2026 Annual Public Lecture: Robin D.G.Kelley Freedom Dreaming in Dark Times

2026 Annual Public Lecture
Robin D.G. Kelley: Freedom Dreaming in Dark Times

We are honored to welcome Robin D. G. Kelley, a leading historian of social movements, cultural politics, and the Black radical imagination, for our annual public lecture. Kelley’s work explores how communities have struggled for freedom, how protest movements take shape, and how imagining new futures is itself a powerful form of resistance. His scholarship connects history to the present moment, offering tools to better understand protest, democracy, and the possibilities of social change—making his work especially relevant today.

This year’s lecture will feature Robin D. G. Kelley in conversation with Adom Getachew, Chair of Race, Diaspora & Indigeneity and Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. Together, they will engage in a dynamic dialogue on freedom dreaming, political struggle, and the global dimensions of Black intellectual and activist traditions.

This event is co-sponsored by International House.

Lead support for the Chicago Forum’s Zell Speaker and Event Series comes from the Zell Family Foundation.

Co-sponsors: The University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, The Center for Middle Eastern Studies, The Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion, AAUP, The Pozen Center for Human Rights, The Office of the Provost, The Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity

Tabling + Pre-Reception | 5:00-6:00 PM CST

Main Event | 6:00-7:30 PM CST

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Host or Publisher CSRPC & CSGS