John Brown University will host evangelist Alveda C. King as the 2019 speaker for the Barnett Civic Leadership Series.
King, who is the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the director of Civil Rights for the Unborn, the African American Outreach for Priests for Life and the African American Outreach for Gospel of Life Ministries, will address the JBU community on Thursday, Feb. 21, at 10:30 a.m. at JBU's iconic Cathedral of the Ozarks.
"We look forward to hearing Dr. Alveda King speak to our students on the intersection of Christian faith and public service," said Tracy Balzer, JBU director of Christian Formation. "Given her political career, her ministerial experience and her identity as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece, Alveda King brings a unique perspective to the topics of civil rights, women's rights, nonviolent conflict resolutions and racial reconciliation."
King, a former college professor, served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983. As a bestselling author, King has written "King Rules: Ten Truths for You, Your Family, and Our Nation to Prosper," "Sons of Thunder: The King Family Legacy," "I Don't Want Your Man, I Want My Own," "How Can the Dream Survive if We Murder the Children?" and, most recently, "King Truths: 21 Keys to Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential."
King was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve on the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission in 2018 and is the founder of Alveda King Ministries. She has received numerous awards including the Life Prize Award, the Civil Rights Award from Congress of Racial Equality, the Champion of Life Award and the Cardinal John O'Connor Pro-Life Hall of Fame Award from the Legatus Organization. She served on the board for the MLK Center, Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, Heartbeat International, Abortion Recovery International and Georgia Right to Life.
King has also appeared on CNN, Fox News as a regular contributor, MSNBC, Newsmax.com as a regular columnist, and more media organizations both nationally and internationally.
The Ray and Laurine Barnett Civic Leadership Series, established in 2016, is funded by an endowment created with gifts from the Barnett family and donations from more than 20 organizations and individuals. The series, which brings a speaker to JBU each academic year, focuses on Christian leadership and addresses the intersection of faith and public service. Past speakers include Shapri LoMaglio, the vice president for government relations and executive programs at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
General News on 02/20/2019