Fox News political analyst Juan Williams will discuss his views on media censorship and racial dialogue at the fifth annual Cal State Long Beach Distinguished Speakers Series on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.
Williams’ impressive resumé includes jobs at National Public Radio (NPR) and The Washington Post.
He is also a chronicler of the civil rights movement, regularly examining American politics, civil rights, media, law and culture in his work.
“We have a mission … to bring people of prominence to campus who can motivate or inspire the audience,” said Art Levine, director of the CSULB Distinguished Speaker Series. “I always think it’s a great opportunity to hear people of distinction in whatever field. It’s inspiring to see what people do with their lives and Juan’s is an inspiring story.”
When Williams reported for NPR as a senior correspondent and the host of “Talk of the Nation,” he was involved in a well-publicized incident in which he said Muslims in traditional dress made him nervous when boarding planes. He was subsequently fired and later wrote the book “Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate.”
“[This] is an issue that’s front and center on the national stage,” Levine said. “We thought it would be advantageous for students, as well as the community, to hear.”
Williams’ other work includes “Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965,” “My Soul Looks Back in Wonder: Voices of the Civil Rights Experience,” and “Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary.”
Past speakers include syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington, former senior Wall Street banker William D. Cohan, investigative reporter Seymour Hersh and ethics consultant Michael Josephson.
“The primary mission of the Distinguished Speaker Series is to bring accomplished and distinctive speakers to the CSULB campus to provide insight and illumination into the critical issues of our time,” according to the Distinguished Speaker Series website.
The speech, entitled “Muzzled: Political Debate in America,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. for sponsor exhibits, music and light refreshments.
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