Hannah Atkins Memorial Lecture Series

About the Hannah Atkins Memorial Lecture Series

The Hannah Atkins Speaker Series was created in honor of Hannah Atkins, the first African-American woman state legislator in Oklahoma.  Atkins had a profoundly influential career in public service, and would go on to simultaneously serve as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Social Services, making her the highest-ranking woman in the Oklahoma state government.   Throughout her political career, she advocated for improvements in health care (including mental health), education, women's rights, and civil rights.  

Beginning September 2016, Dr. Farida Jalalzai, the current holder of the Hannah Atkins Endowed Chair in Political Science, instituted the Hannah Atkins Memorial Lecture to pay tribute to Atkin's legacy as a political trailblazer.  This speaker series brings to the OSU campus researchers who seek to improve our understanding of the political empowerment of traditionally disadvantaged peoples and minority groups, each talk highlighting the important role these individuals can play in building a healthy democratic society.

Hannah Atkins Lecturer Dispells Myths About Voter Fraud in the US

On March 4. 2020, Dr. David C. Kimball, Professor of Political Science University of Missouri in St. Louis, presented on “Public Images and Beliefs about Voter Fraud.” He began his talk by highlighting how rare voter fraud really is in the United States, further pointing out that there is no evidence that voter fraud nor voter suppression efforts have changed an election result in any recent local, state, or national elections in the US.   He then moved on to explain his current research on people's belief about voter fraud in the US.  Based on an original survey he conducted, his research highlights how public opinion is influenced by political rhetoric that links voter fraud with fear of immigrants and people of color.

"The Children of Harvey Milk" is the Topic of the 2019 Hannah Atkins Memorial Lecture

This year, our Hannah Atkins Lecture Series kicked off on October 10, 2019 with our Fourth Annual Memorial Lecture. We had the great pleasure of hosting Dr. Andrew Reynolds, who spoke on the topic related to his recent book,The Children of Harvey Milk: How LGBTQ Politicians Changed the World. His book documents the equal rights struggle of LGBTQ politicians from around the world. By highlighting their successes and failures,  Reynolds demonstrated how individuals can change the views and voting behaviors of those around them.

From women's representation to immigration, the 2018-2019 Hannah Atkins Series tackles major questions about diversity

During the 2018-2019 academic year, we continued to honor Hannah Atkin’s legacy as a political trailblazer by featuring leading scholars who spoke on issues related to women and minority empowerment.  The fall semester kicked off with our our Third Annual Hannah Atkins Memorial Lecture on September 25.

2018 Hannah Atkins guest lecturer asks what is "The Cost of Doing Politics?"

This spring, the Hannah Atkins Endowment and the Department of Political Science is excited to bring Dr. Mona Lena Krook, Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Women and Politics Ph.D. Program at Rutgers University, to the OSU campus.  Dr. Krook will be giving a guest lecture on her research titled "The Cost of Doing Politics? Violence and Harassment against Female Politicians." This event will be on Wednesday, April 18th at 4:30 pm in Murray Hall 035 on the OSU campus.

How N.E.W. Leadership Helped OSU Grads Navigate the World of Public Service 

On February 6, the department sponsored a panel that highlights the esteemed OSU alums who have all participated in the NEW Leadership Program, a five-day residential program that takes place each annually at the University of Oklahoma. Designed to educate and empower undergraduate women from the state of Oklahoma to participate actively in politics and public service, it connects participants to policy makers and community activists. The ultimate goal is to give women of all backgrounds and partisan affiliations the opportunity to shape the public agenda. The Hannah Atkins endowment provides funding yearly to offset costs to this nationally renowned program; students do not pay to participate.