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Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.,PhD, to Headline Fairfield’s 2026 MLK Convocation, Feb. 11
Fairfield University will welcome renowned scholar, author, and political commentator Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., PhD
Press release
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (February 3, 2026)— Fairfield University will welcome renowned scholar, author, and political commentator Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., PhD, as the featured speaker for its 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, taking place on February 11, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.
The theme of this year’s convocation, “Challenging Injustice: Fear as Fuel for Change,” invites the community to engage critically with the moral and civic challenges facing American democracy.
A nationally recognized public intellectual, Dr. Glaude examines the complex intersections of race, politics, history, and identity in the United States. During his lecture, he will draw on insights from his influential body of work, including Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul; In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America; and Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own. Together, these works explore the lived experiences of Black communities, the difficulties of race in the U.S., and the challenges we face as a democracy.
Dr. Glaude is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University, and served as chair of Princeton’s Department of African American Studies from 2009 to 2023. He is also a member of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. In addition to his academic leadership, Dr. Glaude is a columnist for TIME magazine and an MSNBC contributor on programs such as Morning Joe and Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace. He is one of the leading voices in national conversations on race, democracy, and moral leadership.
The convocation is a cornerstone event of MLK Week 2026 at Fairfield University, a weeklong series of lectures, workshops, service opportunities, and creative programs designed to inspire learning, reflection, and purposeful action in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Additional details and a full schedule of MLK Week events are available at Fairfield.edu/mlk.
