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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture: Dr. Jelani Cobb

Join us for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture sponsored by Akron-Summit County Public Library, the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Community Action Akron Summit.

The auditorium doors open at 1:30 pm and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Free parking is available in the High Street parking deck on weekends.

Join us for our annual signature event—a culturally enriching and thought-provoking afternoon dedicated to reflecting on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year, we are honored to welcome Jelani Cobb—Columbia Journalism School Dean, Peabody Award-winning journalist, and one of today’s most compelling voices on race, justice, and American democracy. 

Through his groundbreaking work as a staff writer for The New Yorker, and as a correspondent for PBS Frontline documentaries “Policing the Police and Whose Vote Counts,” Dr. Cobb confronts the urgent challenges of racial inequality, voting rights, and policing with intellectual rigor and moral clarity. His powerful insights are drawn from his deep experience as a historian, journalist, and public intellectual—blending storytelling with scholarship to illuminate the past and chart a path toward a more just future.

As co-editor of “The Matter of Black Lives,” an anthology featuring landmark New Yorker essays by writers like James Baldwin and Toni Morrison, and as editor of the reissued Kerner Commission report, Dr. Cobb continues to lead critical conversations around race, identity, and democracy in America.

In a time marked by a renewed call for racial justice, Dr. Cobb’s voice offers both a critical perspective and enduring hope. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the most incisive commentators of our time as he reflects on Dr. King’s enduring impact—and the work that still lies ahead.

Jelani Cobb will be signing copies of his book “Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here: 2012-Present “at 3:45 pm, and will be available for purchase while supplies last, through the Friends of Main Library.