Dr. Johnetta Betsch Cole, Charlie Cobb and more to speak at Jacksonville's first Civil Rights Conference

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — LIFE and United Way of Northeast Florida are hosting the inaugural Jacksonville Civil Rights Conference this weekend.

This event is designed to educate and facilitate conversations on civil rights movements in order to provide inspiration and the tools to make Jacksonville a more equitable community.

This first-of-its-kind conference will take place Aug. 25 to 27 at the Southbank Marriott in Downtown Jacksonville. 

Coinciding with the 62nd anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday, the conference will feature a dynamic list of national and local speakers, including:

• Charlie Cobb – journalist, professor, and former activist with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
• Dr. Johnetta Betsch Cole – president emerita, Spelman College and Bennett College
• The Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson – American academic, author, ordained minister, and radio host
• Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III – president, University of Maryland, Baltimore
• Rodney L. Hurst – author, Civil Rights activist and Black historian.
• The Rev. Christopher McKee Jr. – senior pastor of The First Baptist Church of Oakland
• Chevara Orrin – diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, social justice activist, independent filmmaker, social entrepreneur and author.
• Leon Russell – chair, National Board of Directors, NAACP.

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Conceptualized by Rodney L. Hurst Sr., author, Black historian and Civil Rights activist, the Jacksonville Civil Rights Conference aims to educate participants about civil rights movements through featured speakers and interactive breakout sessions across key areas.

The three-day event is open to all who are looking to gain deeper understanding and new perspectives on civil rights movement.

Tickets for the Jacksonville Civil Rights Conference are available to purchase now at jaxcivilrightsconf.org. Tickets to attend in-person are $200. A virtual ticket option is also available for individuals and groups. 

Due to COVID-19 precautions, in-person attendance is limited to 200 people. For the safety of those attending the conference, COVID-19 vaccinations and masks are strongly recommended. 

For more information, including speakers and schedule, visit jaxcivilrightsconf.org. 

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