this role, Wigginton served as the Chief Postsecondary Impact Officer for Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) from 2019-2021, where he led the organization’s work for post-secondary access, retention, and completion. Previously he served as vice president for student life and dean of students at Rhodes College from 2017-2019, where he oversaw the college’s co-curricular experience for students. From 2006-2017, Russ served as vice president for external programs and vice president for college relations, where he helped establish and implement institutional strategy for the college’s engagement in Memphis and beyond, and oversaw the college grants, foundations and government relations, alumni relations, communications, career services, and continuing education departments.
Russ taught eight years in the History department at Rhodes, specializing in African American and community history. He has published a book entitled, The Strange Career of the Black Athlete: African Americans and Sports as well as articles and essays on African American social and labor history.
Russ has served on numerous civic boards, including the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis Zoo, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bridges USA, Facing History and Ourselves, ArtsMemphis, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, and several independent and charter schools in the Memphis area.
Russ graduated from Rhodes College with a BA in History and earned a PhD in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
He has a son, Ryan, who is a recent graduate of the University of Richmond and is a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. He is married to Tomeka Hart Wigginton, President and CEO of United Way of the Mid-South.
