Civil rights leader Diane Nash to deliver MLK Celebration Luncheon keynote | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Civil rights leader Diane Nash to deliver MLK Celebration Luncheon keynote Civil rights leader Diane Nash to deliver MLK Celebration Luncheon keynote Published: December 03, 2019 Author: Erin Blasko Diane Nash speaks at Notre Dame Law School. Photo by Alicia Sachau. Celebrated civil rights leader Diane Nash will be the keynote speaker for the University of Notre Dame’s annual Martin Luther King Celebration Luncheon on Jan. 20 (Monday) at the Joyce Center. “Diane Nash is a passionate champion of civil and human rights whose courageous leadership helped end the stronghold of segregation in the South,” said Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “The example of her tireless commitment to justice and nonviolent action inspires us all to serve the cause of justice.” Nash has been a frequent visitor to campus over the past four years. She was an honorary degree recipient during the 171st University Commencement Ceremony in 2016. She returned the following year to deliver the inaugural Dean’s Lecture on Race, Law and Society at Notre Dame Law School. A native of Chicago, Nash became involved in the civil rights movement as a student at Fisk University in Nashville, where she was jailed for her involvement in the sit-in campaign to end segregation at lunch counters in the city as part of the Nashville Student Movement. From there, she became a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, where she helped organize direct-action protests in response to segregation and Jim Crow laws, including the Freedom Ride movement to force desegregation of public transportation in the South.  As an instructor for King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Nash played a critical role in shaping the Selma right-to-vote movement that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Later, she returned to Chicago, where she worked in education and real estate while continuing to advocate for causes such as fair housing and anti-war efforts around the Vietnam War. Among other honors, Nash is a recipient of the Rosa Parks Award, the Distinguished American Award from the John F. Kennedy Library and Foundation and the LBJ Award of Leadership in Civil Rights from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Held annually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the MLK Celebration Luncheon is part of Walk the Walk Week, a weeklong series of events designed to inspire students, faculty and staff to make Notre Dame more welcoming and inclusive. For more information, visit diversity.nd.edu/mlk.  ​​​​​ Contact: Erin Blasko, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu Posted In: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion University News Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 15, 2022 Lilly Endowment Inc. grant helps to expand Notre Dame pre-college programs for Hoosier high school students September 13, 2022 Notre Dame observes Hispanic Heritage Month with events around campus July 22, 2022 Roxanne Gregg named executive director of Notre Dame TRIO programs July 08, 2022 University of Notre Dame hosts 2022 Latina/o Studies Association Conference June 23, 2022 Notre Dame to honor pioneers of Irish women’s athletics For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn