On Thursday, Oct. 23, Punahou School welcomed Leon W. Russell, Chairman of the Board of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Chairman Russell, a lifelong human rights advocate with more than five decades of experience, spoke to Academy students, faculty and staff in Luke Lecture Hall as part of the Davis Democracy Initiative. His talk, titled “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” emphasized the importance of civic engagement, education and intentional inclusion in shaping a just society.
NAACP Vice Chair Karen Boykin-Towns was also in attendance for the event, accompanying Chairman Russell during his visit to campus.
Drawing from his lifetime of service in Florida and beyond, Russell discussed the evolution of the NAACP – founded 116 years ago and rooted in the earlier Niagara Movement – and its ongoing advocacy for civil, human, voting and educational rights. “We are citizens of agency, not subjects,” he reminded the audience, urging students to use their voices to impact policy and build equitable communities.
Following his campus discussion, Chairman Russell visited the Omidyar K – 1 Neighborhood and shared a special reading of “Child of the Civil Rights Movement,” a story that connects generations through courage and hope. The visit to Belle Murashige and Erica Martin’s class was organized with the help of Zephanii Smith Eisenstat – a Punahou parent, former NAACP board member and fourth-generation civil rights advocate.
Russell’s visit coincided with the NAACP California Hawaii State Conference, held in Honolulu from October 23 – 26, and left students and teachers inspired to continue the work of democracy and justice in their own communities.
