In April 1963, amid a major civil disobedience campaign against racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned from his jail cell a document that would become a classic of American political thought, a blueprint for civic resistance to injustice perpetrated under color of law.  Professor Roth will describe the Letter’s impact on secular theoretical approaches to civil disobedience and the authority of law.  Professor Brown will describe the Letter as an embodiment of black liberation theology, emphasizing the role of biblical scriptures in establishing the spiritual and moral foundation for the pursuit of racial justice, and will further highlight the document’s importance to our celebration of Juneteenth.

This event is open to the Wayne State community and broader public. Wayne State Faculty, Drs. Brad Roth and Ron Brown, will be our presenters.

This event is sponsored by the Juneteenth Planning Committee and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For more information on our Juneteenth events, follow the link here.