In 1991, Anita Hill shook the world with her explosive testimony accusing Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during her time as his legal advisor. During her testimony, Hill was accused of lying, attention seeking and her sanity was even called into question. Though Thomas was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice, Hill says she did not allow it to make her a victim, but instead a champion for women—making it her life’s mission to fight for better workplace environments and bridge the gap of gender inequalities.
Hill will speak on her experiences as a lawyer, educator and civil rights activist during Case Western Reserve University’s F. Joseph Callahan Distinguished Lecture, presented in partnership with Think Forum and the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women. The free, public event will be held at the Maltz Performing Arts Center on March 22 at 6 p.m.; a book signing will follow. Tickets are required.
This lecture is part of Flora Stone Mather Center for Women’s anniversary celebrations, honoring 20 years of leadership, advocacy, community engagement and research to advance gender equity in education.
Hill grew up the youngest of 13 children on a farm in rural Oklahoma. After graduating with her JD from Yale Law School in 1980, she began her career in private practice in Washington, D.C. In 1989, she became the first African American to be tenured at University of Oklahoma, where she taught contracts and civic organization.
Hill is a university professor of social policy, law, and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Brandeis University. She also serves as counsel to the law firm Cohen Milstein, where she advises on class action workplace discrimination cases.
Hill’s books include Speaking Truth to Power (1998), Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home (2011), and Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence (2021). Most recently, she received the 2022 ABA Silver Gavel Award for Books.