Civil Rights Activist Bree Newsome to Speak Friday, April 6

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Bree Newsome

Contemporary civil rights icon Bree Newsome will speak at 7 p.m. Friday, April 6, in the Arkansas Union Verizon Ballroom, on the fifth floor of the Arkansas Union. The event is free and open to the public.

Her lecture, "Tearing Hate from the Sky," will discuss how ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference with courage, zeal and the support of others.

Newsome first gained national attention for her daring act of peaceful disobedience in June 2015. She climbed the flagpole at the South Carolina statehouse and pulled down the Confederate battle flag as a protest against racist symbolism. Her arrest galvanized public opinion and led to the permanent removal of the flag.

As a speaker, Newsome skillfully outlines the relationship between activism and art, and captivates audiences by describing, in cinematic detail, the heroic gestures of ordinary people on the front lines of activism.

The lecture is sponsored by New Student and Family Programs, the Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education, and the Office of Student Activities. For more information please email osa@uark.edu or call (479) 575-5255.