words by Charles Brooks
During one of the pivotal periods in Black political history, several colleges and universities extended intellectual inquiry and development beyond the classroom. All across the nation, Black radical and revolutionary speakers would engage in political debate and discussion on the critical issues and events of the day.
As campuses emerged as focal points of student activism and organizing, they frequently hosted speakers such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture, H. Rap Brown/Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, Fred Hampton, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Fannie Lou Hammer, Muhammad Ali, and Dick Gregory. They articulated a particular message as they publicly grappled with American politics, imperialism, war, racism, fascism, along with the demands for Black studies programs.
On March 28th, 1962, Malcolm X was invited to speak ai Morgan State College to debate history professor Dr. August Meier on questions about race, racism and integration.
Sixty-four years later, Morgan State University’s (MSU) Presidential Distinguished Series, invited Angela Davis as their first speaker in 2026 where previous speakers included Loretta Lynch, Eddie Glaude, Cornel West, and Al Sharpton.
