UB’s Distinguished Speakers Series will resume on Feb. 16 at the Center for the Arts with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, who will serve as the keynote speaker of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.
Hannah-Jones is best known for her work as the creator of “The 1619 Project,” which highlights the interconnectedness of enslaved Africans with modern institutions. The project is named after the year that enslaved Africans were brought to the U.S. “The 1619 Project” highlights Black creators’ work in mediums of art and essays to reconstruct the narrative of Black history. Hannah-Jones’ work with the project earned her a Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
Hannah-Jones is an investigative reporter for the New York Times Magazine, where she focuses primarily on issues of racism and racial discrimination in housing. She has won a Peabody and two George Polk awards, as well as the National Magazine Award three times.
Jeff Corwin, a renowned conservationist and environmental journalist, will be final Distinguished Speaker for the 2021-2022 series. He will come to UB on April 5.
Julie Frey is the senior news/features editor and can be reached at julie.frey@ubspectrum.com
Julie Frey is a senior news/features editor at The Spectrum. She is a political science and environmental studies double major. She enjoys theorizing about Taylor Swift, the color yellow and reading books that make her cry. She can be found on Twitter @juliannefrey.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
