Black History Month

Celebrate the legacy, courage and vision of Black leaders during February and all year long with these inspiring Black History Month speakers.

Host one of these renowned thought leaders, Civil Rights activists, influencers and C-Suite changemakers to amplify Black voices that empower organizations to engage in meaningful conversations and create a more inclusive and understanding community.

Judge Victoria Pratt

<p>The Black and Latina daughter of a working-class family, Victoria Pratt learned to treat everyone with dignity, no matter their background. When she became Newark Municipal Court’s chief judge, she knew well the inequities that poor, mentally ill, Black, and brown people faced in the criminal justice system.</p><p>Judge Victoria has gained national and international acclaim for her commitment to reform the criminal justice system.

Bakari Sellers

<p>Bakari Sellers recently released a <i>New York Times </i>Best Seller <i>My Vanishing Country: A Memoir</i>. The book has been described as part memoir, part historical and cultural analysis illustrating the lives of America’s forgotten black working-class men and women.</p><p>Bakari recently expanded his audience with the <i>Bakari Sellers Podcast</i>, a twice-a-week show that is part of The Ringer Podcast Network.

Kevin Blackistone

<p>Kevin Blackistone spotlights the power of sport as an institution to illuminate critical social and political issues and serve as a platform to ignite social change.</p><p>Kevin is an award-winning national sports columnist at <em>The Washington Post</em>, a panelist on ESPN’s <em>Around the Horn</em>, and a contributor to NPR. He is also a professor at the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism and co-author of <em>A Gift for Ron</em>, a memoir by former NFL star Everson Walls.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch

<p>One of the most highly accomplished public figures in America today, Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch has been a leading progressive voice during her 30+ year highly distinguished career.</p><p>She is the first female African American Attorney General of the United States, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2015. She also served as the head of the U.S.

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson

<p>Named one of the 150 most powerful African Americans by <i>Ebony</i> magazine, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, an American Book Award recipient and two-time NAACP Image Award winner, “is reshaping what it means to be a public intellectual by becoming the most visible black academic of his time.” </p><p>Dr.

Keith Boykin

Keith Boykin is a national political commentator, TV and film producer, New York Times best-selling author, and a former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. His latest books are Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America (2021), Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom (2022) and Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? (2024).

Soledad O'Brien

<p>Celebrated for her compelling storytelling and in-depth reporting, Soledad O’Brien shares with audiences thought-provoking insights drawn from a career covering major news events, conducting high-profile interviews, and producing acclaimed documentaries. </p><p>One of our nation’s most respected voices in journalism, Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, author, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories. </p><p>Soledad’s most recent projects include the award-winn

Angela Davis

<p>Iconic activist Angela Davis has made it her mission to share her life story and challenge her audiences to join the struggle for racial, economic, and gender justice. </p><p>Angela has been deeply involved in some of the major social movements over the last 50 years. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., by parents who were active community organizers. As a teenager, she marched and picketed against racial segregation. Angela went on earn a doctorate in philosophy.