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Ford Hall Forum

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest continuously operating free public lecture series. Its mission is to foster an informed and effective citizenry and to promote freedom of speech through the public presentation of lectures, debates, and discussions. Forum events illuminate the key issues facing our society by bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers. These speakers are presented in person, for free, and in settings, which facilitate frank and open debate.

http://www.fordhallforum.org/

Haitian Creation in Boston

Thu, Jun 24, 2004

Marie St. Fleur, Regine Jackson and Marc Prou discuss and celebrate the influence of Haitian immigrants in Boston. Over the past four decades, Boston has seen a significant wave of immigrants coming from Haiti. In fact, our city has the third largest settlement of Haitians in the United States, and these new Bostonians have become one of the largest immigrant groups living here today. Steadily gaining public visibility, Haitians in Boston are creating new social, political, and economic organizations. And new leaders are emerging from this community to actively engage in local, state, and national issues as well as matters related to the future of Haiti itself. Not only changing to adapt to life in their new home, Haitian immigrants are also helping to build a new and more multicultural Boston that better reflects all of its citizens. Presented in collaboration with the La Kou Association and The Haitian Studies Association (HAS) to coincide with the Haitian Bicentennial Festival.

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Chain of Command: From 9/11 to Abu Ghraib

Fri, Oct 29, 2004

Seymour Hersh discusses his recent book *Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib* as well as the Bush Administration's "war on terror," its intelligence failures, and what he describes as the lies and obsession that led America into Iraq.

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Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

Thu, Jan 13, 2005

Peter Roby, director of the Center for Sport and Society at Northeastern University, moderates a panel after the film screening of *Unforgiveable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson.* Panelists include: Robin Chandler, recently named chair of Women's Studies at Northeastern, professor Bob Hall of the African-American Studies Department, and *Boston Globe* sportswriter and boxing journalist, Ron Borges. Jack Johnson, born in Galveston, Texas on March 31, 1878, became the first black American boxer to win the heavyweight title. During his 30 years of boxing, he fought 113 bouts, winning 78 and losing 35 of them. He had 44 knockouts, 34 of which were won by decision. For more than 13 years, Jack Johnson was considered the most famous and most infamous African American on earth. He battled his way from obscurity to the top of the heavyweight ranks and won the greatest prize in American sports, a prize that had always been the private preserve of white combatants.

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Harvard Rules: Behind the Ivy Tower

Wed, Mar 9, 2005

Richard Bradley discusses *Harvard Rules: The Struggle for the Soul of the World's Most Powerful University*, in which he climbs high into the ivory tower and goes behind the revered walls, offering the first unauthorized look at the world's most powerful university and its controversial president. Harvard University is synonymous with power, wealth, influence, and excellence. The second wealthiest non-profit in the world, Harvard has long and fiercely maintained a wall of secrecy around its inner workings. Until now. Presented in collaboration with the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series.

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Breaking Ranks

Mon, Apr 4, 2005

Two Iraq war veterans, Mike Hoffman and Paul Rieckhoff, discuss rising dissent to the war in Iraq within the American military, the backdoor draft, and what it really means to "support our troops." *Mother Jones* reported in a recent cover story that more and more US soldiers are speaking out on the war in Iraq, and some are refusing to fight. Presented in collaboration with the WAND Education Fund, *Mother Jones* Magazine, and Boston's Talk Station, AM 680 WRKO.

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Cult of Power: Sex Discrimination in America

Tue, Apr 12, 2005

Martha Burk talks about the international firestorm of debate she sparked by suggesting that the nation's premier golf club open its doors to women. The Augusta National Golf Club's membership roster reads like the New York Stock Exchange. It includes top executives, CEOs and board members from American Express, AT&T, Bank of America, Bechtel, CBS/Viacom, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, Coors, ExxonMobil, Ford, GE, Harvard University, Hormel, IBM, Morgan Stanley, Motorola, United Technologies, and US Steel, among others. What Augusta National's membership roster emphatically does not include is women. Presented in collaboration with the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series

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Disease Du Jour: What Might Be Next?

Tue, Nov 16, 2004

A panel of public health experts examines the topic of infectious disease and offers some insights into this ever-changing aspect of medicine and our environment. Hepatitis A. West Nile Virus. Bird Flu. SARS. Monkeypox. Infectious diseases are all around us, and a new one seems to emerge every year. In some cases, transmission may be just a plane ride away. What is causing these new diseases and strains to originate? Is an epidemic on hand? What can we do to protect ourselves and our families? This lecture is presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society.

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Founding Mothers: Women Who Raised Our Nation

Mon, Nov 29, 2004

Cokie Roberts delivers an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families (and their country) proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it. While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. Presented in collaboration with the WAND Education Fund and the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series.

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Women to Women: Journey to Darfur

Thu, Nov 17, 2005

Linda Mason, Liz Walker and Gloria White-Hammond discuss their experiences and thoughts about the future of Darfur and its people and what the United States can do. This lecture includes a presentation of video footage of the women's 2005 trip produced by Liz Walker. In February, 2005, Mason, Walker and White-Hammond traveled to Darfur in the western part of Sudan to raise global awareness of the conflict and to raise funds to support the women and children of Darfur. Recent news reports peg the number of displaced people at 2.5 million and estimate 200,000 to 400,000 have died, mostly women and children, in what has been described as ongoing ethnic genocide. Over 200,000 people have fled across the border to Chad.

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After Saigon: Vietnamese Immigrants in America

Tue, Dec 6, 2005

Thirty years ago, the Fall of Saigon ended the Viet Nam War and led to the first wave of Vietnamese immigration to Boston and other cities in the United States. 130,000 refugees fled Vietnam in 1975, fearing reprisal from the Communist Party. The exodus continued and as of the 2000 census, there were nearly 1,220,000 Vietnamese Americans living in the US, the fifth largest Asian immigrant group in the country. Ten years after diplomatic relations between the US and Viet Nam were re-established, as many as 20,000 Vietnamese live and work in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Panelists talk about generational issues, homeland politics, cultural barriers and challenges, and the contributions Vietnamese Americans have made to the City of Boston and the country as a whole. Presented in partnership with Carney Hospital, Viet AID, City of Boston Office of Neighborhood Services, Office of New Bostonians, Dorchester Reporter.

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