When: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 3:30 p.m.
Where: Wilson Hall, room 301, University of Virginia

Oct. 30, 2006 -- Renowned journalist William J. Raspberry will speak at the University of Virginia on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 3:30 p.m. as part of his participation in the Explorations in Black Leadership project. Currently the Knight Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy Studies at Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Raspberry will speak on some of the pressing social issues in America that demand our collective attention. 

Raspberry is a commentator on public policy concerns in education, crime, justice, drug abuse and housing. He was a columnist for The Washington Post for nearly four decades, until retiring in 2005. His honors include a Pulitzer Prize, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Press Club’s highest honor, the Fourth Estate Award.

Earlier in the day, Raspberry will participate in Explorations in Black Leadership. This project brings African-Americans recognized as leaders to the University of Virginia to participate in a videotaped interview that focuses on the intersection of personal experiences, historical circumstances and the rise to leadership. The project is co-directed by U.Va. history professors Julian Bond and Phyllis Leffler. Past interviews can be found at www.virginia.edu/publichistory/blackLeadership.html.