Fred D. Gray Lecture
This event serves to bring together the community for a night of discussion centered around social, political or legal matters impacting our country. Students, alumni, staff, community partners and community leaders engage one another in dialogue, creating connections that dissolve barriers of partisanship. Proceeds from the event go toward the Fred D. Gray Scholarship, a scholarship that benefits up to four Lipscomb University students who major in Law, Justice and Society. Gray scholars are featured in the evening's program, often explaining how the scholarship has helped them pursue their dreams.
Since 2022, we have been honored to have the annual Fred D. Gray Lecture as part of Lipscomb's Presidential Signature Series. To see the full listing of Lipscomb's premier lectureships, visit this site.
On March 31, 2026, Lipscomb hosted former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for the annual Fred Gray Lecture. General Ashcroft explored the topic of "Liberty, Democracy, and the Constitution" as he reflected on his life in leadership. In addition, a fireside chat brought current Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and one of America's top civil trial lawyers, Mark Lanier, to the stage. As Lanier moderated, both Ashcroft and Skrmetti explored the impact of faith in their work, and the differences in the role on the state and federal levels.
Over 400 community members gathered for an evening conversation on faith and politics, led by David French, New York Times columnist, and Russell Moore, Editor in Chief of Christianity Today. The two thought leaders explored how to engage in hot topic conversations thoughtfully, with respect and empathy, while remaining true to one's values and faith.
In November 2023, the Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society joined together with No Small Endeavor (formerly Tokens Show) for an evening to honor the life's work of civil rights attorney Fred Gray. Through an evening of music and storytelling, the community learned more about Attorney Gray's journey representing Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Attorney Fred Gray had the pleasure of presenting his Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he received earlier in the year.
In honor of 100 years of women’s suffrage in Tennessee, we were joined by the female justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court, Justice Cornelia A. Clark, Justice Sharon G. Lee, Justice Holly Kirby, Former Justice Janice Holder, and Former Justice Penny White. The event was moderated by Joycelyn Steveson, executive director of the Tennessee Bar Association.
On Nov. 26, 2018, the Fred D. Gray Institute convened conversations examining criminal justice reform and the influence mass incarceration has had on marginalized communities. The conversation featured Marc A. Levin, vice president of the criminal justice program for the Texas Public Policy Foundation (which he founded in 2005) and Right on Crime, and Udi Ofer, deputy national political director for the ACLU and director of the ACLU’s Campaign for Smart Justice, which is dedicated to ending mass incarceration in the United States.
