‘Just Mercy’ author to speak at Wichita State

Bryan Stevenson, a social justice activist and author of the best-selling memoir, “Just Mercy,” will visit Wichita State University as part of this year’s WSU Reads program.

Stevenson will deliver the keynote speech during WSU’s academic convocation, 9:30 a.m. Sept. 20 at Wilner Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

“We’re just really excited to have him here,” said Caitlin Putnal, coordinator of first-year programs at WSU. “He’s one of the biggest names we’ve ever had here as part of the convocation.”

Stevenson, 58, is a lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. The Alabama-based non-profit legal practice defends those most desperate and in need, including prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted or denied a fair trial.

Stevenson’s memoir, “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption,” is this year’s selection for WSU Reads, a common-reading program designed to get students, faculty members and others in the community to read the same book and talk about the issues it raises.

It was selected by Time magazine as one of the “10 Best Books of Nonfiction” for 2014 and was among the New York Times “ 100 Notable Books” for the year.

Putnal said Stevenson would sign books before the convocation, from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at the Ulrich Museum of Art on WSU’s campus.