A living legend of the civil rights movement in America will speak at Denison University. The Rev. C. T. Vivian, who first used non-violent direct action in 1947 to end segregated lunch counters in Peoria, Ill., will talk about "Building a Civil Rights Movement for the New Millennium" at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (April 11) in the Burton D. Morgan Lecture Hall. The lecture, which is sponsored by the history department at the University, is free and open to the public.

A Baptist minister, Vivian founded the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference, organizing the first sit-ins there in 1960 and the first civil rights march in 1961. Vivian was a rider on the first "Freedom Bus" into Jackson, Miss., and went on to work alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in Birmingham, Selma, Chicago, Nashville, the March on Washington, Danville, Va., and St. Augustine, Fla.

Vivian also conceived and directed an education program, Vision, which put 702 Alabama students in college with scholarships. The program later became Upward Bound.

He has been featured in the documentary "Eyes on the Prize" and in the PBS special "The Healing Ministry of Dr. C.T. Vivian." Other television appearances have been made on both the Oprah show and the Montel Williams program. He is the author of "Black Power and the American Myth," which was an Ebony Book Club selection.

Vivian has been chairman of the Southern Organizing Committee Education Fund, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Black Action Strategies and Information Center and the Center for Democratic Renewal. He has addressed audiences in 42 states and 10 countries and is a tireless worker for the progress of African Americans and the civil and political rights of all people.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville -- Early civil rights movement leader the Rev. C.T. Vivian speaking on "Building a Civil Rights Movement for the New Millennium"; 7 p.m., Wednesday (April 11), Burton Morgan Lecture Hall (150 Ridge Road). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-6251 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575