Dr. Terrence Roberts, whose attempts to enroll in an all-white school in segregated Little Rock, Ark., with eight other African American students sparked controversy and debate nationwide in 1957, will give a guest lecture on Thursday, April 28, at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Organized by the university’s Master of Social Work Program and the Graduate Association of Social Work, Roberts’ talk will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. in the ballroom of the Loker Student Union on campus. The event is open to the public.
Despite the 1954 Brown v. the Board of Education Supreme Court ruling that school segregation was unconstitutional, much of the schools in the South, including in Little Rock, remained segregated in 1957 when Roberts, then 15, and eight other African American students made history as the “Little Rock Nine.” Roberts went on to earn a doctorate and lead a successful career as a professor and practicing clinical psychologist and social worker. Throughout his adult life, he also has continued to be a voice for diversity and social justice as CEO of a management consulting firm that offers diversity training, and a frequent keynote speaker on his role in one of the seminal events of the Civil Rights Movement.
“We are honored to host Dr. Roberts as a speaker as his life and career embodies the social transformation that we teach in our MSW program,” said Dr. Larry Ortiz, acting dean of the College of Professional Studies.
Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the Master of Social Work program at CSU Dominguez Hills prepares students to address the societal needs of people living in diverse urban communities. The program specializes in youth and family, community mental health, and community capacity building as they relate to race, ethnicity and class-related issues.
CSU Dominguez Hills is located at 1000 E. Victoria St. in Carson. Parking permits for campus lots cost $4 and are sold at kiosks stationed in each lot.
For more information on the lecture, call (310) 243-3170.
