Speaker Series

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event announcement.

Because of the leadership of Peach State Credit Union as the principal founding donor of the Hooper-Renwick Memorial Programming Fund & Endowment and the generosity of many others, this speaker series honoring those who attended Hooper-Renwick and their achievements is possible. The Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series showcases acclaimed, best-selling Black authors and local champions of racial equity and healing to foster courageous community conversations. One of the stated objectives of the series is to foster empathy toward and among all of Gwinnett County’s diverse residents.

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

7:00 PM
Lawrenceville Arts Center

Man speaking at podium with microphone.
Audience clapping at seated event
Smiling woman clapping during an event
Author signs book at speaker series event.
Group holding books at event
Three people talking and smiling indoors.
Group having conversation around a table indoors.
Smiling man shakes hands with woman.
Two women smiling and talking at an event
Two people talking at an indoor event.
Two women talking at an event.
Two women smiling at event
Two people conversing on blue chairs.
People talking at a conference event.
Woman speaking at podium during event.
Woman speaking at podium, red dress
Two women speaking on stage during interview.
Two people on stage having a conversation.
Speaker presenting onstage to seated audience.
Man speaking on stage with microphone
Diverse audience applauding at event
Author signing book at event table
Author signing books at speaker series event.
People interacting at a speaker series event
Two people at Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event.
People shaking hands at a speaker series event.
Book cover 'James Oglethorpe: Father of Georgia'
Sign for Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series with sponsor logos.
Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event stage setup.
Empty event hall with stage and projector screen.
Two women conversing in a conference setting.
Two people talking at event venue.
Two people talking at an event entrance.
Group of people talking and smiling indoors.
People chatting at Lawrenceville event.
Gift bags with snacks on display table.
Two people smiling indoors during an event.
Three people smiling in a lobby setting.
Two men shaking hands in a conference setting.
Group of people shaking hands and smiling.
Two men in suits shaking hands.
Group of people conversing at an event.
People talking and smiling at a conference event.
Group of people socializing at event.
Two people embracing warmly at an event.
Two people talking at an event.
People conversing at Aurora Theatre event, promotional signs behind.
Two people talking at a networking event.
People shaking hands at an event
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Three people having a conversation indoors.
Catering table with food trays and fruit bowl.
Three people talking at an event
Woman reading book in conference setting.
Two women smiling at event.
Three women smiling at an event.
Two men in suits, smiling at the event.
Two women talking at a social event.
Three people conversing at an indoor event.
Group of five people at a book event.
Four people smiling indoors at an event.
People conversing at a professional event
Networking event with people conversing at tables.
Two people smiling and talking in a hallway.
Two people smiling and talking at an event.
Three people having a conversation at event table.
Woman speaking at an event with books and projection.
Three people chatting at an event.
Two people talking at an event.
Two women smiling at an event.
People networking at an event with 1953 graduates photo.
Professionals conversing at a networking event
Man and woman conversing intensely indoors.
Two people smiling at Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event.
People seated in a theater, talking and smiling.
Woman speaking at podium with microphone.
Woman speaking at podium on stage with blue curtains.
Woman speaking at podium on stage with blue curtains.
Woman in red dress speaking at podium.
Woman speaking at podium in red dress.
Woman speaking at a conference podium.
Two women speaking on stage with microphones.
Two people having a discussion on stage chairs.
Audience at Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event.
Interview on stage at Peach State Credit Union event.
Two women discussing on stage with microphones.
People attentively sitting in an audience
Woman speaking at podium on stage
Man speaking at podium with blue curtain backdrop.
Man speaking at podium with microphone on stage.
Speaker on stage addressing seated audience.
Man speaking at podium with blue curtain backdrop.
Speaker presenting at James Oglethorpe book event.
Man clapping in theater audience
Man speaking at podium during event.
Audience watching presentation attentively in theater
Man giving a speech on stage with blue curtains.
Man speaking at podium on stage with blue curtain.
Man speaking at podium with microphone
Audience members attentively watching a presentation.
Woman speaking into microphone during event
Three people seated in an auditorium
Three people conversing, one holding a book.
Man signing book, another man speaking.
Author speaks with attendee at book signing.
Author signing books at library event.
Author signing book for smiling woman at event.
Author signing book at public library event table.
Author signing a book at an event table.
Author signing book at event, people in line.
Man speaking at public library event table.
Author signing book at Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series event.
Author signs book at library event
Speaker signing book for two attendees at event.
Author signing books at speaker event table.
Speaker meets attendees at library event.
Two men talking at a speaker series event.
Group photo at Hooper-Renwick speaker series event.

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series 2025

Keynote Author Speaker: Michael Thurmond

James Oglethorpe, Father of Georgia

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series, February 22, 2024 event
People networking at indoor gathering event.
Three women sitting on a theater lobby couch.
Three people at a social event indoors.
Speaker event at public library with audience.
Two women engaged in discussion on stage chairs.
Group holding book titled 'The Personal Librarian'

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series 2024

Keynote Author Speaker: Victoria Christopher Murray

Hooper-Renwick Speaker Series, November 10, Lawrenceville Arts Center.

We kicked off our Inaugural Hooper-Renwick Building Bridges Speaker Series with speakers Yvette Summerour, Tommie Smith and Keynote Author Speaker, Carolyn McKinstry.

Yvette Summerour

After a stint in a Georgia police department, Summerour joined the Secret Service in 1986. Since then, she has held supervisory jobs on the security details of President Clinton, First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton, and presidential daughter Chelsea Clinton.

Tommie Smith

An American former track and field athlete and former wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith, aged 24, won the 200-meter sprint finals and gold medal in 19.83 seconds – the first time the 20-second barrier was officially broken. His salute for equality on the medal podium to protest racism and injustice against African Americans remains a symbolic moment in history.

Keynote Author Speaker: Carolyn McKinstry

While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement

A lifelong member of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Carolyn was present on September 15, 1963, when white racists bombed the Church. Carolyn’s four young friends were killed. As a teenager, Carolyn felt her “calling” by attending the mass meetings and rallies at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. She was among thousands of students hosed by firemen during the 1963 marches. She survived a second bomb explosion that destroyed a large portion of her home in 1964. An “authentic child of the moment,” Carolyn believes that God spared her life on September 15th, 1963, so that she could continue to live in service to others.

Carolyn has shared her experiences with the History and Discovery Channels, The Faith & Politics Institute, and The U.S. States Memorial Holocaust Museum – both of Washington, D.C., The Frist Center of Nashville, Tennessee, CNN, BBC, MSNBC, Life Magazine, The Oprah Winfrey Show, national and local Public Radio and numerous other organizations and academic institutions. Recent invitations include New Delhi (India), Rome (Italy) (The Italian Baptist Evangelical Union in celebration of their annual international Martin Luther King memorial holiday), The Ramaz School in New York, The Children’s Defense Fund at Haley Farm (Clinton, Tennessee), and the Aspen Institute in Colorado. Carolyn was also a consultant and participant in the Spike Lee HBO Documentary “Four Little Girls,” the Hallmark television movie “Sins of the Father” (as told by the son of Bob Cherry, one of those convicted of the bombing), and “We shall not be moved” – a documentary of selected churches that opened their doors to the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties, and the HBO Grammy-winning “Children’s March.”

Stay tuned for our next event!