Press Releases 2007-2008 Academic Year

Cynthia Ann McKinney to be the Sojourner Truth Lecturer at The Claremont Colleges

Claremont, Calif. (September 25, 2007)—The Intercollegiate Department of Black Studies of The Claremont Colleges has announced that Cynthia Ann McKinney will be the twenty-third keynote speaker of the annual Sojourner Truth Lecture on Thursday, October 11 at Pitzer College. McKinney, an internationally renowned advocate for human rights, voting rights and holding government accountable, was elected as the first African-American congress woman from Georgia.

In her first term as congresswoman, McKinney was appointed to the Armed Services Committee and the International Relations Committee. She sponsored the Arms Transfer Code of Conduct to prevent the sale of U.S. weapons to dictators, which passed the House in June 1997. During her second term in 2004, she worked on challenging and controversial issues, including a critique of the 9/11 Commission Report and advocated on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“I'm proud to speak truth to power and to serve as a voice for the voiceless,” Ms. McKinney said.

McKinney earned a BA in international relations from the University of Southern California in 1978 and a MA in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

The Sojourner Truth Lecture was established in 1983 and honors the achievements and contributions of outstanding women from the African Diaspora. The lectureship is sponsored by all six Claremont Colleges: Pitzer, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps and Claremont Graduate University.

Past speakers of the Sojourner Truth Lectures include poet Maya Angelou; singer Nancy Wilson; feminist theorist, cultural critic and writer bell hooks; medical doctor, astronaut Mae Jemison and many other prominent African American women who have made a significant impact on society.

The lecture will take place on the Pitzer College campus at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 11 in the Avery Auditorium. There is no cost to attend the event; however, seating is limited. For more information, contact Sonya Young at (909) 607-7030.

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Pitzer College is a nationally top ranked undergraduate college of the liberal arts and sciences. A member of The Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers a distinctive approach to a liberal education by linking intellectual inquiry with interdisciplinary studies, cultural immersion, social responsibility and community involvement.