Mission Statement

The Hooks Institute is a public policy research center supporting the urban research mission of the University of Memphis, and honoring Dr. Hooks’ many years of leadership in the American Civil Rights Movement. The Institute works to advance our understanding of the legacy of the American Civil Rights Movement – and of social movements for social justice – through teaching, research and community programs that emphasize social movements, race relations, strong communities, public education, effective public participation, and social and economic justice. In support of these objectives, the Institute has initiated research, teaching and outreach programs. Founded as a nonprofit organization in 1996, the Hooks Institute is sanctioned by the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Significance of the Hooks Institute:

• The Hooks Institute honors the legacy and advances the work of one of the principal figures in the American Civil Rights Movement. The work of Dr. Hooks and his colleagues in the civil rights movement and in the NAACP over the past five decades fundamentally bettered American society and democracy.
• The Institute promotes a broad understanding of the legacy and continuing significance of the Civil Rights Movement and the quest for Human Rights.
• The Institute facilitates conversations and academic collaborations across national organizations and communities working on civil and human rights and social justice – bringing together junior and senior scholars as well as practitioners and community groups from across the country.
• The Hooks archives are an integral part of the national record of the American Civil Rights Movement. As other collections of papers are added to the archives, its historical significance will continue to grow.
• The public education initiatives undertaken by the Institute are designed to improve the life chances of young people. With enhanced funding, the Institute will expand the program to develop curricular materials and in-service training in history and social sciences to strengthen the national understanding of this critical era in our history.
• Research supported by the Institute expands the body of knowledge on the legacy of the American Civil Rights Movement, on the health and sustainability of urban communities, on public education, economic development, race relations, affordable housing, community development and social capital formation.
• In collaboration with the National Civil Rights Museum, Lemoyne-Owen College, and related mid-south organizations, the Hooks Institute helps to focus academic and public attention on Memphis, Shelby County and west Tennessee as critical destinations for the study of Civil Rights.