Minnijean Brown Trickey named Bonner and Bonner Lecturer

Civil rights figure headlines the premier diversity lecture series in Kansas

Minnijean Brown Trickey: Civil Rights Crusader and Member of the Little Rock Nine

Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the “Little Rock Nine” who became a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement, will present the Bonner and Bonner Diversity Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, at Emporia State University, just days before the 50th anniversary of the 1957 desegregation of Little Rock’s Central High School.

Brown Trickey’s speech, “Return to Little Rock,” will focus on the events of Sept. 25, 1957, when the 16-year-old and eight other students defied death threats, hostile white demonstrators and even the Arkansas National Guard, to attend the all-white Little Rock Central High School. Shortly after her speech at Emporia State University, the national spotlight will follow Brown Trickey as President George W. Bush and former U.S. presidents commemorate the 50th anniversary in Little Rock.

“It is an honor to have Mrs. Trickey on our campus,” said ESU President Michael R. Lane. “Her words will be a valuable reminder to all of us, that we must remember this nation’s past while striving for equality. The Little Rock Nine took a courageous stand, and in doing so they took part in one of the defining moments of the civil rights movement. Their courage perfectly reflects the spirit and purpose of the Bonner and Bonner series.”

The Bonner and Bonner Diversity Lecture Series was established in 1992 in honor of Thomas and Mary Bonner, Emporia State University’s first and second African American faculty members. The series, created to recognize Emporia State University’s commitment to diversity, has featured nationally known speakers such as author Cristina Garcia, NAACP chairman Julian Bond, civil rights lawyer Morris Dees and Muslim politics expert Vali Nasr.

Brown Trickey’s role in 1957 changed the lives of African Americans around the country, but it was just the beginning of a long career as a crusader for civil rights. She served in the Clinton administration as deputy assistant secretary for workforce diversity at the U.S. Department of the Interior. As a consultant, she has trained national and international audiences in anti-racism, diversity, feminist research, cross-cultural communications and organizational change.

She has been a facilitator and teacher for the Sojourn to the Past Project, a civil rights education program offering students, educators and parents the opportunity to travel for 10 days through the South to visit some of the most dramatic sites and hear from speakers who experienced the civil rights movement.

Brown Trickey is the recipient of numerous awards for her community work for social justice, including the Lifetime Achievement Tribute by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation; the International Wolf Project Award for contributions to racial harmony; and with the Little Rock Nine, she received the NAACP Spingarn Medal and the Congressional Gold Medal. Today as a teacher, writer and lecturer, she continues to promote the theory and practice of nonviolence as a means toward social change.

An acclaimed documentary, Journey to Little Rock: The Untold Story of Minnijean Brown follows her life of passionate social activism and recognizes a woman, who through her own experience and courage has moved history forward. She has been featured in People, Newsweek, the Ottawa Citizen, the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Donahue, and many more. She appeared with the Little Rock Nine on Oprah and the Today show.

Last Updated February 5, 2008>