SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Rufus E. Jones & Jill ROSENBERG Jones on Legacy, Leadership & Transformation
The James Weldon Foundation
Legacy, Leadership & Civic Transformation
At the crossroads of cultural preservation, leadership, and public service, Rufus E. Jones and Jill Rosenberg Jones bring a rare combination of lived experience, professional depth, and visionary thinking.
As co-founders of the James Weldon Johnson Foundation and guardians of the Johnson literary estate, they offer compelling talks on the urgent need to preserve African American culture and heritage while engaging in civic dialogue that shapes our collective future.
Their speaker offerings are ideal for universities, cultural institutions, museums, conferences, corporate affinity groups, and philanthropic gatherings seeking to explore how history, civic engagement, and cultural stewardship can inform modern leadership.
The James Weldon Foundation
Rufus E. Jones, Jr.
Bridging Wall Street, Education, and Cultural Stewardship
A former Goldman Sachs and Watermill Institutional Trading executive turned educator, arts advocate, and civic leader, Rufus E. Jones embodies versatility. With decades of experience in finance, education, and nonprofit leadership, he speaks with clarity, passion, and conviction about the intersections of race, legacy, and institutional change. Topics range from cultural and historic preservation to Civic Responsibility to the role of philanthropy in reclaiming historic narratives.
The James Weldon Foundation
Jill Rosenberg Jones
Strategic Leadership in Philanthropy and the Arts
Jill Rosenberg Jones merges a high-level global finance background with a deep commitment to culture and the arts. As executor of the James Weldon Johnson Literary Estate and Chair of the Foundation, she brings unmatched insight into estate stewardship, intellectual property, and the business of legacy. Her talks resonate with audiences invested in the arts, philanthropy, and leadership.
From managing legacy archives and advocating for cultural landmarks to shaping inclusive pathways in finance and education, Rufus and Jill offer audiences a chance to think more deeply about what it means to lead with integrity, protect heritage, and activate purpose.
The James Weldon Foundation
Booking Information
To inquire about availability and speaking formats (lecture, keynotes, panels, moderated dialogues, podcasts or residencies), please contact:
Let their voices enrich your next conversation about civic engagement, legacy leadership, historic preservation, philanthropy, art, and culture.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "James Weldon Johnson." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1911.
“But, ah! Manhattan's sights and sounds, her smells,
Her crowds, her throbbing force, the thrill that comes
From being of her a part, her subtle spells,
Her shining towers, her avenues, her slums—
O God! the stark, unutterable pity,
To be dead, and never again behold my city!”
—James Weldon Johnson, Excerpt from “My City,” From The Book of American Negro Poetry (Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1922) edited by James Weldon Johnson