Four civil rights and religious leaders will speak on campus in honor of Black History Month.

The fifth annual Visiting Minority Faculty Lecture Series kicks off today and will run every Thursday this month. The series, titled "Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey," brings lecturers from around the country to speak about their experiences in the civil rights movement.

"We work to bring civil rights icons to campus so that following generations will know what it took to gain freedom," said Beth Courey, special projects coordinator for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, which sponsors the series.

According to Courey, the speakers are chosen by College of Osteopathic Medicine clinical Professor Dr. William Anderson.

"Dr. Anderson is very active in the civil rights movement," Courey said. "He was a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr."

Anderson said he chooses speakers based on a mix of qualities.

"They are all directly involved with civil rights in some way," Anderson said. "Either by marching with King, or working to organize the movement for the future."

Anderson said this year's speakers are in high demand during Black History Month, and the university was able to host them because of his personal relationships with them.

Anderson said he chose today's speaker the Rev. Frederick Haynes for the program because of his work to carry on the civil rights movement.

"He is at the forefront of empowering the youth of today," Anderson said. "He is charging young people to take control of their future."

Each speaker also will conduct smaller lectures in individual classes on the day of their visits.

Pat Grauer, spokeswoman for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, said the class sessions reflect the original intention of the visiting faculty series.

"It's extremely important for succeeding generations to realize the sacrifices these people made," Grauer said. "How they changed the world."