Trinity University’s Maverick Lecture Series is bringing Pulitzer‑Prize‑winning journalist Eugene Robinson to campus for a free public lecture on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. The event, titled “Freedom Lost, Freedom Won: A Personal History of America,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Stieren Theater.
Local community event
The lecture is open to anyone in the San Antonio area, but registration is required. Residents can sign up online to secure a seat.
Robinson’s personal and professional background
Robinson will draw on his family’s history, beginning with his great‑great‑grandfather’s liberation from slavery, and his own experiences growing up during the Civil Rights Movement in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He will recount the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre, which occurred near his family home, and his time as one of the few Black students at the formerly all‑white Orangeburg High School.
After college, Robinson became the first Black co‑editor‑in‑chief of the University of Michigan’s award‑winning student newspaper. He then spent five decades at The Washington Post as a reporter, editor, foreign correspondent and columnist. His commentary on the 2008 presidential election earned him the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary. He also serves as a political analyst for MSNBC and has authored four books.
Lecture focus
Robinson will use his latest book, Freedom Lost, Freedom Won: A Personal History of America, published in February, to illustrate how African American history is integral to the broader American story. He will discuss how his family’s narrative reflects larger themes of liberty, struggle, and progress.
Support and sponsorship
The Maverick Lecture Series has been sponsored for nearly two decades by the William and Salomé Scanlan Foundation, honoring the legacy of Maury Maverick Jr., a noted San Antonio lawyer and former Texas legislator. The series selects speakers who address challenges to constitutional liberty, the First Amendment, and issues of poverty and race.
For more information and to register, visit the Trinity University website.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
