Detroit-based independent anti-poverty think tank The PuLSE Institute has announced the launch of the Bankole Thompson First Amendment and Social Change Lecture Series, a new annual initiative dedicated to advancing free speech, democracy, and social justice.
The lecture series is named in honor of Bankole Thompson, founder and dean of The PuLSE Institute, and a nationally respected journalist, social critic, and advocate for economic and racial justice. Thompson’s body of work, widely recognized for speaking truth to power, reflects a deep commitment to First Amendment freedoms.
The inaugural keynote address will be delivered by Jim Vincent, former president of the Providence, Rhode Island branch of the NAACP and a prominent national civil rights activist. The virtual lecture is scheduled for Friday, February 27, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., in observance of Black History Month.
According to The PuLSE Institute, the lecture series was inspired in part by Thompson’s landmark First Amendment court victory in 2018, when the Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously ruled in his favor and that of The Detroit News in a defamation lawsuit brought by a self-proclaimed white nationalist. The published appellate opinion set a rare and important legal precedent affirming opinion journalism as protected speech.
The ruling, which followed an 18-month legal battle, has since been cited as a significant victory for press freedom and democratic expression. Thompson was represented by renowned First Amendment attorneys Len Niehoff and Jim Stewart of the Honigman law firm.
The lecture series aims to promote robust public dialogue on protecting free speech in a diverse democracy and to highlight the role of the First Amendment in safeguarding civil and human rights.
Vincent, a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Pennsylvania, has spent decades advocating for civil rights, voting rights, and reparatory justice at both state and national levels. He played a key role in the historic nomination of Melissa A. Long as the first Black justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and currently serves on the Providence Municipal Reparations Commission, established in 2022.
“I’m proud and deeply honored to serve as the inaugural keynote speaker,” Vincent said. “Bankole Thompson is a fearless champion of the First Amendment and social change. At this moment in history, defending democracy and human rights requires all hands on deck.”
PuLSE Institute Board Chairman Paschal Eze described the lecture series as “long overdue,” praising Thompson’s journalistic legacy and calling February 27, 2026, “a date with living history.”
Attorney Tina M. Patterson, President and Director of Research at The PuLSE Institute, said the series recognizes Thompson’s role in holding power accountable and elevating marginalized voices. She also applauded Vincent’s selection, noting that his lifelong advocacy reflects the very purpose of First Amendment protections.
Thompson, who currently serves on the National Board of Directors of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), said the lecture series reflects his lifelong commitment to equality and justice.
“My work has always been about ensuring that the voiceless are heard,” Thompson said. “This lecture series will shine a light on the unfinished business of justice and equality and reaffirm why the First Amendment must never be taken for granted.”
Thompson is a member of the National Press Club, a twice-weekly opinion columnist at The Detroit News, host of the podcast Bankole’s Nation, and author of five books, with a sixth scheduled for release later this year. His papers are archived at the University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library, preserving his work for future generations.
The PuLSE Institute said the lecture series will become a permanent platform for critical dialogue on democracy, free expression, and social change in America.
