![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/260120-FSU-GOLDEN-TORCH-LECTURE-6784-MJC17-WEB-1200x800.jpg\")
Leslie Odom, Jr. speaks to FSU students in Ruby Diamond Auditorium on Jan. 20, 2026, as part of FSU’s Golden Torch Lecture Series and annual MLK Week celebrations. (Matthew McConnell\/Florida State University)\t\t<\/p>\n\t\tLeslie Odom, Jr. speaks to FSU students in Ruby Diamond Auditorium on Jan. 20, 2026, as part of FSU’s Golden Torch Lecture Series and annual MLK Week celebrations. (Matthew McConnell\/Florida State University)\t\t<\/p>\n
Florida State University\u2019s Student Government Association<\/a>, in collaboration with Union Productions<\/a> and the Office of Student Agencies and Institutes<\/a>, welcomed songwriter, actor and author Leslie Odom, Jr. for the annual Golden Torch Lecture Series Tuesday, Jan. 20, as part of the university community\u2019s 38th MLK Week<\/a> celebration.<\/p>\n Florida State University\u2019s MLK Week has celebrated the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for more than three decades in an effort to bring the FSU and Tallahassee communities together to reflect on the past and support one another to build a better world for tomorrow. The weeklong celebration across campus aligns with Dr. King\u2019s birthday on Jan. 15 and the federal holiday observed on the third Monday of the month.<\/p>\n \u201cBringing Leslie Odom, Jr. to campus through our MLK Program and the Golden Torch Lecture Series was a powerful reflection of this year\u2019s theme, \u2018Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,\u2019\u201d said Felicia Williams, director of Student Engagement. \u201cFrom the FSU School of Theatre Masterclass to the sold-out moderated conversation, the experience affirmed the arts as a vehicle for leadership, truth-telling and healing. Odom\u2019s body of work, spanning Broadway, film, and music, models how storytelling can elevate voices and inspire collective responsibility. His closing performance was intentional and deeply moving; it reminded us of the power of shared humanity and left a lasting impact on our campus and the Tallahassee community that we will never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n FSU\u2019s Air Force ROTC kicked off the program with the presentation of colors, with DaSean Stokes singing the National Anthem and Lift Every Voice and Sing. The evening also featured performances by the FSU Gospel Choir and School of Dance student Jamora Lewis, recognition of the MLK Book Stipend awardees and concluded with Odom\u2019s keynote conversation and surprise performance.<\/p>\n \u201cChances are you are not the first person to do anything \u2014 and that\u2019s a wonderful thing \u2014 because even in the scariest moments, you can borrow from the courage of the people that have come before you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Leslie Odom, Jr.<\/p>\n Odom is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated songwriter, actor and\u00a0New York Times\u00a0bestselling author. Best known for his breakout role as Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical \u201cHamilton,\u201d Odom has continued to captivate audiences across multiple platforms through six albums, two books, as well as television, film and stage roles.<\/p>\n Some of Odom\u2019s film and television credits include Rian Johnson\u2019s record-breaking 2022 Knives Out sequel, \u201cGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,\u201d for Netflix, \u201cAbbott Elementary,\u201d \u201cHarriet,\u201d \u201cThe Many Saints of Newark,\u201d a prequel to David Chase\u2019s award-winning HBO series\u00a0\u201cThe Sopranos,\u201d Apple TV+\u2019s\u00a0\u201cCentral Park\u201d (2020 Emmy nomination),\u00a0\u201cHamilton\u201d\u00a0on Disney+ (2021 Emmy nomination), host of \u201cThe Tony Awards Present: Broadway\u2019s Back!\u201d on CBS (2022 Emmy nomination), \u201cThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,\u201d and many more.<\/p>\n Odom\u2019s inspiring Golden Torch Lecture conversation covered a wide array of themes including identity, artistry and the importance of building upon the legacy of those who came before us. The conversation was moderated by FSU School of Theatre Assistant Professor of Performance Jasmine Bracey<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cChances are you are not the first person to do anything \u2014 and that\u2019s a wonderful thing \u2014 because even in the scariest moments, you can borrow from the courage of the people that have come before you,\u201d Odom shared. \u201cYou still gotta do it yourself, but you are not alone. The people that have succeed before you are rooting you on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Leslie Odom, Jr. was the speaker for FSU’s Golden Torch Lecture series during the university’s 38th MLK Week celebration. (Evan Eisenstark\/Divison of Student Affairs)FSU School of Theatre Assistant Professor of Performance Jasmine Bracey served as moderator for the conversation. (Matthew McConnell\/Florida State University)Leslie Odom, Jr. speaks to FSU students in Ruby Diamond Auditorium, sharing his personal experiences as part of the Golden Torch Lecture series during FSU’s MLK Week celebrations. (Matthew McConnell\/Florida State University)<\/p>\n He captivated the audience with anecdotes and lessons he has learned through his influential role as Aaron Burr in the original production \u201cHamilton,\u201d as a father and artist and ultimately in life.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to run my leg of the race with everything I\u2019ve got \u2014\u00a0 is to pour it out, pour it out,\u201d Odom said. \u201cWe must be cumulative in our time. I think we must fill ourselves up with as much as has come before as possible because we have to be all of that and. You have to be everything that has come before and.\u201d<\/p>\n At the conclusion of the lecture, a handful of students were selected to ask Odom questions ranging from his favorite films to his personal experiences on Broadway.<\/p>\n The program also included honoring this year\u2019s MLK Book Stipend<\/a> awardees. Alexis Butum and Julia Pieri were the recipient of two of the awards sponsored by FSU\u2019s Department of Student Engagement. Additionally, Joshua Francis and Leah Mungo were selected as recipients sponsored by FSU National Black Alumni.<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier in the day, Odom hosted an intimate Masterclass for FSU School of Theatre students<\/a>. Six students across multiple performance disciplines had the opportunity to share their work and receive individualized feedback from the Tony Award winner.<\/p>\n![\"Students](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Leslie-Odom-Jr-Golden-Torch-Lecture-Series_Spring-2026_048-512x341.jpg\")
Students listen to Leslie Odom, Jr. speak at the Golden Torch Lecture Series during MLK Week. (Evan Eisenstark\/Divison of Student Affairs)<\/p>\n