30 Years of Change, One Powerful Night!

The Hooks Institute turns bold ideas into real change — keeping children safe and communities healthy, opening doors to academic and economic opportunity, transforming research into action, and preserving the legacy of civil rights through education, art, and storytelling. From reducing childhood drowning deaths and advancing student success to shaping public policy, honoring groundbreaking scholarship, and elevating Memphis artists, this work strengthens our community and builds a more just future. Supporting the Hooks Institute means investing in lives saved, voices amplified, and progress that lasts.

Our progress has been made possible by a powerful community of supporters — generous donors, dedicated staff, and visionary partners — who believe in creating a prosperous Memphis for all and in the promise of social change.

As we approach our 30th anniversary in 2026, the moment demands bold, innovative action that transforms lives now. Thirty years strong—and still rising—we call on you to rise with us and help shape a Memphis where opportunity is not promised someday, but delivered today, and every person can reach their full potential.

A great community requires many pillars to support the whole.

The Hooks Institute honors the 2026 Pillars of Progress:

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Honored for its community outreach efforts and art exhibitions that explore to the cultural interest and lived experiences of all Memphians.

The Tri-State Defender. From 1951 to present, this newspaper has been the voice of African American life in Memphis—past, present, and future.

The Hon. Johnnie Turner. A fearless 1960s civil rights activist and longtime educator served Memphis as State Representative for District 85 from 2010 to 2018.

Ms. Joceyln Wurzburg. Co-founder of the Panel of American Women after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 assassination to promote healing and racial unity in Memphis.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change