Emilie Townes

Vanderbilt Divinity School and the College of Arts and Science will honor one of the university's most revered alumni with the launch of the James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements. Read More

Rather than allowing faith to fracture our politics, it should be used as a guiding force to help unify our communities, said former two-term Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam in a virtual discussion on May 25 with Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean Rev. Emilie Townes and author and political columnist Peter Wehner. Read More

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy and Vanderbilt Divinity School will present a discussion on the role that religious faith plays in politics as explored in "Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square," a new book by former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. The virtual event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 25, from noon to 1 p.m. CT. Read More

On Thursday, April 8, the Vanderbilt Divinity School will host the first of three panel discussions focused on exploring the experience of Asian and Asian American people. Read More

The Rev. James Lawson, a civil rights icon and Vanderbilt University distinguished professor, emeritus, has received the prestigious NAACP Chairman’s Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Read More

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier will reflect on the past academic year and present many of the university’s highest honors at the Spring Faculty Assembly on Thursday, April 1. The event—to be held virtually—will begin at 4:10 p.m. CT. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School has received a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its renovation and addition project that was completed in 2020. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, offers a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. Read More

Rare photographs of the Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., a pivotal figure in the history of the civil rights movement and Vanderbilt University, have been acquired by the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries. Read More

A virtual symposium with noted speakers and artists will reflect on the civil rights legacy of Kelly Miller Smith Sr., Vanderbilt’s first African American administrator, and its meaning today. The symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28. Read More

Michael Eric Dyson, a globally renowned scholar of race, religion and contemporary culture, will join Vanderbilt as Centennial Chair and University Distinguished Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies in the College of Arts and Science and University Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Society in the Divinity School on Jan. 1, 2021. Read More

The Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative will host "Medical Apartheid Revisited: Pandemic, Politics and Priorities," an online social justice conference Aug. 5-7, to explore increasing racial and ethnic health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

Susan R. Wente is being thanked across campus for her exceptional leadership during an unprecedented year, as her tenure as interim chancellor concludes and she returns full-time as provost July 1. Read More

A rapid response grant by the Henry Luce Foundation will continue the intensive humanitarian efforts of Vanderbilt Divinity School after tornadoes wreaked havoc across Tennessee, followed by COVID-19. Read More

Vanderbilt University has tapped Lorenzo Candelaria, dean and professor of music at Purchase College, State University of New York, as the next dean of Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music following an extensive international search. Read More

A new partnership between the Divinity School and Mental Health and Chaplaincy, a national program of the Veterans Health Administration, will relaunch a doctor of ministry program at Vanderbilt. Read More

“Stirring the Waters Across America,” a multimedia production highlighting the Civil Rights Movement through captivating music, spoken word and dance, is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 28 in Langford Auditorium. Read More

A Vanderbilt Divinity School collaboration committed to harnessing the power of public theology to combat racism will expand its reach, thanks to renewed support from the Henry Luce Foundation. Read More

Vanderbilt students, faculty, staff and postdoctoral fellows honored the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through programs, lectures, interactive teach-ins, community service projects and more as part of the university’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Series. Read More

During the keynote event of the 2020 MLK Commemorative Series, Janelle Monáe and Yusef Salaam discussed how stories have the power to bring truth to light, amplify inclusive narratives and shape the future. Read More

The MLK Commemorative Series kickoff begins at noon today at the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. Events continue through Monday, with the Joint Day of Service on Saturday, Jan. 18, the MLK keynote event at Langford Auditorium featuring Janelle Monáe and Yusef Salaam on Sunday, Jan. 19, and the MLK Day march, convocation and teach-ins on Monday, Jan. 20. Read More