Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week
Dr. Quinton Ross, Alabama State University President
The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center • 7:30 a.m.
Dr. Quinton Ross, Alabama State University President
Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr. is a celebrated alumnus of Alabama State University, having earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 1992, a Master of Arts in Education in 1995 and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership, Policy and Law in 2010.
A veteran educator and administrator, Ross began his career as an instructor of English in the Montgomery Public Schools system. He earned progressive positions of leadership, becoming an assistant principal of Booker T. Washington Magnet School in 1998 and principal of that prestigious high school in 2000. Ross also served as an Educational Specialist at the Montgomery Public Schools’ Central Office from 2003-04.
In 2004, Ross began an 11-year tenure as the Director of Adult Education at H. Councill Trenholm Community College in Montgomery. In that position, he worked as a member of the president’s cabinet, establishing and overseeing the Adult Education Division and developing and sustaining community partnerships to advance the literacy needs of Montgomery’s adult population.
In 2015, Ross assumed the position of Manager of UniServ Organizing and Staff Consultant for Postsecondary Education with the Alabama Education Association. Ross managed the Northern and Southern Postsecondary UniServ staff, which is responsible for 25 two-year colleges, as well as 11 public colleges and universities.
A dedicated public servant, Ross has served as a member of the Alabama Senate for the past 15 years. During his legislative tenure, Ross was one of seven African-American members of the Senate, was the first African-American male to serve as Senate Minority Leader and was the first Minority Leader elected to a four-year term. Ross also served on several legislative committees, including Bank and Insurance, Confirmation, County and Municipal Government, Finance and Taxation, Education, Transportation and Energy, Military Affairs and Education Youth Affairs (vice-chair).
Ross has received numerous awards for his professional achievements and public service, including the Montgomery Advertiser’s 2003 King Spirit Award; the 2005 Dare to Make a Difference Award; the 2005 Young Legend Award; the 2009 Alabama School Board Association’s Power of One Award; the 2012 Alabama Adult Education Director’s Association Champion Award; the 2016 Beloved Community Award presented by the Alabama State University Friends of the Theater; and the 2017 Business Champion Award from the Business Council of Alabama.
Ross was born in Mobile, Ala., and raised in Pontiac, Mich. He has been a resident of Montgomery for more than 20 years.
Ross is married to J. K. Ross, and they have two sons, Quinmari T. Ross and Quinton T. Ross, III. He is a member of Hutchinson Missionary Baptist Church and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Cost: $35/person (Table reservations are also available)
- Registration
Selma, Alabama • 7 a.m. departure
- Registration: AU Involve
Montgomery, Alabama • 2:30 p.m.
- Cost: $20 (transportation, ticket, boxed lunch)
- Registration
More information about the Legacy Museum Visit
Thach Concourse • 5 p.m.
Auburn University will celebrate the launch of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week with a vigil on the Thach Concourse steps. Student organizations will memorialize Dr. King's legacy through word and song.Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative
Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative
BRYAN STEVENSON is the founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill and aiding children prosecuted as adults. Mr. Stevenson recently won an historic ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court banning mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger. He is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and has been awarded 34 honorary doctorate degrees. He is the author of award winning and New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy.
In April 2018, EJI opened a new museum, The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, built on the site of a former slave warehouse in downtown Montgomery. This is a companion to a national memorial to victims of lynching, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which opened at the same time.
The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center • 7 p.m.
Bryan Stevenson's lecture is being held as part of the Critical Conversations Speaker Series.
Student Center 2222 • 11:30 a.m.
Sara Wood, Senior Outreach Paralegal, Southern Poverty Law Center
Bring your lunch and join us for a discussion that will examine the state of poverty in America and the intersections of economic disparities and social justice.
"Barry"
Alumni Center, Goodwin Room • 6 p.m.
Student Center 2222 • Noon
Drs. David Carter, Kelly Kennington, Austin McCoy and Guy Mount will take a deep dive into the impact of race on American history and the social justice movement.
Student Center Ballroom A • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Come join nationally renowned trainer Ronald Smith for an interactive session designed to assist Auburn's campus with building an inclusive community. Participants will examine their individual strengths while exploring strategies for building a committed and connected community.
Foy Auditorium • 8 a.m.
Today is a day for Auburn University to give back! Join us as we travel to sites across Auburn and Opelika to spread Dr. King's message through service. Participation is free, and you will receive breakfast and a t-shirt. Please register to confirm your spot.