Our Mission 

Teaching, Studying and Promoting Civil Rights and Social Change

The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change advances its mission of teaching, studying, and promoting civil rights and social change primarily through education, research, innovative campaigns, and community engagement.

We implement our mission of teaching, studying, and promoting civil rights and social change through research, education, and community engagement initiatives. 

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for news and updates on upcoming Hooks Institute events! Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise stated.

2023 Hooks Institute Donor Appreciation Reception

Maxine A. Smith University Center
University of Memphis
499 University Street
Memphis, TN 38152. 

April 18, 2023 | 6 pm

A reception hosted by the Hooks advisory board and staff and University of Memphis students enrolled in Hooks Institute programs  for academic, personal, and professional success. Enjoy food, music and entertaining presentations on how the work of the Hooks Institute impacts the lives of those seeking to realize their own potential and that of their communities.

Individual and nonprofit sponsorshships can be purchased through the link below. Please contact the Hooks Institute at (901) 678-39764 for information on obtaining corporate sponsorships.

Tennessee General Assembly Honors Fayette County Activists and the University of Memphis Hooks Institute with Resolution 

The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed a resolution to honor the activists from the Fayette County Movement and the documentary, website and exhibitions created by the University of Memphis Hooks Institute to preserve and analyze the history of this movement. 

Before the General Assembly voted on the resolution, Hooks Institute Executive Director Daphene R. McFerren made brief remarks on the critical importance of preserving this historical work to help ensure equity and social justice for future generations. Her remarks received a standing ovation from the General Assembly.

Support Our Work to uplift Memphis and uplift the nation. Make a gift of any amount to the Hooks Institute.

Stay engaged with our efforts to promote an equal and just society!

Who We Are

• We transform adults and students through our work including financial literacy training, public lectures, and documentaries on civil rights and social justice.
• We provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to African American male and female college students to help them achieve successful graduation and professional outcomes.
• We have trained federal and local government personnel on community inequalities by using research from Hooks Institute.  This research has also been cited by the media and included in documentary broadcasts. 
• We use the collective scholarship of the university to eradicate inequality and to create prosperity in our communities. 
• We are the only university Institute in the State of Tennessee with a community engagement, scholarship, and research mission to remove discrimination and inequality in Memphis and beyond.

Who We Serve

• The University of Memphis community, Memphis and Shelby County, the state and the nation. These entities connect to our work through our publications, lecture series, documentaries, and social media.
• Teachers who receive training from Institute staff on civil rights history and use our materials in their classrooms.
• African American male students and female students enrolled in  HAAMI or ASATT.
• Faculty at the University of Memphis who receive grants that enable them to fund research focused on societal disparities and their causes. 
• Individuals, grassroots leaders, government officials and business leaders who can find valuable research and policy conclusions set forth in the Institute’s Policy Papers. 
• Historians who are researching or seeking information about social justice or civil rights especially as it applies to events in the Mid-South.