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Freedom Center Hosts Civil Rights Icon Judge Nathaniel Jones

Jones Lecture First in John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series Beginning August 11

CINCINNATI, OH (August 11, 2016) – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center invites the media to attend the first lecture of the 2016-2017 John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series—the series connecting the public with award-winning authors, historians and thought-leaders, discussing themes on history, race, culture and modern abolition. The series begins August 11 at 6:00 p.m. with civil rights icon, author and 2016 recipient of the NAACP Spingarn Award, Judge Nathaniel Jones, where he will discuss his new book, Answering the Call: An Autobiography of the Modern Struggle to End Racial Discrimination in America. The lecture series, sponsored by Cincy Magazine, is free and open to the public.

Answering the Call: An Autobiography of the Modern Struggle to End Racial Discrimination in America chronicles Jones’ career in civil rights. Jones was the first African American Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio at Cleveland, appointed by Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He held that position until being appointed to serve as Assistant General Counsel to President’s Johnson’s National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. In 1969 Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP, invited Jones to assume the responsibility as general counsel of the NAACP. For ten years, he argued several cases before the United States Supreme Court and led national efforts to end school segregation and to defend affirmative action. Jones was later nominated by President Carter to the United States Court of Appeals in 1979 to which he became Senior Judge. He retired from the bench in 2002 but continued to take an active role in numerous organizations and institutions whose missions perpetuate the advancement civil rights causes.

What: The John & Francie Pepper Freedom Lecture Series featuring Judge Nathaniel Jones

When: Thursday, August 11 at 6:00 p.m.

Where: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202