Lakeshore Foundation Kicks Off Speaker Series with Alabama Author

Lakeshore Foundation is hosting award-winning author Ethel Morgan Smith as the first in a new speaker series to honor Lakeshore’s 100th anniversary. Smith will share her experiences and expertise on the Civil Rights Movement and talk about her book “Path to Grace: Reimagining the Civil Rights Movement,” which won the Eudora Welty Prize in 2023. The event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Lakeshore’s campus.

Smith is an award-winning author and professor. Her other published books include “From Whence Cometh My Help: The African American Community at Hollins College” (2000) and “Reflections of the Other: Being Black in Germany” (2017), the latter of which was a finalist for an Indie Award. Smith’s writing has also appeared in multiple publications, such as The New York Times and “All the Women in My Family Sing.” In addition to writing, Smith is also an award-winning academic who has taught at multiple national and international institutions.

Born in Louisville, Alabama, Smith grew up during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In her book “Path to Grace: Reimagining the Civil Rights Movement,” Smith shares the stories of “some of the nameless individuals” that contributed to the movement, according to University Press of Mississippi. Now a Birmingham resident, Smith is a member of Lakeshore Foundation.

“At Lakeshore, you meet so many wonderful people and quickly realize this campus is filled with amazing stories,” Terry Schrimscher, Lakeshore’s director of communications, said. “As we approach Lakeshore’s 100th anniversary later this year, we want to honor our story by sharing the stage with the storytellers of our community. This is the first of several speakers we hope to host this year, and we are grateful to our member, Ethel Morgan Smith, for sharing her story with us.”

This event is free and open to the public, with a free book signing of “Path to Grace: Reimagining the Civil Rights Movement” to follow. Book supplies are limited, so interested guests are encouraged to purchase a copy on Amazon or other retailer where available. For more information, call 205-313-7400.

About Lakeshore Foundation

Lakeshore Foundation, a Birmingham, Alabama nonprofit organization, has emerged as a world leader in health promotion, research, fitness, recreation and sports advocacy for people with a disability, veterans, seniors and parasport activities. As a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, Lakeshore serves as the National Governing Body for USA Wheelchair Rugby, Boccia United States and U.S. Paralympics Powerlifting. Lakeshore is also home to the state-of-the-art Lakeshore Sports Science and Performance Center. For more information on Lakeshore Foundation, visit www.lakeshore.org