As founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, lawyer Bryan Stevenson advocates for some of America’s most marginalized people – the men, women and children in the nation’s criminal justice system.

Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson

On March 31st, 2016, Stevenson will share his insights into America’s justice system as the second speaker for the College of Charleston’s Race and Social Justice Initiative 2016 Event Series. This lecture is free and open to the public and will take place at 6 p.m. at the Sottile Theatre at 44 George St. in downtown Charleston.

One of the most acclaimed and respected lawyers in the nation, Stevenson was named one of Times 100 Most Influential People in 2015.  He is the recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship and the NAACP Image Award for Best Non-Fiction. He is also a tenured law professor at New York University School of Law. His memoir, Just Mercy, is the story of a young lawyer fighting on the frontlines of a country in thrall to extreme punishments and careless justice.

The Race and Social Justice Initiative is made possible by a major grant from Google and is led by the Avery Research Center, Addlestone Library, African American Studies, and the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative at the College of Charleston. Stevenson’s presentation is co-sponsored by the College of Charleston’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, which is funded by Google, Charleston County Public Library, SunTrust, the SC Community Loan Fund, the Sophia Institute, the Avery Institute, and South Carolina Humanities.