Anita Hill Speaks Truth, Gets Award
What American who was at least a teenager, or possibly even younger, at the time doesn’t remember 1991? In October of that year, brave yet reluctant attorney Anita Hill was called before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.
Her appearance led to testimony regarding allegations that Thomas had sexually harassed her when they worked together in the 1980s. As profoundly tedious as I’ve always found most formal government and political proceedings, even I tuned in for parts of that very public, unseemly, televised sideshow.
Fortunately, Hill moved on to a highly successful career of her own, and she’s currently Professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women’s Studies at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management. On Thursday, March 20, at 6:30pm, the lawyer and scholar will be the focus of the Boston Public Library’s latest Ford Hall Forum.
After speaking at the library’s Rabb Lecture Hall about her life and the impact of various legal and social forces on the United States, the civil rights activist will then lead an open discussion moderated by Harvard University Law School Professor Charles J. Ogletree. The occasion is Hill’s designation as this year’s recipient of the Ford Hall Forum’s First Amendment Award, a fitting honor given her contributions to both academia and society in general.
The 342-seat Rabb Lecture Hall is located on the lower level of the Boston Public Library’s Johnson Building at 700 Boylston Street in the Copley Square area of Boston. Additional information can be obtained by calling either 617-536-5400 or 617-859-2212, and seating at the free event is on a first-come, first-served basis.
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