Voices of Our Times Series
at the Huntsville Museum of Art

 

Huntsville, Ala. – The Voices of Our Times series returns to The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) with an incredible lineup of guest speakers for 2024. This year’s annual series brings people of note in the arts, academia, publishing, and politics to the HMA for candid, in-depth discussions, and presentations. Featuring Wil Haygood, Pulitzer finalist, award-winning author, and reporter In Honor of Bobby Bradley presented by the HMA’s Black History Month Committee. This event is the museum’s first Voices of Our Times talk in the 2024 series and will take place on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 pm.

“We are honored to kick off our Voices of Our Times and Black History Month series with Wil Haygood whose profound storytelling brilliantly highlights the compelling narrative of America through his years of investigative journalism,” said HMA Executive Director Christopher Madkour.

Best-selling author, prize-winning journalist, acclaimed biographer, and cultural historian, Wil Haygood tells the story of America through the lens of history, politics, sports, race, and the lives of change-making African-Americans. Best known as the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Butler and Showdown, his work has chronicled America’s civil rights journey through acclaimed biographies of Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Sammy Davis, Jr., Sugar Ray Robinson, and Eugene Allen, the real-life inspiration for Lee Daniels’ award-winning film, The Butler. For thirty years, he was a national and foreign correspondent for the Washington Post and Boston Globe, covering events such as Nelson Mandela’s release from prison after 27 years, the ascent of President Obama, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and his own experience as the hostage of Somali rebels.

Bobby A. Bradley, the evening’s honoree, is a native of Huntsville, AL, and received her Bachelor of Science in mathematics and chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1971. After a long career with other companies, Bradley started Computer Systems Technology providing computer, engineering, and management-related services to the Department of Defense and NASA. In 2011, she co-founded Village of Promise, a non-profit organization focused on eradicating generational poverty by ensuring that children and adults successfully transition into sustainable careers. She has co-chaired the Huntsville Museum’s Black History Month Committee since 2017. She and the Committee were instrumental in raising funds to purchase the exceptional portrait of singer and actress, Ethel Waters (1939) by American artist Luigi Lucioni.

Author, medal of Honor Recipient, and Hero, Retired Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha is our second Voices of Our Times featured speaker. This event will take place on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 pm. The Battle of Kamdesh stands as one of the bloodiest battles of the entire Afghan War and Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, author of the book Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor, portrayed the battle in the Netflix documentary series, Medal of Honor. The battle lasted 14 hours and cost eight American lives while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed. Romesha deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Romesha received the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan on October 3, 2009. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Romesha continually exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, as he moved confidently about the battlefield engaging and destroying multiple enemy targets. After separation from the Army in January of 2011, he relocated to North Dakota to pursue work in the Bakken Oil Fields, first as a general laborer and then transitioning into a job as a Field Safety Specialist. On Feb 11, 2013, Romesha received the Medal of Honor at a ceremony held in the White House. Then in 2014, he started working on his book Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor, which became a New York Times bestseller. Romesha travels the country doing veteran and youth outreach, inspirational and motivational speaking, and enjoying his time spent with his wife Kelli, and their six kids.

Renowned Fashion Designer and founder of A Modern Southern Studio, Billy Reid is our third Voices of Our Times speaker. Reid grew up in Amite, a small town in southern Louisiana. His mom owned a women’s boutique that was located in his grandmother’s old house, and that had a big impact on the way hospitality is portrayed in his shops today. Reid went to the Art Institute of Dallas and worked his way through school at Saks Fifth Avenue. He later moved to Los Angeles, New York, and Boston during a six-year career with Reebok where he helped them pioneer their Greg Norman Golf Collections. He launched his own collection in 1998 under the label William Reid, which had critical success and CFDA award recognition. Things were really taking off with that collection until he held a New York Fashion Week runway show on September 10th, 2001, a day before the 9/11 attacks. Everything eventually unraveled, ultimately closing that business. In the aftermath, Reid and his family moved to his wife’s hometown of Florence, Alabama, to reset life. After years of struggling, he relaunched his brand in 2004 under the label Billy Reid. He had a vision that an American Fashion House can be based in the Deep South, outside of the usual New York, Paris, and Milan fashion centers. Nearly 20 years later, he has seen that vision through, and he continues to build and create from Florence, AL.

Tickets to the Voices of Our Times with Wil Haygood in Honor of Bobby Bradley are on sale now and are $200 for museum members and $250 for nonmembers.
Purchase tickets here: Voices of Our Times with Wil Haygood

HMA’s Voices of Our Times series is sponsored by AL.com, IronMountain Solutions, Inc., PNC, and Shelbie King.
Voices of Our Times: Wil Haygood is supported by Lead Sponsors Rosetta James Foundation, and Allen and Tom Young.
Voices of Our Times: Clinton Romesha is supported by Lead Sponsors Thompson Gray | Gray Analytics and Torch Technologies.
Voices of Our Times: Billy Reid is supported by Lead Sponsors Anonymous, Pennie and Tom Keene, Judy Maxwell, and Jean Wessel Templeton.

Voices of Our Times presentations and dinner will be held in Loretta Spencer Hall.
More information about this and other museum events can be found at hsvmuseum.org.

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About the Huntsville Museum of Art

The Huntsville Museum of Art is a non-profit municipal corporation established by the City of Huntsville, Alabama, and governed by a city-appointed Museum Board. The Museum seeks to foster understanding of the visual arts and appreciation of artistic achievement. In addition to its galleries and exhibitions, the Museum offers art classes for children and adults along with special programs, lectures and musical presentations. Rental space is also available for weddings, meetings and other events.