ANGELOU TO ZAPPA:
47 Famous Visitors Who Are Part of Lawrence History by Ed Berthiaume
U.S. Rep. John Lewis was honored at Lawrence’s 2015 Commencement. It was his third visit to campus. (Lawrence Archives)
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hey’ve come to campus as commencement and convocation guests. They’ve come to deliver musical performances. They’ve come as candidates on the campaign trail. They’ve come as invited speakers. As Lawrence University celebrates the 175th anniversary of its founding in 1847, we take a moment to remember these famous visitors to campus. Our list includes one sitting United States president, three others who would go on to win the presidency, and one former president. It includes icons of the music world
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and writers of global fame. It includes civil rights activists who changed the world and news makers who dominated the headlines, for better or worse. Please note that this is not a complete list of every notable visitor to Lawrence. There have been hundreds. We’ve chosen to provide a flashback to 20 of these memorable visits, and then salute another 27 with a listing at the end. That brings it to 47 in honor of, yes, 1847.
