Fall 2021 Elie Wiesel Memorial Lectures were devoted to the theme of human rights, past and present, in Jewish and American traditions.
The American Declaration of Independence (1770) and the Bill of Rights (1791) provided the precedent for much of the modern struggle for human rights across the globe. Within the United States, even with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, economic equity and equality before the law, let alone in law enforcement, are still unfulfilled promises. Income inequality is on the rise, and basic human rights such as equal access to fresh air, drinkable water, housing, health care, and education remain elusive for many. Among the most compelling voices advocating for human rights that have emanated from Boston University were those of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nobel laureate Professor Elie Wiesel.
The Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies at Boston University was honored to host three lectures in our 2021 Elie Wiesel Memorial Lecture series titled “Human Right: The Legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Elie Wiesel” to honor their legacy and recall their voices for today.
You can access the Livestream for the 2021 Elie Wiesel Memorial Lecture Series on our Youtube channel.
October 6: The Jewish Human Rights Legacy with Rabbi Sharon Brous
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You can read the transcript of Rabbi Sharon’s lecture by visiting this page.
About the Speaker: Rabbi Sharon Brous is co-founder of IKAR, an inclusive Jewish community in Los Angeles launched to reinvigorate Jewish practice and inspire people of faith to reclaim their moral and prophetic voice. As senior rabbi at IKAR, Rabbi Sharon Brous works to develop a spiritual roadmap for a soulful, justice-driven, multi-faith ethos in Los Angeles and around the country. Rabbi Brous gave a charismatic and spirited lecture on why human rights matter in the Jewish tradition.
October 27: “The Human Rights Legacy of MLK Jr.: Lessons for Today” with Reverend Dr. William Barber II
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You can read the transcript of Reverend Barber’s lecture by visiting this page.
About the Speaker: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II is a pastor and social justice advocate engaged in grass-roots movements based on the moral tenets of faith-based communities and the US constitution. As President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, he leads a nationwide struggle to end systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and environmental destruction. He serves as Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary, and Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Dr. Barber is the author of four books and a prominent public speaker.
Louis Chude-Sokei, Professor Of English, George and Joyce Wein Chair in African American Studies, Director of the African American Studies Program, wrote, “there really is no more apparent heir to the true legacy of Martin Luther King at work in the Black and American activist world than reverend William Barber. I emphasize true because where much of the MLK myth has been appropriated in ways that dilute its focus on poverty as much as race, social justice as much as assimilation, Barber is recognized as having taken those less marketable aspects of King into a new generation that needs those aspects far more than the media myth deployed by even figures on the right. And given how much work BU has been doing in and around race and social justice, the invitation to Reverend Barber has further energized and catalyzed various communities and institutions, not to mention attracted a wide wide audience. This is a phenomenal opportunity.”
Margarita Guillory, Associate Professor of Religion, wrote: “for over four decades Reverend William Barber has galvanized African-American communities to challenge social, political, and economic inequities. Reverend Barber’s activism extends beyond these communities, he’s equally committed to advocating for socially vulnerable individuals and communities who are disproportionately impacted by racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. Reverend Barber’s goal is to secure basic human rights of those impacted by structural injustices; as such, his work provides concretized examples of human rights work that could provide a roadmap for BU students and community members at large who are interested in learning more about activism or who want to do the work. His revitalization of the Poor People’s Campaign will further enrich the narrative of one of BU’s well-known alumni, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
November 8: “The Human Rights Legacy of Elie Wiesel” with Elisha Wiesel
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You can read the transcript of Mr. Wiesel‘s lecture by visiting this page.
About the Speaker: Elisha Wiesel retired from a twenty-five-year financial markets career, and is now chairman of an Israeli start-up, The Floor, while he spends time with his family, studies Talmud, and works with non-profits such as Zioness, a progressive Zionist organization. When his father passed, he realized many others missed Elie Wiesel’s voice – and so Elisha speaks from time to time about his father’s legacy and message when the right opportunities arise for impact.