Harvard Professor and Acclaimed Author to Speak on Racism & Spirituality in Newtonville

Cabot Park Village, a Benchmark independent living community, today announced the continuation of their popular, complimentary lecture series. On Monday, May 1 at noon, Harvard Divinity School professor and author, Dr. Terrence Johnson, will speak on Racism & Spirituality. Limited space will be available.

Johnson will address and lead a discussion on how believers of all faiths can contend with racism and bias in public places. The topic is an extension of Johnson’s Harvard course this semester, Existence Behind the Veil, centered on exploring race and racism through a spiritual lens and what it means for black identity in America and beyond.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our residents and our Black History Lecture Series to welcome Professor Johnson. He and his resume speak for itself, and our residents are thrilled to hear his presentation,” said Todd Raymond, senior executive director of Cabot Park Village.

Cabot Park resident, Lionel Porter, who heads the Lecture Series said, ” I contacted Professor Johnson after hearing his interview on NPR, in which he not only discussed the challenges racism poses to black spiritualist, but also the concept of ‘double—consciousness,’ which was first articulated in W.E.B. Dubois’ book, ” The Souls of Black Folk.”

Johnson is the author of several books, including Blacks and Jews in America: An Invitation to Dialogue (2022), We Testify with Our Lives: How Religion Transformed Radical Thought from Black Power to Black Lives Matter (2021) and Tragic Soul-Life: W.E.B. Du Bois and the Moral Crisis Facing American Democracy (2012).

He joined Harvard from the Department of Government at Georgetown University, where he was Associate Professor of Religion and Politics, a Senior Research Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and an affiliate member of the Department of African American Studies. He also served on the executive committee of the Center for Jewish Civilization at Georgetown.

Johnson earned his BA from Morehouse College, a master of divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a PhD in religion from Brown University.

In his free time, he serves as an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Racism & Spirituality will take place at Cabot Village, which is located at 280 Newtonville Avenue in Newtonville. To RSVP for the lecture or to learn more, call Anders Svendsen at 617.415.7436.

About Benchmark Senior Living

Benchmark is New England’s largest senior living provider with 65 independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care communities and over 5,000 dedicated associates providing compassionate care and outstanding experiences throughout the Northeast. The Waltham, Mass.-based company was founded over 25 years ago by Tom Grape with the purpose of Transforming Lives Through Human Connection. Since then, Benchmark has continued to set the industry standard, having won over a hundred local, regional and national awards for its care, programs and as a top workplace. Benchmark has been named one of the Top Places to Work for 15 straight years in The Boston Globe’s annual employee-based survey and received repeated recognition in FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces for Aging Services list. For more information, visit BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com.

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