'Just Mercy' is Goal of Advocate for Those Unjustly Imprisoned in America

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Bryan Stevenson, the founder and creator of the Equal Justice Initiative will present the University of Arkansas’ One Book, One Community lecture at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in the Reynolds Center auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Stevenson is the author of Just Mercy, this year’s One Book, One Community selection. He will speak about flaws in the American legal system that cause innocent people, often low income and in a racial minority, to be imprisoned and sometimes even executed. He will also describe his career fighting for these victims of injustice.

“Students across campus have been reading Just Mercy, as have faculty, staff and people throughout the community,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the One Book, One Community program. “We’ve had a great response to the book and to the several events we’ve held that delve deeply into the issues that Stevenson raises – particularly regarding the death penalty. We are excited to be able to bring him to campus to speak on this important subject.” 

Stevenson graduated from Harvard Law School in 1985, and went to work full-time at the Southern Center for Human Rights, where he had worked as an intern. He was ultimately assigned to handle cases in Alabama, particularly death penalty cases. When Congress eliminated funding for the operation, he founded the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery.

In addition to handling death penalty cases, Stevenson challenged harsh sentences for those convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately ruled that mandatory sentences of life-without-parole for those 17 and under were unconstitutional, and made the ruling retroactive, a decision that has affected 29 states, including Arkansas.

“Bryan Stevenson is a very dynamic speaker and he has very important stories to tell,” said David Jolliffe, co-chair of the One Book, One Community program. “For those who’ve read his book, for those who care about the American legal system, this will be a night to remember.”

Stevenson will also speak to a meeting of book club members at the Fayetteville Public Library on Friday, Nov. 4.

The U of A One Book, One Community program began in 2009, and has brought books and authors to the community to promote discussions of issues such as immigration, medical ethics, sustainable living, mental health treatment, the refugee experience, poverty in America and the impact of war on soldiers. The program receives financial support from the Office of the Provost.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.