BERKELEY - Civil rights leaders Dr. Harry Edwards, Dr. John Carlos and Dr. Tommie Smith will be the featured panelists at the special on-campus event "Black History Celebration: Champions of Justice" on Feb. 23 at the Cal Alumni House.

The Cal Athletics DEIBJ Office and the California Alumni Association will host the event, which will take place from 4-6:30 p.m. PT. The proceedings will end with a "Step and Stroll to Victory" - a spirited walk to nearby Haas Pavilion to watch the Cal women's basketball team take on Arizona State at 7 p.m.

In honor of Black History Month, Edwards, Carlos and Smith will engage in a panel discussion about the 1968 Olympic Project for Human Rights, among other topics. It will be co-moderated by Cal Associate Athletics Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice Dr. Ty-Ron Douglas and Cal women's soccer student-athlete Courtney Boone.

A catered reception and opportunity to meet the panelists will follow the panel discussion.

About the panelists:

Dr. Harry Edwards - Dr. Harry Edwards is a renowned sociologist and author whose distinguished career has focused on the connections between race, sport and society. He earned a Ph.D. from Cornell and became a noted sociology professor—now emeritus—at the University of California, Berkeley, where his writing and research focused on developments at the interface of sport, race and society.

Dr. John Carlos - Dr. John Carlos is a former American track and field athlete and professional American football player. He won the bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics, where he displayed the Black Power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith. He was inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2003.

Dr. Tommie Smith - Dr. Tommie Smith is a former American track and field athlete and former wide receiver in the American Football League. He won the gold medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics, and atop the medal podium with John Carlos, he did the Black Power salute to protest racism and injustice against African Americans. This gesture of activism remains a symbolic moment in the history of the Black Power movement.

To register, click here.

For more information, contact the Cal Athletics DEIBJ Office at caldeibjoffice@berkeley.edu.