A debate competition with a mission
"To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction. The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.
But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals. We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate." ~ The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Purpose of Education, The Maroon Tiger, 1947
“Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform.” ~ Derrick A. Bell Jr.
The Social Justice Debates was founded in 2016 by Morehouse College and The George Washington University as The Derrick Bell Debates to promote productive public dialogue, engagement, and service on social justice topics. The success of this initial program encouraged the creation of an annual series, the Social Justice Debates.
This program would not have been possible without the inspiration, mentoring, teaching, and scholarship of Professor Derrick A. Bell Jr. (1930-2011).