Civil rights historian Barry McNealy will be visiting Eureka College to give a public lecture titled “Towards a More Perfect Union” on March 27th, 2026. The lecture will focus on key elements from the civil rights movement in the United States since the founding.
The lecture is hosted by Dr. Joe Cunningham, Associate Professor of Religion, and is put forth in a joint effort with Reverend Jennie Churchman of Eureka Christian Church, emphasizing values of abolition, dignity, and quality upheld by both the Church and College. ECC facilitated a civil rights pilgrimage, where church members traveled to Birmingham, AL, and other southern states to tour sites associated with slavery and the civil rights movement, where they met and invited McNealy to campus.
“The goal is to promote awareness of the importance of telling and retelling the stories of civil rights activists, and to affirm values that the college holds, which are shared values with the Disciples of Christ Christian Church,” Cunningham said.
McNealy is a Historical Content Expert for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and has appeared on other campuses, websites, and news outlets, such as C-SPAN or CBS, to discuss topics such as civil rights, youth civic engagement, and the importance of Juneteenth, among other topics. In 2024, McNealy received the Virginia V. Hamilton Award from the Alabama Historical Association for his contribution to Alabama history.
“This message has been developed over time through historical research involving textual historiography as well as first hand interactions with a myriad of individuals who have shaped the transformative narrative that is the history of Birmingham, Alabama and its effect on the United States and the wider world,” McNealy wrote over email.
The lecture connects directly to the work of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute by bringing lessons from the civil rights movement to light, presenting them in multiple ways to build a better future.
Eureka College was founded by abolitionists amidst a time of historical change in the U.S.. McNealy’s historical angle will highlight the time of Eureka’s founding, allowing listeners to critically examine the college’s origin story.
One root idea of McNealy’s lecture will focus on the course of history the United States took, following ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence, including events such as the Three-Fifths compromise, the Missouri compromise, Dred Scott v. Sanford ruling, and the Compromise of 1850, events imperative to the nation’s history.
In addition to historical perspective, it is important to pay attention to how the lecture might speak to the modern state of civil rights.
“It is important to listen to voices like Mr. McNealy who call attention to the importance of fundamental human rights, the promise of equality embedded in our foundational political texts, and the struggle and failure to live up to these values,” Cunningham said.
Additional educational opportunities often present themselves from guest lectures on college campuses. McNealy is no exception, and brings goals for the student population with him.
“It is my sincere hope that the students at Eureka will be inspired to tackle those vestiges of inequality that still pervade our society any modern sense. The study of the past is meaningless if we cannot learn from those who were at the forefront of continuing this great experiment that we call The United States of America,” McNealy wrote over email.
McNealy’s lecture will be a badged event for graduation requirements, and is free and open to the public. All students are encouraged to attend.
