Tonight we are here, gathered here this evening and i view this really as the intersection of history and the future. What do i mean by that . The intersection of history and the future . We are in Lincoln Theater in this theater. This was the only place where black folks could calm and be entertained in the theater because they couldnt go downtown. They would come right here. This theater was nearly demolished by a wrecking bull, almost torn down but we saved it renovated it and its now one of the jewels of the city of columbus. History tonight. [applause] and the intersection of our future of arts and culture in the black community, the rehabilitation that rejuvenation, the recreation of this Lincoln District in the process. History in the future, the intersection. Wil haygood who was raised in columbus, went to east high school, played basketball. Everything he learned in life he learned it here in the city of columbus. [applause] his values, his skill, his inspiration and in fact his first writing job was for the post which was located right around the corner in this very neighborhood. Wil haygood as someone who never forgot about our city even though he has gone on to win awards, written multiple books, great books. One of his books turned into a movie. Someone who cares deeply about his past, deeply about the city of columbus and he is now one if not the premier, Great American biographers in our country. Someone we are proud of in the city of columbus. [applause] wil haygood, somebody needs to tell the stories of our people or they will be lost. And he does it in an eloquent way, in a way thats exciting and moving and inspiring for the future, for our children. I say we could never plan ahead unless we understand from where we calm and wil haygood has been that person that has explained where we come from so that we can march on to the future and he has many more stories to tell history and our future intersecting here tonight at Lincoln Theater. Thurgood marshall. You no Thurgood Marshall visited columbus many times. We did some research on him. It was somewhere between nine and 13 or 14 times he visited columbus. In fact it goes all the way back to 1938 when he first came to columbus first recorded time he came to columbus. He may have come before then but in 1938 he came to columbus to five years after he graduated from howard law school. He came to our city to advocate, to participate, to speak and many times thereafter often at the naacp annual meeting in the city of columbus. He probably stayed at saint claire hotel which is right around the corner on garfield, because back in those days black folks couldnt stay at the hotels downtown. Like they couldnt go to the theaters downtown, so they came to this area of our community, the harlem of the midwest. And i can envision her good martial walking up and down the streets of mt. Vernon avenue going to our churches, walking up and down the streets. I can envision Thurgood Marshall being in this theater at some point in time because everybody came to this theater on longstreet during that period of time. So this is an intersection between history and our future and Thurgood Marshall helped set the path for the future of our country in many ways. He helped set the path for all of us here tonight to enjoy the fruits of democracy in the greatness of our constitution. He was a true american that did so many good things to lift up our nation. Lincoln theater, haygood, marshall all at one time in one place in the city of columbus, how fitting. [applause] the son of columbus, he is our son. He picks his city in this theater where Thurgood Marshall probably spent time on the streets of longstreet avenue. Tonight youre going to hear about the lowdown with the showdown. Thank you. [applause] the one thing i forgot to tell you is that i spent 16 years as president of the king arts complex and now i have been six years as the chairman of its board and its great to have the two institutions collaborate. This is the first of many to come. It is my pleasure to give you a brief overview of wil haygood although he needs no introduction to this audience. He has authored seven nonfiction books including a trilogy, a biography of iconic 20th century figures hailed as culturally important by the los angeles times. The king of the cats, the life and times of Adam Clayton Powell jr. A New York Times notable book of the year. The second book of great no word see in black and white, the life of sammy davis junior a multiple award winner and the next book was called sweet thunder, the life and times of sugar ray robinson. Named as a best book of the year by forbes. His other books are too on the river, about a 2500mile journey down the Mississippi River and a family memoir, the story needs no introduction. A story of eugene allen the white house butler who served eight president s turned into a blockbuster movie. For 17 years he was a national and Foreign Correspondent with the boston globe. In 1990 he covered the civil war in somalia and was taken hostage by the rebels. He was eventually released with the aid of a pakistani and troops. On another Foreign Correspondents he found himself standing outside south africa, the South African prison where Freedom FighterNelson Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, imprisonment. A little known fact he was one of the few american journalists to report from behind the berlin wall. Mr. Haygood has been the John Simon Guggenheim fellow and the National