Past Lectures
The Durr Family has hosted a lecture series that is free and open to the public for over 30 years. Learn about our past events and lecturers.
2024
We began 2024 DLW at the Frank Johnson Jr Federal Courthouse with a panel discussion about the Supreme Court. Judge Myron Thompson inspired students from local Montgomery public schools with the powerful history of his courtroom.
Barbara Phillips led an assembly at Percy Julian High School in Montgomery with special guests and featured fantastic student performances of their own poetry.​
Trencey Grant
student audience at
Percy Julian High School
Daryl Thomas
Corey Jackson
Guest Tawny Algood
with Barbara Phillips
Madison Thompson
Antonio Elliott
2023
2022
2019
Richard Gergel
2018
Cornel West
Watch the lecture at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church here
2017
James Forman, Jr.
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Watch Forman discuss his book “Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America” on Democracy Now! here
2016
Clark Johnson
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Watch his acceptance speech at the Peabody awards for his film Boycott (2001) here
2015
Paul Chappell
Watch a conversation with Chappell about Peace literacy here
​2014
Steve Hahn
Hackney Symposium Speakers
Raymond Arsenault
Orville Vernon Burton
Patrician Sullivan
Declan McBride
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2013
Vernon Jordan
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2012
Robert S. Graetz
Andrew Grace
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2011
Raymond Arsenault
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Watch Arsenault speak on Democracy and the ICC desegregation order from the film "Freedom Riders"here
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2010
James K. Galbraith
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2009
Kathleen Hall Jamieson
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2008
Bryan Stevenson
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2007
Jonathan Steele
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2006
Taylor Branch
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2005
J. Mills Thornton
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2004
Patricia Sullivan
Morris Dees
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2003
Diane McWhorter
Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
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2002
Robert Ellis Smith
David Risser
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2001
Blanche Weisen Cook
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2000
Congressman John Lewis
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1999
Geoffrey Cowan
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1998
Wayne Flynt
Patricia Sullivan
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1997
Studs Terkel
Charles Morgan Jr.
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1996
John Kenneth Galbraith
Johnnie Rebecca Carr
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1995
John Doar
Ray Jenkins
Burke Marshall
George Washington Carver Richardson Jr.
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1994
Art Buchwald
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1993
Hugo Black Jr.
Sheldon Hackney
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1992
Lady Bird Johnson
Fred Gray
Thomas Johnson