2026 MLK Lecture and Reception, October 15

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

Earlier this year, I announced that Paula A. Johnson ’80, M.D. ’84, M.P.H. ’85, president of Wellesley College, will deliver the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture this fall. 

A pioneering physician scientist, public health leader, and educator, Dr. Johnson has devoted her career to using science, medicine, and education to improve lives and expand opportunity for all. Learn more about Dr. Johnson.

Dr. Johnson’s lecture, titled “Awakening the Dream Deferred,” will explore the character, courage, and the civic purpose of higher education, and its role in sustaining democracy.

The lecture will take place on Thursday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Church in Harvard Yard. A public reception will follow, offering refreshments and an opportunity to meet Dr. Johnson.

Please register to attend and share this invitation with your friends and colleagues.

We look forward to welcoming you to this special event.

In community,
Sherri Ann Charleston
Chief Community and Campus Life Officer