Award-Winning Journalist To Speak At MLK, Jr. Event

In observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Limestone College will host a special program at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 16, at Fullerton Auditorium.

There is no admission charge and the public is invited to attend. The 14th-annual program is being produced through a partnership with Limestone College and the Cherokee County MLK Committee.

The program will feature guest speaker Eric Deggans, a television critic with National Public Radio (NPR). A journalist for more than 20 years, he is also the author of “Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation,” a look at how prejudice, racism, and sexism fuel some elements of modern media.

In 2013, Deggans was awarded the Florida Press Club's inaugural Diversity Award, honoring his coverage of issues involving race and media. He received the Legacy Award from the National Association of Black Journalists’ A&E Task Force, an honor bestowed on “seasoned A&E journalists who are at the top of their careers.” Deggans serves on the board of educators, journalists, and media experts who select the George Foster Peabody Awards for excellence in electronic media.

Now serving as chair of the Media Monitoring Committee for the National Association of Black Journalists, Deggans has also served on the Board of Directors for the National Television Critics Association.

Deggans earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and journalism from Indiana University.

An awards and scholarship luncheon will follow the program on January 16 at 12:30 p.m. at Stephenson Dining Hall. Tickets for the luncheon are $15 each and can be purchased in advance only by calling (864) 489-8245 or (864) 219-0517. Luncheon tickets will not be sold at the door.