Center for the Study of Race and Democracy

06/04/2025

Dignity isn’t a gift, it’s a right.

This Juneteenth, we’re showing up with purpose.
To reflect. To listen. To move forward, together!

✨Featuring powerhouse voices: .penieljoseph

📆June 19 | 12:30 cst
🎟️Free&Open to the Public
🔗RSVP Now | Link in bio

04/16/2025

Congratulations to our own .penieljoseph , a member of ’s 2025 class of ! This distinguished group of scholars is researching the causes of political polarization and seeking ways to strengthen social cohesion and fortify our democracy.

04/11/2025

Join us for a rare opportunity to engage with one of the nation’s most distinguished thinkers—renowned historian, artist, and public intellectual Dr. Nell Irvin Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, Emerita at Princeton University.

In this special conversation, Dr. Painter reflects not only on the arc of history, but on how a life of the mind can remain vibrant, creative, and gloriously unfinished.

📆Date: 04/17/2025
🕕Time: 6:00 pm CST
🎟️ Free&Open to the Public
🔗To RSVP | Link in Bio

03/19/2025

As we honor 100 years of Malcolm X’s legacy, the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy welcomes Dr. Michael Simanga as the final speaker of the 2025 William C. Powers Series. A renowned educator, poet, and author, Dr. Simanga will lead a powerful conversation on Malcolm X’s enduring impact on culture, politics and resistance.

📍Location: Bass Lecture Hall -
📆Date: 03/27/2025
🕕Time: 6:00 pm CST
🎟️ Free&Open to the Public
🔗To RSVP | Link in Bio

03/03/2025

Renowned professor, writer, and filmmaker Laurence Ralph joins the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy on March 11 to deliver a compelling keynote on the themes of his latest book, Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him. Through gripping storytelling and incisive analysis, Ralph examines how structural challenges and institutional neglect shape the lives of underserved communities.

Come join us as we explore pathways for meaningful reform!

🔗 Read more about Laurence and RSVP through the link in our bio!

02/18/2025

We’re back with another William C. Powers Speaker!

Join us for our 2nd speaker, Brandon M. Terry, Harvard professor and leading scholar of African American political thought, for a thought-provoking discussion on Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring influence on policy and public life.

🔗 Link in bio for More info + to RSVP

02/03/2025

Join us on Feb 13 in celebrating Black History Month with Dr. Darrick Hamilton, University Professor and founding director of the Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy at The New School.

To Learn More + RSVP | Link in Bio

08/28/2024

Join Professors Peniel Joseph, Sherri Greenberg and Jeremi Suri as they unpack the DNC, RNC and the 2024 presidential election.

06/16/2023

06/13/2023

A multigenerational convening of activists, scholars, and community members coming together to make sense of the rich history of Juneteenth.

06/13/2023

You're invited to the 3rd annual Juneteenth Freedom Summit on Freedom Dreams: A Reimagining of Culture, Politics, and Law. This event, led by .penieljoseph, serves as a convening of scholars and community members who will make sense of Juneteenth’s rich history; the complex political tapestry that has led to this era of political and racial reckoning; and contemporary policy challenges and opportunities in Texas and beyond.

Speakers will explore policies around voting rights, Black history in K-12 public schools, and freedom of speech and expression. This event is brought to you by the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, The Emancipator, and the Rosa Rebellion.

Monday, June 19 | 2:00 pm CT | Bass Lecture Hall

Register @

A multigenerational convening of activists, scholars, and community members coming together to make sense of the rich history of Juneteenth.

02/28/2023

Michael E. Dyson
Title: Entertaining Race: Performing Blackness in America
Wednesday, March 1| 6:00 pm CT | Bass Lecture Hall

Closing out the William C. Powers lecture series, Michael Eric Dyson, distinguished professor, author, cultural critic, social activist, and ordained minister joins the LBJ School's Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD) to masterfully bring together the various components of his multihued identity and eclectic pursuits. This is the topic of his book Entertaining Race: Performing Blackness in America.

Rest assured, if you have previously registered for our March 1st William C. Powers Speaker Series featuring Dr. Carol Anderson, we are saving your seat! We ask that you please hold onto your current reservation or update your reservation if you are unable to attend.

Registration Required | bit.ly/MEDyson23