Endowment for the humanities fellow. These are two of the highest awards bestowed upon an author. Mr. Haygood has been called americas cultural historian. He has explored the social and historic dynamics of this country as few writers have. The works of mr. Haygood come to life as he says his work to engage in a conversation going back to the old schools way of life simply he says that stands for revitalization of the public and i would agree. That is what he says motivates them, revitalizes him and gives him the insight to write these meaningful historical journeys. As mr. Haygood says his subjects must inspire him. By that he means they are welcome at his dining room table for sunday dinner. He wants to be able to talk with them and thats how he chooses his subjects. His book, tells about the harlem congressmans rays rise to power and fame. It reveals one of the effective legislative persons in the history of congress. Adam Clayton Powell junior like Thurgood Marshall formed a bond with Lyndon Johnson that the major legislation through the house like no other. King of the cats is historically significant. Adam Clayton Powell crossed paths with Thurgood Marshall has a occasionally communicated. At a common common bond in their interests were aligned. This is another one of those journeys that wil haygood takes us to better grasp the significance of a historic figure who happens to be africanamerican. In black and white the life of sammy davis junior we learn that sammy davis junior was a fierce dedicated passionate civil rights advocate. He coordinated and pulled together both blackandwhite entertained as to assist Martin Luther king and the Civil Rights Movement. We witnessed the struggle that sammy went through in his conversion of his religion. We get an inside seat to his interaction with the rat pack, Frank Sinatra and company. We are witness to history when sammy places a kiss on Richard NixonsRichard Nixon and his career is forever diminished. The book also tells us that in the Nixon Kennedy race for president it was clear that based upon the history nixon was more deserving of the black vote than kennedy. We witnessed firsthand that no entertainer had the skills of sammy davis junior. Theres a scene where he plays every instrument in the orchestra and we all know about his ability to sing and dance. Sweet thunder, life and times of sugar ray robinson. Sugar ray were often sent pound for pound baby the best price fighter the world has ever seen and that would include mohammed ali. Will will tell us that sugar ray was not justified her. He was the harlem renaissance man. He loved the arts. That included literature, dance, song and art. Sugar ray and directed with all the great entertainments and artist during the harlem renaissance. This cat was hip and this cat was cool and wil told us about it. He could to save sugar ray in a light that no other author could have brought to light and willow resurrected an icon. The story of eugene allen, the butler who served eight president s was turned into a very successful blog buster movie. Again wil brings to light someone who is invisible to america. Wil gives us the dignity, the grace, the discipline and the hard work of an individual who believes in the american dream. He brings to life an individual who is president but invisible during critical times in our American History over eight president s. Only wil haygood had the insight to give us the perspective and the cultural competence to do so in such a magnificent way. Showdown, Thurgood Marshall brought the constitution to light. He said to find the rules i will live by the rules and there will be greater in game. Showdown was recently in the made for the prestigious 2016 Andrew Carnegie medal for excellence in law nonfiction. [applause] and not that the trade magazine and technical journals arent the endall but will has received for showdown four stars. They are from journals and magazines across this prestigious literary world, star reviews from publishers weekly, kirkers review, the library journal. The atlantic magazine said last. Wil haygood has rehabilitated Thurgood Marshall was showdown. Haygoods decision to focus on marshalls confirmation hearing proved ingenious. We at the Lincoln Theater inducted wil is her first inductee into our hall of fame. Boy were we smart. Wil also did our first fundraiser with the publication of the sammy davis junior buck. Pat brzezinski in the library, we met in the office for five years ago, i dont recall but i think what the library has done and should addition to this one looked to bring the Community Together is extraordinary. Wil and i were talking about family members who traditionally have not read and each of us gave our brother copy of showdown. Each of our brothers and engaged the book like nothing else. We had a conversation different from any other we have had before. This is the magic that wil haygood has provided for this community, this state and this nation and i think when the world looks at america and says this is the journey that we went through to arrive at the crossroads we are today, this book brings us to a place that i think we can gauge and a discussion about race where no other has before it. