Investigative reporter, author Jerry Mitchell to speak at Harding University during U.S. book tour

This post was updated on March 17, 2020. The ASI and Honors College joint presentation of Jerry “Boo” Mitchell on March 24 has been cancelled due to the University's partial campus closure following the state of Arkansas’ efforts to mitigate community spread of COVID-19.

Feb 24, 2019 | ASI | Honors College |

The American Studies Institute, in partnership with the Honors College L.C. Sears Collegiate Seminar Series, will host University alumnus, author and investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell for a special lecture event at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, in Benson Auditorium. Mitchell’s presentation will feature his most recent book “Race Against Time,” which was just released through Simon and Schuster on Feb. 4.

Throughout his career, Mitchell’s stories have helped put four Ku Klux Klan members and a serial killer behind bars, exposed injustices and corruption, and prompted investigations, state reforms, and the firings of corrupt boards and officials. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a longtime member of Investigative Reporters and Editors and a winner of more than 30 other national awards, including a $500,000 MacArthur “genius” grant. His memoir, “Race Against Time,” tells the story of his pursuit of unsolved murder cases from the Civil Rights era, leading to convictions in some of the nations most notorious murders.

In 2019, after three decades working for the Clarion-Ledger, Mitchell founded the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit that exposes corruption, malfeasance and injustices, investigates cold cases, empowers citizens and raises up the next generation of investigative reporters.

The event is free admission and open to the public. For more information, visit harding.edu/asi , harding.edu/honors/seminar-series , or call 501-279-4497. For other Harding events and free and low cost services available to the community, visit harding.edu/community .