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Rev. Al Sharpton’s Spring Speaking Schedule to Include Cambridge Union and Commencement Addresses at Prominent HBCUs—Two of which will give him Honorary Degrees

NEW YORK (April 23, 2019) — Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton announced his spring speaking schedule today, which will include commencement addresses at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia as well as a foreign trip to the United Kingdom to address students and faculty at the University of Cambridge on April 30.

The U.K. tour comes just a year after Sharpton’s successful 2018 speech at the Oxford Union and represents the Reverend’s latest efforts to engage internationally around his decades-long fight for equal justice and civil rights in the United States. With the presidential primary season heating up, Sharpton has engaged closely with each of the campaigns to push for answers to problems facing Black and minority communities not only here but around the globe.

Stateside, Sharpton will deliver commencement addresses at three HBCUs: Tennessee State University, Voorhees College, and Fisk University. His early May schedule also includes remarks at the First Baptist Church in North Chesterfield, VA and the Pittsburgh NAACP Chapter.

The commencement remarks come on the heels of April’s National Action Network (NAN) Annual Convention, which hosted a dozen presidential contenders in New York to discuss their agenda for the civil rights community. Sharpton founded NAN, one of the largest civil rights organizations in the country, in 1991 to further the legacy and vision of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“With a presidential administration intent on destroying everything the civil rights community has worked for, it’s more important than ever to galvanize our voting power and our voices to push back on the Trump administration’s destructive agenda and elect a leader who has a plan to help rather than hurt minorities. Our students at HBCUs are the next generation of leaders – it’s important they understand the role they have to play in this election,” said Rev. Al Sharpton.

Sharpton’s full speaking schedule is below:

Tuesday, April 30
Remarks at the Cambridge Union
Cambridge, England

Friday, May 3
Commencement Address and Rev. Sharpton to Receive an Honorary Degree: Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN

Saturday, May 4
Commencement Address: Voorhees College
Denmark, SC

Sunday, May 5
Service at 198th Church Anniversary
First Baptist Church
North Chesterfield, VA

Monday, May 6
Commencement Address and Rev. Sharpton to Receive an Honorary Degree: Fisk University
Nashville, TN

Tuesday, May 7
Remarks at NAACP Pittsburgh Chapter
Pittsburgh, PA

Media interested in covering Rev. Sharpton’s appearances or requesting interviews should email [email protected].