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you mr. Wil haygood. Sit back, relax, hold on and enjoy the show. Thank you a million times over. [applause] [applause] for some reason, the older i get, the less i mind people saying extravagant beautiful lovely things about me. [laughter] i find that somewhat peculiar. Im going to have more to say about larry james in a moment. When i was growing up in this neighborhood going to Monroe Junior High School right down the street, me and my sister would walk to School Together and those were the days when everybody had a transistor radio you could hold it up to your ear and listen or put it in your pocket. There was a very catchy tune from those days that i remember. It started out with the spoken verse and then it went into song and it starts like this. Hey man, i hear you were pretty good on your feet. Well dont you know theres a dance down on market street. Hey, hey theres going to be a showdown. Hey, hey, hey theres going to be a showdown, a showdown. I have been humming that a lot. [laughter] even if i did leave my band back in d. C. An evening like this wouldnt be possible without a Great Coalition coming together, organizations across the city that had haunted and merged to make this night possible and to bring a native son home. I am very mindful that great people, great organizations are represented here tonight starting with a and bill connor, susan bradford. She is wearing a dazzling dress. I take note of that. The Lincoln Theater, dimitri is neatly with the king arts complex, the Columbus Public Library and of course the mayors office. I cant fight everybody individually but there are some people here that i would like to acknowledge. I will say a Little Something about you and then you can stand up. Some of you know that i teach at my alma mater, Miami University in oxford, ohio. The lady who signs my paychecks is here so why wouldnt i introduce her first . Laughed so she is the provost of Miami University callahan. [applause] a dear friend of mine who used to protect me in the rough streets back in the day. We know him as a championship price fighter. Randall johnson. [applause] the Athletic Director of the Ohio State University eugene smith. I think he is here. [applause] one of the great attorneys of this country alex shumate. [applause] a guy i used to talk with a lot about sports, jerry saunders. [applause] last year i received the Rosetta James foundation award. Its named after an alabama civil rights pioneer. She is 90 years young. Rosetta james is here and i would like her to stand up. She is an icon of the American Civil Rights movement. [applause] [applause] she is up in the balcony. [applause] she marched with Martin Luther king jr. [applause] i cant tell you how touched i was when she called me and said she wants to calm. A guy who i grew up with on the northside of town, a friend of mine, talk a lot about Thurgood Marshall over the past five years, bob dylan. [applause] i studied at miami under this professor. He was in the Civil Rights Movement and marched with john lewis the soma hero. He was also jailed for marching in the movement. Rick small meyer. [applause] his wife is here. She has served me some mighty fine meals during my days at oxford ohio. [applause] a writer can dream of a moment like this when their book has been selected. In the Citywide Program to be read by everyone at the same time. I will be coming back in a month with some multiple, multiple, multiple what did we used to call those . Multiplechoice questions. [laughter] i cant thank the library enough where he used to go on saturday mornings with my 50 cents. There was never a car in my family. I could go to tokyo, i could go to paris and i could go to memphis tennessee and i could go to chicago if i could get myself into the library. The genius behind all that has been pat was senseki. [applause] i will be returning to the city. Im going on a 24 city book tour and i will be returning to the city october 21 to appear at the Ohio State University. That invitation came from vice provost of diversity and inclusion at Ohio State University and her name is sharon davies. [applause] my cousin just flew in today from atlanta, charles nichols. [applause] my two sisters, diane and wanda, are here. [applause] my very suave brother is here from los angeles, harry haygood. [applause] hes the man that i got to know some years back as i wrote a story about him, chief james jackson. [applause] i teach media, journalism and film at miami and the chairman of the department played a large role in getting me to leave for zones and journalism and he is here. Dr. Richard campbell. [applause] David Harrison has done a lot in this community on social justice issues. The president at columbus state college, David Harrison. I think he is here. [applause] donna james, wonderful. Thank you. [applause] it was great that the king center honored africanamerican judges this year and their legacy honorees. There was a man in this community, when he graduated from college and wanted to teach and he sent all the africanamerican teachers to champion junior high school. But there were too many teachers down there. So he switched gears and went to all iowa State University law school. He launched his career into law. I had a chance to get to know him. The first letter he ever wrote to me was about the brown bee board of education decision. He authored one of the last great legal decisions in this country linked to brown v. Ward of education, the decision that desegregated the School System in this city in 1974. He became the first africanamerican federal judge from this community. I think every africanamerican lawyer owes him a great debt. You can put his name in the same paragraph as Thurgood Marshall and he