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Image for event: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture: Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture: Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.

The 40th Anniversary Year

2025-01-19 14:00:00 2025-01-19 16:00:00 America/New_York Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture: Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture is sponsored by the Akron Summit County Public Library and the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Main Library - Auditorium

Sunday, January 19
2:00pm - 4:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-01-19 14:00:00 2025-01-19 16:00:00 America/New_York Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture: Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture is sponsored by the Akron Summit County Public Library and the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Main Library - Auditorium

Main Library

Auditorium

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture is sponsored by the Akron Summit County Public Library and the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

ASCPL Commemorates 40 years of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture Series.

JUST ANNOUNCED: This event will be also livestreamed! A link to the livestream will be available on akronlibrary.org beginning at 1:45 pm.

Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.

New York Times Bestselling Author & James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, Princeton University

One of the nation’s most prominent scholars, Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. is an author, political commentator, public intellectual and passionate educator who examines the complex dynamics of the American experience. His writings, including Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul, In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America and the New York Times bestseller Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for our Own, take a wide look at Black communities, the difficulties of race in the United States and the challenges we face as a democracy.

Glaude’s latest book, We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For, will be released in April 2024. Based on the Du Bois Lectures he delivered at Harvard University, Glaude shows how ordinary Black Americans can shake off their reliance on a small group of professional politicians and pursue self-cultivation and grassroots movements to achieve a more just and perfect democracy.

In his writing and speaking, Glaude is an American critic in the tradition of James Baldwin and Ralph Waldo Emerson, confronting history and bringing our nation’s complexities, vulnerabilities and hope into full view. Hope that is, in one of his favorite quotes from W.E.B. Du Bois, "not hopeless, but a bit unhopeful."
Some like to describe Glaude as the quintessential Morehouse man, having left his home in Moss Point, Mississippi at age 16 to begin studies at the HBCU and alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He holds a master’s degree in African American Studies from Temple University and a Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University.

Glaude is known both for his inspiring oratory and ability to convene conversations that engage fellow citizens from all backgrounds — from young activists to corporate audiences looking for a fresh perspective on DEI. In 2011, he delivered Harvard’s DuBois lectures. His 2015 commencement remarks at Colgate University titled, "Turning Our Backs," was recognized by the New York Times as one of the best commencement speeches of the year.
Combining a scholar’s knowledge of history, a political commentator’s take on the latest events, and an activist’s passion for social justice, Glaude challenges all of us to examine our collective American conscience, "not to posit the greatness of America, but to establish the ground upon which to imagine the country anew."

This is a free event. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors to the auditorium will open at 1:30 pm.

Free parking is available in the High Street parking deck on weekends.

    Eta Tau Lambda Logo

AGE GROUP: | Teen | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Holiday | History | Community Event |

TAGS: | |

Main Library

Phone: 330.643.9000
Branch manager
Michael Bianchi

Hours
Mon, Sep 08 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Sep 09 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Sep 10 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Sep 11 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Sep 12 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Sep 13 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Sep 14 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.

Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.

Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.

Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.

Upcoming Events

Thu, Sep 11, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Sep 11, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 11, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 11, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Sep 11, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Thu, Sep 11, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Sep 12, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Sep 13, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Special Collections

Sat, Sep 13, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Mon, Sep 15, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Sep 15, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Mon, Sep 15, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 16, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Sep 16, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Tue, Sep 16, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Wed, Sep 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Sep 17, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Wed, Sep 17, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Wed, Sep 17, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Sep 17, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Atrium

Wed, Sep 17, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab

Thu, Sep 18, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Sep 18, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 18, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 18, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1

Thu, Sep 18, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Fri, Sep 19, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Sep 20, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Sep 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Sat, Sep 20, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Auditorium

Mon, Sep 22, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Sep 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Mon, Sep 22, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Sep 23, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Sep 23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space B

Rescheduled
Tue, Sep 23, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
New date Tuesday, September 23, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Tue, Sep 23, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Wed, Sep 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Sep 24, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Sep 24, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Sep 24, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Meeting Room 1

Thu, Sep 25, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Thu, Sep 25, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Sep 25, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 25, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Sep 25, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Sep 25, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Auditorium

Thu, Sep 25, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Sep 26, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Sep 27, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Mon, Sep 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Mon, Sep 29, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
115 E. Market St., Akron, OH 44308

Tue, Sep 30, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Sep 30, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Wed, Oct 01, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Oct 01, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Oct 01, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Oct 02, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Oct 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Oct 02, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Oct 02, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Fri, Oct 03, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Oct 04, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Sat, Oct 04, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Atrium,Auditorium,Meeting Room 1,Meeting Room 2AB,Meeting Room 3

Sat, Oct 04, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone
Registration opens Saturday, September 13 2025 at 10:00am

Mon, Oct 06, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Oct 07, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Oct 07, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center

Tue, Oct 07, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Business, Government & Science Patent Alcove

Wed, Oct 08, 9:30am - 11:00am
Auditorium

Wed, Oct 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Oct 08, 11:30am - 1:00pm
Auditorium

Wed, Oct 08, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Oct 08, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Oct 08, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
TechZone
This event is full

Thu, Oct 09, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Oct 09, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Oct 09, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Oct 09, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Oct 09, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Oct 10, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Fri, Oct 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Oct 11, 9:00am - 1:00pm
Special Collections

Sat, Oct 11, 10:15am - 12:00pm
Business, Government & Science Patent Alcove

Sat, Oct 11, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Sat, Oct 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm