Speaker series features journalist, author

The 2017-18 University of Dayton Speaker Series continues with talks from journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and author Imbolo Mbue in January, American Enterprise Institute president Arthur C. Brooks in March and tech entrepreneur Megan Smith in April. All lectures are free and open to the public in the Kennedy Union ballroom.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, who covers racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine and has spent years chronicling racial segregation in housing and schools, will deliver the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. address at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Hannah-Jones is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist and 2017 MacArthur Fellow. Her widely read articles on segregated housing and schools, as well as her deeply personal reports on the black experience in America, expose how racial inequality is maintained through official policy. They also offer a compelling case for greater equity.

Mbue will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, in conjunction with the Global Voices Symposium. She is the author of Behold The Dreamers; her book, which is informed by her experience of being an African immigrant and the experiences of the many African immigrants she knows, follows two marriages — one immigrant and working class, the other from the top 1 percent — both chasing their version of the American Dream. A book signing immediately follows her talk.

Brooks’ talk will take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 21. Before joining the American Enterprise Institute, Brooks was the Louis A. Bantle Professor of Business and Government in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where he taught economics and social entrepreneurship. Brooks is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and the bestselling author of 11 books on topics including the role of government, fairness, economic opportunity, happiness and the morality of free enterprise.

Smith will deliver the annual Brother Joseph W. Stander Symposium keynote address at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 17. She is an award-winning tech entrepreneur, engineer and evangelist. As the third U.S. chief technology officer, Smith helped former U.S. President Barack Obama harness the power of technology, data and innovation to advance the future of our nation and the world. Prior to her role as U.S. chief technology officer, Smith served as vice president of new business development at Google, managing early stage partnerships across the company’s global engineering and product teams. She led acquisitions of Google Earth, Maps and Picasa, steered the shift of Google.org to include more direct engineering impact, such as Google Crisis Response. Smith is an adviser to the MIT Media Lab, Vital Voices, and the Malala Fund, which she co-founded.

Tickets are not required for Speaker Series lectures, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parking is available without a permit in B and C lots only.