Rev. William H. Lamar IV Announced as Bennett College 2025 Charter Day Convocation Speaker

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Bennett College is pleased to announce that Rev. William H. Lamar IV, Pastor of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, will serve as the keynote speaker for the College’s 2025 Charter Day Convocation. The ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM in the historic Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel on the Bennett College campus.

Charter Day commemorates Bennett College’s chartering by the State of North Carolina as a four-year liberal arts institution for women in 1889. It is a moment of deep reflection and celebration, connecting the College’s past with its present commitment to academic excellence, sisterhood, and social impact.

A Georgia native, Rev. Lamar brings a resonant voice of faith, justice, and visionary leadership. Since 2014, he has led Metropolitan AME—known as “the national cathedral of African Methodism”—through a period of bold transformation, cultivating initiatives like the Sankofa Christian Parenting Project and intergenerational ministries that speak to the pressing moral questions of our time.

A graduate of Florida A&M University and Duke Divinity School, Rev. Lamar is currently pursuing his doctorate in African American Preaching. He is also a founding board chair of the Just Power Alliance.

His forthcoming book, Ancestors, is set for release later this year.

This event is open to the public, and members of the Bennett College community, alumnae, and supporters are warmly encouraged to attend.

Details:

Charter Day Convocation

Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 11 am EST

Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel.

The Convocation can also be streamed live by visiting www.Bennett.edu/live.

Charter Day is a time-honored tradition where we reflect on our journey and our chartering as a four-year college by the State of North Carolina in 1889. We welcome you to be a part of this special occasion, either in person or virtually.

We look forward to celebrating with you.

Bennett College