Freelon Connects Creativity, Education, Civic Leadership in “Creating the Future” Lecture at N.C. A&T

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Grammy-nominated artist, author, educator and civic leader Pierce Freelon will bring his multidisciplinary approach to creativity, culture and social change to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as the Center of Excellence for Social Justice’s (CESJ) Fall 2026-27 Scholar Activist-in-Residence.

As part of his residency, Freelon will present a public lecture, “The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It,” Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5:30 p.m. in the General Classroom Building (GCB) Auditorium, Room A218, 601 N. Benbow Road.

North Carolina A&T students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to attend the free event.

CESJ’s Scholar Activist-in-Residence program brings leading scholars, writers and change-makers to N.C. A&T for extended campus engagements focused on scholarship, dialogue and social change. Previous residents include Daniel Black, Ph.D., and Melissa Harris-Perry, Ph.D.

“Pierce Freelon exemplifies the intersection of creativity, civic engagement and social impact,” said Paul Baker, Ph.D., interim CESJ director. “His work challenges us to think critically about the future while empowering us to become architects of positive change in our communities.”

For Freelon, creating the future begins with examining the past and understanding how history has shaped identity and thought. He points to the West African concept of Sankofa — “go back and fetch it” — as part of that framework.

“Understanding where we come from is essential to imagining where we can go,” said Freelon. “Creating a different future requires healing, reconciliation and imagination — a transformed way of thinking about what is possible.”

Freelon’s ties to A&T extend across generations. His father, the late architect Phil Freelon, left a significant architectural footprint across the university’s campus, designing several academic buildings, including the GCB, home to the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and CESJ. T

he Freelon Group also led the restoration and transformation of the historic F.W. Woolworth building in downtown Greensboro into the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, preserving the site where the A&T Four launched the 1960 sit-in movement.

Throughout his career, Freelon has demonstrated how creativity, education, and interdisciplinary skills can translate into professional achievement, entrepreneurship, civic leadership and social impact. His Grammy-nominated children’s albums, “AnceStars” and “Black to the Future,” have been featured on NPR, Billboard, and the Today Show. He has taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University, served on the Durham City Council and founded Blackspace, a digital maker space for teens.

For more information about Freelon’s Oct. 15 lecture, email cesj@ncat.edu.