Lectures by Ronald Walters, October 21

Ronald Walters, a professor at the University of Maryland who helped manage Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns, will speak Tuesday, October 21, at 4 p.m. in Ferris Lounge, Seymour Union, and at 7 p.m., in A-110, Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois. The events are free and open to the public.

Walters is a professor in government and politics, director of the African American Leadership Institute, and a Distinguished Scholar at the James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership at the University of Maryland. He held key posts in Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns, serving as deputy campaign manager in 1984 and as a consultant for convention issues in 1988.

Walters has been an analyst and guest commentator on NBC's Today Show, CNN, CBS News, ABC's Nightline, and NPR's All Things Considered.

Walters has written 10 books, including "The Price of Racial Reconciliation," "Freedom is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics," and "White Nationalism, Black Interests: Conservative Public Policy and the Black Community." His 1989 book, "Black Presidential Politics in America," won the Ralph Bunche Prize from the American Political Science Association, while "Pan Africanism in the African Diaspora" won the 1993 Best Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.

Walters is a board member of the Black Leadership Forum and the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation. Walters has also taught at Princeton University, Howard University, Syracuse University, and Brandeis University, and received a fellowship at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Walters won a distinguished faculty award from Howard University in 1982, the 1983 W.E.B. DuBois/Frederick Douglas Award from the African Heritage Studies Association, the University of Maryland's 1999 award for Distinguished Faculty Contributions to the Campus Diversity, and the 2000 Alumnus of the Year award from American University's School of International Service.

Walters received his B.A. with honors in history and government from Fisk University, and his M.A. in African studies and Ph.D in international studies from American University.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 48 states and 42 nations. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.