Rev. William Barber and Bernie Sanders will appear together in Durham to speak on issues of racism, poverty and militarism. (Barber photo by Nathania Johnson, Sanders by Gage Skidmore, licenses CC 2.0.)

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke University Chapel will host Rev. William Barber II and Sen. Bernie Sanders in a public conversation at 8 p.m. on Jan. 19.

Duke Chapel Dean Luke A. Powery will moderate the discussion, called “The Enduring Challenge of a Moral Economy: 50 Years After Dr. King Challenged Racism, Poverty, and Militarism.”

“In joining with others to begin organizing the Poor People’s Campaign 50 years ago, Dr. King was working out of a Christian conviction that racial equity, economic justice and peace among nations were interrelated issues — and all matters of faith,” Powery said. “Through this public conversation, we have an opportunity to bring together the insights of a preacher and a politician on the present-day work toward a just, moral economy.”

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Barber, who qnotes named the 2017 Person of the Year, is the national co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, relaunching King’s vision to fight for those disenfranchised by poverty, as well as racism, injustice and what Barber calls a countrywide “moral crisis.” Additionally, Barber, who recently stepped down from his spot heading up the North Carolina NAACP to focus on his latest work, is also the president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach. The nonprofit group was launched to train faith leaders, and he was consecrated as Bishop with the College of Affirming Bishops and Faith Leaders by the LGBTQ-led College of Progress Bishops in early 2017.

Sanders, who ran on the Democratic ticket during the 2016 presidential primaries, is an Independent senator from Vermont. He campaigned on issues of income inequality, access to healthcare, reforming the criminal justice system, raising the minimum wage and providing a path to a free college education in America.

Powery, in addition to being a dean, is an associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School, as well as an author. His latest book is is “Rise Up, Shepherd! Advent Reflections on the Spirituals.” He was inducted in 2014 into the Martin Luther King Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College.

Those who wish to attend the free public conversation will need to secure tickets ahead of the event.

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Tickets will be made available starting Jan. 11 for students and on the following day to the general public.

Tickets can be reserved either at the box office at Duke’s Bryan Center, through its website, or by calling 919-684-4444.

Free parking will be available in the Bryan Center Parking Garage, 125 Science Dr., with overflow parking in the Chemistry Lot at the intersection of Towerview Rd. and Circuit Dr.. ADA parking will be available in the Bryan Center Surface Lot.

Those who are unable to attend can watch the livestream of the event on the chapel’s website.

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Posted by Jeff Taylor / Social Media Editor Jeff Taylor is a journalist and artist. In addition to QNotes, his work has appeared in publications such The Charlotte Observer, Creative Loafing Charlotte, Inside Lacrosse, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. He graduated from the State University of New York at Brockport and has lived in Charlotte since 2006.@jefftaylorhuman.