Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch Delivered Powerful Speech at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Loretta Lynch, the first African American woman appointed Attorney General of the United States, spoke to a standing-room only crowd at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff during its Welcome Week lecture series, encouraging students to “push back against these efforts to silence our voices.”

Students, faculty and members of the public who attended the speech embraced Lynch’s sweeping assessment of the current political landscape dotted with renewed attacks on people of color at the voting booth and “our right to simply just be.” She pointed to recent viral examples of white people calling police on African Americans for daily activities like playing golf, sitting in Starbucks without making a purchase, and having lunch while on campus. Lynch shared an incident when she worked as a prosecutor in New York during which she and her trial partner visited one of the branch offices that Lynch supervised, dressed in suits and carrying briefcases, but, they were described by a sweatshirt, blue jean-wearing employee as “suspicious-looking characters.”

“The price of freedom is constant vigilance,” she said. “What can we do to effectuate change in the country we built?”

Lynch invoked the compelling words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who she noted visited the University 60 years ago in 1958.

She said, “Our democracy needs your help. Yes, the arc [of the moral universe] bends towards freedom, but it needs all hands.”

As the 83rd Attorney General of the nation laid out her case, the crowd roared its approval with thunderous applause. She linked the origin of the division in the country to forces that began brewing during the eight years President Barack Obama, the first African American President, occupied the White House.

Calling out the current Administration, she said they are “wasting time and money to erase anything with the name Obama attached to it. But, I’m here to tell you, ‘We’re not going anywhere.’”

Lynch simultaneously critiqued the climate of injustice in America and reminded the audience that history often repeats itself.

“The pendulum has swung this way before, and it likely will again,” she stated. “It’s up to every generation to defend these values in its own way.”

“It was an inspiring speech,” said Randy Thompson, a UAPB senior. “My friends also liked it. One of them said the speech helped him with ‘a newfound sense of confidence.’”

Dalliss Abraham, also a senior, praised the speech as one “directed at us, the students.”

Lynch urged students to consider their choices. And, the message resonated with the entire audience. Lottie Shackleford, the only woman elected Mayor of Little Rock and the longest-serving vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee, considered it sage advice.

“We all have control of the choices we make, and we must retake our power and not blame the choices we make on the actions or words of someone else,” Shackleford said.

State Representative Vivian Flowers said, “We all hung on her every word, words that were true and strong and timely. She poignantly shared, ‘The strength of the backlash Is directly proportional to the power it is trying to suppress’ then reminded us to raise our voices, listen to others’ as well as to be present in the ballot booth and on the ballot.”

The former Attorney General’s speech lasted more than 20 minutes. Her sorority sisters from Delta Sigma Theta claimed several rows in the lecture hall. Lynch mentioned their presence and their support during her nearly six-month confirmation drama which had more to do with politics than her work or track record as a prosecutor.