A Powerful Evening at UT Austin on the 'Censored University': The Legendary Nikole Hannah-Jones and Truth-Telling, by Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.

A Powerful Evening at UT Austin on the 'Censored University': Nikole Hannah-Jones and Truth-Telling

by

Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.

March 11, 2026

In an event sponsored by the Department of Mexican American and Latino Studies and the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, the Bass Lecture Hall at the LBJ School for Public Affairs was jam packed yesterday evening as students, faculty, and community members gathered for an extraordinary conversation about history, democracy, and the responsibility of truth-telling in our time. You may scroll down to view the recording.

Jonathan Friedman, Cameron Samuels, and
Nikole Hannah-Jones

We were honored to welcome Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of The 1619 Project, whose work has profoundly reshaped public understanding of the United States by centering the legacy of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans to the nation’s democratic ideals. Hers is the only book mentioned in Texas law that is weirdly all but censored. It's an honest history and I encourage all to read it. The audiobook version is excellent!

At a moment when honest conversations about history are increasingly contested, Hannah-Jones reminded us that democracy depends not on comforting myths but on our collective willingness to confront the past with clarity, courage, and intellectual integrity.

The evening also highlighted the power of intergenerational dialogue. Cameron Samuels, youth leader and LBJ School master’s student—who just got admitted into the UT Law School—brought a compelling perspective on student activism and intellectual freedom. Their advocacy reminds us that struggles over what can be taught, read, and discussed in schools are inseparable from the future of democracy itself.

We were also fortunate to hear from Jonathan Friedman of PEN America, whose work defending free expression and confronting book bans has been indispensable in documenting the growing movement to restrict knowledge in schools and libraries across the United States. His insights helped situate the conversation within the broader national struggle over intellectual freedom.

Guiding the evening’s dialogue was Dr. Lauren Gutterman, whose thoughtful

César Cruz and me

moderation created space for a rich and probing exchange among the speakers and with the audience. The program opened with an exquisite prayer offered by Dr. César Cruz, whose words grounded the evening in reflection, humility, and a shared commitment to justice and community. It was a beautiful reminder that intellectual work and moral purpose are never far apart.

Events like this matter—especially now. Universities must remain places where difficult histories can be examined honestly, where students encounter ideas that challenge them, and where communities can gather to think together about the future we hope to build.

Last night’s full house at the LBJ School made something clear: people are hungry for these conversations. They want spaces where truth can be spoken, where history can be wrestled with, and where the next generation of scholars, journalists, and organizers can find inspiration.

My deepest thanks to Nikole Hannah-Jones, Cameron Samuels, Jonathan Friedman, Dr. Lauren Gutterman, and Dr. César Cruz for helping make this such a meaningful evening—and to everyone who filled Bass Lecture Hall in a shared commitment to democracy, dialogue, and the enduring power of truth.