Nikole Hannah-Jones was Paid $55K for Conservative-Bashing Speech at UW-Madison
“The public university’s Student Affairs and its diversity office hosted the event in the student union.”
Hannah-Jones claimed that conservatives have twisted the words of MLK. That’s rich coming from someone who has become wealthy by literally rewriting American history.
The College Fix reports:
Nikole Hannah-Jones paid $55,000 for speech criticizing Republicans at UW Madison
Speaking at the University of Wisconsin on Tuesday, author and Howard University Professor Nikole Hannah-Jones said that modern conservatives have misinterpreted and “whitewashed” the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in order to use his words to their benefit.
Her speech was delivered as part of the school’s Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium, an annual event which asks its keynote speaker to “provide their reflections on the legacy of MLK and to discuss how their work or experience connects to this,” according to the event’s website.
“The speaker was paid $55,000, consistent with past speakers for this event, from private funding sources; no public funds were used,” spokesperson Meredith McGlone told The College Fix via email.
The public university’s Student Affairs and its diversity office hosted the event in the student union. People who want to watch her speech again will have trouble doing so due to press and recording restrictions.
“Sharing or recording of the broadcast is strictly prohibited,” the university said in an email to participants. The only way to watch the $55,000 speech was to attend in person or watch the livestream.
Hannah-Jones is the author of the “1619 Project,” a widely criticized New York Times initiative which claimed the first American settlers wanted a new country to protect slavery. Hannah-Jones has also said that the American Revolution was fought to preserve slavery. The project has warranted criticism from Republican lawmakers who see the teaching of it in schools as divisive.
The symposium began with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a song acknowledged by the event’s presenters as the “Black National Anthem.”
Following the performance, Chancellor Rebecca Blank offered remarks on the history of Martin Luther King Jr. at the school, highlighting two past occasions in which the civil rights activist spoke at the university.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
“The speaker was paid $55,000, consistent with past speakers for this event, from private funding sources; no public funds were used,”
So, bigotry and hate are fine as long as the government doesn’t pay?
By the way, who paid for the security needed by such a controversial speaker?
“So, bigotry and hate are fine as long as the government doesn’t pay?”
Yes, yes they are. They’re legal, at any rate. We don’t have to approve, but we have to allow. Of course, we should never expect the same courtesy from them.
“The only way to watch the $55,000 speech was to attend in person or watch the livestream.”
Nice little echo chamber you have here. It would be a shame if nothing ever happened to it.
Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire and use the Alinsky rule of making them live up to their own rules.
This is a case where push back makes sense because government facilities were still used as a venue and other resources that went into cost were supplied by public funds.