[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]<\/p>\n
National expert on antisemitism, extremism and democracy will headline the fourth Annual Staenberg Lecture in partnership with the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum<\/em><\/p>\n Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, in partnership with the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, will host the fourth Annual Staenberg Lecture on Monday, April 6, 2026, at The Factory in Chesterfield, Missouri. The event, made possible through a generous commitment from the Staenberg Family Foundation, will feature nationally-recognized civil rights strategist, philanthropic leader, and cultural activist Eric Ward<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Ward serves as Executive Vice President of Race Forward and is a Senior Fellow with the Southern Poverty Law Center. In 2021, he became the first U.S. recipient of the Civil Courage Prize for his work resisting hate-based violence and strengthening democratic institutions. Ward\u2019s research and advocacy have helped shape national conversations about race, antisemitism, extremism, and democracy.<\/p>\n He is the author of Skin in the Game: How Antisemitism Animates White Nationalism and the essay \u201cYou\u2019re My Inspiration: How I Came to Understand Racism in America\u201d (American Educator, 2022). His writing has appeared in TIME, Newsweek, and ESPN.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, we believe higher education should foster intellectual growth, cultivate social and civic responsibility, and prepare students for meaningful careers and empowered citizenship,\u201d said Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Provost Scott Chadwick<\/strong>. \u201cEducation comes in many forms, and the Staenberg Lecture creates a powerful learning experience by connecting history to the challenges our society faces today. Eric Ward\u2019s work speaks directly to the importance of understanding the past so we can responsibly shape the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Ward\u2019s philanthropic leadership spans more than three decades, including roles as Program Officer at the Ford Foundation and Program Executive at The Atlantic Philanthropies. He is a co-founder of Funders for Justice and serves on the board of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. Through these roles, he has guided long-term investments aimed at strengthening civil society, countering bigotry, and protecting democratic governance.<\/p>\n This will be the fourth in a series of lectures made possible through a generous commitment to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ from philanthropist Michael Staenberg, and the Staenberg Family Foundation. The five-year series focuses on contemporary social issues through the lens of the Holocaust, its lessons, and its historical significance.<\/p>\n Previous speakers in the series include author and podcaster Dara Horn; Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League; and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson.<\/p>\n The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum continues to partner with Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ for the series, reflecting a shared commitment to education, remembrance, and civic responsibility.<\/p>\n The annual lecture also provides educational opportunities for Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ students and students from area high schools and youth organizations to attend. Sponsorship opportunities at a variety of levels are available for organizations and individuals interested in expanding the reach and impact of the series.<\/p>\n