Tom Johnson Lecture Series: Hank Aaron

On Thursday, January 22, 2015, baseball legend Hank Aaron joined us at the LBJ Presidential Library as the Tom Johnson Lecture Series speaker.

Hank Aaron is senior vice president of the Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc.

Prior to joining the Atlanta Braves front office, Aaron enjoyed a 23-year major league career during which he rewrote baseball’s hitting record book. He holds more major league batting records than any other player in the game’s history. On May 17, 1970, Aaron became the first player to compile both 3,000 career hits and more than 500 homers. Along with Frank Robinson, Aaron was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, NY, on August 1, 1982.

He is a long-time Popeye’s franchisee, and operates Krispy Kreme restaurants in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia. Aaron sits on the board of the Atlanta Braves, DSW, Medallion Financial Corporation, and the Atlanta Falcons Board of Advisors. He is a member of the board of governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and is a member of the Board of Councilors of the Carter Center. With his wife Billye, he is the founder of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation. Aaron has received numerous civic awards, including the Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Bush, and the Presidential Citizens Medal, awarded by President Clinton.

About the Tom Johnson Lectureship

The Tom Johnson Lectureship was established in 2010 in recognition of and appreciation for Mr. Johnson’s 30 years of distinguished service as chairman of the LBJ Foundation Board of Trustees. Mr. Johnson served as executive assistant to President Johnson and, later, as president and chairman of CNN. Veteran journalist Bill Moyers delivered the first Tom Johnson Lectureship in November 2011. These lectures are free and open to the public. Last year's Tom Johnson Lecturer was civil rights activist Andrew Young.