Cornell Hosts Angela Davis for Significant Lecture on Liberation and Activism

Angela Davis' Insights on Social Justice Highlighted in Upcoming Cornell Lecture

Civil rights activist and writer Angela Davis will deliver the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture on February 3, titled “The Struggle for Liberation Today.” A professor emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Davis is expected to share her insights on liberation movements. Sharifa A. Wip, associate dean of students and co-chair of the event, expressed excitement about welcoming Davis, praising her as a key voice in liberation and education with a lifelong commitment to empowering future generations and advocating for the Civil Rights Movement.

Davis is renowned for her work on prison abolition, police reform, and the intersections of race, gender, and class. She popularized the concept of the “prison-industrial complex” and advocated for a 21st-century abolitionist movement. In addition to her autobiography Angela Davis: An Autobiography and Freedom Is a Constant Struggle, she co-authored Abolition. Feminism. Now and Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises Vol. 1.

Angela Davis, who previously visited Cornell in 2007 and 2014, will deliver the 2025 Commemorative Lecture marking the 30th anniversary of the LGBT Resource Center and celebrating her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. Karys Everett, a staff member at the centre, expressed excitement about Davis’ visit, emphasizing its importance in the face of growing attacks on marginalized identities. After the lecture, Everett will lead a Q&A session. In-person attendees must register in advance, and the event will be live-streamed with a recording available for registrants.

The event is sponsored by various Cornell institutions, including the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making, Black Student Empowerment, Gender Justice Advocacy Coalition, and the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives. Additional sponsors include the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support, and several other organizations, such as the LGBT Resource Center, Asian and Asian American Center, and Black Students United. This lecture promises to be a profound and inspiring event, celebrating her enduring commitment to social justice and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

Editor’s Note:

Angela Davis’ lecture on February 3rd, titled “The Struggle for Liberation Today,” promises to be a significant event, offering her valuable insights on liberation movements. Davis has been a leading voice in advocating for prison abolition, police reform, and the intersections of race, gender, and class. Her visit to Cornell, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the LGBT Resource Center, is particularly meaningful given her long-standing support for the LGBTQ+ community. The event, backed by numerous Cornell institutions and community organizations, will highlight the ongoing struggles for social justice and the role of education and activism in driving change. 

Skoobuzz believes that Davis’ influence on social justice movements makes this event crucial for anyone invested in empowering marginalized communities and creating meaningful progress.