By Olivia Viltz
The Center for Racial Justice will host an one-on-one interview and book signing with Dave Dennis Sr. ‘68 and Dave Dennis Jr. for their new book “The Movement Made Us: A Father, A Son, and a Legacy of a Freedom Ride”. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 11 at 6 p.m., in room 115 of the Professional Schools Building.
Black college students played a significant role in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, one that often goes unrecognized in mainstream history. Dave Dennis Sr. was one such college student. His first protest was a sit-in at a New Orleans Woolworth store which helped connect him to other civil rights activists. After his first protest, Dennis began to take the movement more seriously and joined the Freedom Riders. He was among the group who completed the original ride to Jackson, Mississippi in 1961.
Dennis has since served in major leadership roles for prominent civil rights organizations, including serving as the director of the Mississippi Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He gained his doctoral degree and settled down in Lafayette, where he started his own law firm. Dennis resumed his activism efforts by becoming CEO of the Southern Initiative of the Algebra Project, which aims to improve mathematics education for minority students.
Dave Dennis Jr.’s story is seen as a reflection of his father’s life and efforts. The Morehouse University graduate is very active in social justice and reform. He currently works as a senior writer for “Andscape” by ESPN, highlighting Black culture in sports.
During the event, the duo will take a deep dive into their lives as social justice activists and how the battle for civil rights by Black Americans is still ongoing.
