By Celena Glaghassi, Assistant News Editor
On Tuesday, March 31, the Eisenhower Institute invited Lee Hawkins, author of the bestselling book “I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free.” The event ran from 7—8 p.m. and was held in Mara Auditorium (Masters 110). Executive Director of the Eisenhower Institute Tracie Potts began the event by explaining the meaning behind the memorial lecture and briefly introducing the speaker.
“Dr. William F. Sunderman, who was a member of the class of 1919, established the Henry M. Scharf Memorial Lecture back in 1997 to honour his longtime friend, Henry Scharf. This annual lecture provides a podium for many distinguished speakers, including ours tonight,” said Potts.
Lee Hawkins is a critically acclaimed journalist and author whose memoir about his family’s lineage traces back 400 years of their history through slavery and the Jim Crow era. His book discusses the nuances of intergenerational trauma that followed these events, revealing the intertwined lives of Black and white families throughout history. A Pulitzer Prize finalist back in 2022, Hawkins is a nationally acclaimed investigative journalist— dedicating his life’s work to documenting the lives of Black American descendants of slavery and Jim Crow survivors and to exposing the U.S.’s role in imposing a legacy of racial violence, childhood trauma, and economic inequality. Having served as a reporter, on-camera host and editor for The Wall Street Journal for 19 years, he investigated various topics, ranging from educational inequities and systemic injustices to the intergenerational effects of racial covenants, historically motivated homicides and land theft.
Hawkins began his lecture by sharing his excitement to be at Gettysburg College, “I love to speak to colleges, because there are so many differences between the generations and the way that our world views can change in accordance with the way that the business sector is changing, especially, you know, I focus a lot on the transition between the industrial economy all the way to the creative economy that I was born into, and now I see we’re moving into, I don’t even know what to call it, an automation economy, or AI economy.”
Throughout the lecture, Hawkins emphasized the importance of confronting difficult truths about both personal and national history. Drawing from his own family’s experiences, he described how unresolved trauma can persist across generations, shaping behavior, relationships, and identity. He explained that many of the struggles within his family—particularly strict discipline and fear—were rooted in a legacy of violence and insecurity that had never been fully addressed.
Hawkins also stressed the value of understanding one’s background as a means of self-discovery. He encouraged students to explore their own family histories, arguing that doing so can provide deeper insight into both personal identity and broader historical patterns. By examining the past, individuals can begin to break cycles of trauma and move toward healing.
In addition to reflecting on family history, Hawkins spoke about the current state of political and social polarization in the United States. He urged the audience to seek out diverse perspectives and engage in meaningful dialogue, rather than remaining in ideological echo chambers.
“If you know what you’re talking about on the other side, a lot of the time you’re less defensive,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of understanding opposing viewpoints.
Hawkins highlighted the role of education beyond the classroom, encouraging students to remain intellectually curious and to actively seek knowledge from a variety of sources. He noted that learning does not end after college and that personal growth requires continuous engagement with new ideas.
Following the lecture, students had the opportunity to ask questions, prompting further discussion on topics such as identity formation and navigating conflict. In response to one question about conflict within a family, Hawkins advised students to approach conflict with openness and a willingness to listen, rather than viewing disagreements as threats.
The event concluded with a reminder of the lecture’s central message: that understanding history—both personal and collective—is essential to creating a more informed and empathetic future. Through his reflections, Hawkins challenged attendees to think critically, engage thoughtfully, and take an active role in shaping their own narratives.
