The Charles H. Thompson Lecture-Colloquium series began in November 1980 as a living memorial to Dr. Charles H. Thompson, founder of The Journal of Negro Education. The purpose of the lecture is to contribute to the continued study and resolution of unresolved problems that still impact the education of Blacks and ethnic minorities in the United States and around the world.

Dr. David Stovall, scholar, researcher, and author will deliver the 46th keynote address entitled, "We Cannot Forget the Assignment; Educational Freedom Fighting in Perilous Times." His scholarship investigates three areas 1) Critical Race Theory, 2) the relationship between housing and education, and 3) the intersection of race, place and school.