In 2005, the Africana Research Center (ARC) and the Departments of African Studies and African American Studies created the Nelson Mandela Lecture Series to recognize and introduce the Penn State community to the scholarship of an African human rights activist. The ARC named the lecture after Nelson Mandela, not only because he changed the sociopolitical structure of South Africa, but because he challenged the world to have a conscience in addressing human rights. 

This year, the ARC will be coordinating two events in this series. In October, esteemed Mamphela Ramphele will be the guest speaker. In November, the speaker will be Adam Habib.