Emmy-winning Media Entrepreneur to Present Hackley Distinguished Lecture on May 30
The 2024 Charles H. Hackley Distinguished Lecture will be presented by award-winning media entrepreneur Tanya (Hinton) Hart. Hart is a Muskegon native and graduated from Orchard View High School. The title of her presentation is Hackley to Hollywood: Tanya Hart’s Journey to Inclusion. The lecture program will take place at 7 pm on Thursday, May 30, at the Greater Muskegon Woman’s Club, 280 W. Webster. A reception will follow at Hackley Public Library.
The event is free and open to the public.
Since 1981, the Friends of Hackley Public Library has presented the Charles H. Hackley Distinguished Lecture Award to an individual who has a tie to Muskegon and who, in their work and life, has distinguished themselves in the humanities.
Hart’s career spans several decades, during which she has garnered eight Emmy nominations – winning four – and was most recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Gold Circle Award from the National Television Academy. With an Oscar nomination, Peabody Award, and several industry accolades for her Documentaries and Docu-Series, Hart has often been called a trailblazer. She heads her own multimedia company based in Los Angeles, Tanya Hart Communications Inc., and has developed and produced films, television programs, music, and a daily podcast. We are delighted to welcome Tanya back to Muskegon!
Jon Covington, president and CEO of The Covington Group, a media entrepreneur himself, and a 2019 Hackley Commendee for Service to the Humanities, will introduce Ms. Hart at the event. According to Covington, “A few decades ago, Tanya’s husband, Dr. Phil Hart, told me Tanya is as well known in the entertainment industry as is actress Halle Berry. I would come to learn he was right! Tanya Hart is an ICON!”
Three individuals will be honored with 2024 Commendation for Service to the Humanities Awards during the Hackley Distinguished Lecture program. Commendations have been awarded since 1983 to those who have contributed to the humanities in Muskegon County through engagement with history, literature, visual and performing arts, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects.
The 2024 Commendees are Caron Farmer, the late Floyd Farmer, Jr., and Sheila Kulp Wahamaki. Each of them has made significant contributions to Muskegon’s cultural landscape.
Friends is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1973 to support Hackley Public Library. We also strive to stimulate interest in reading and literacy, help develop and promote the Library’s services, and enhance the community’s cultural life. Friends provide annual funding – $25,000 this year – to support free library programs for children and adults yearly. This active group of community volunteers has also funded significant projects as stewards of the 130+ year old historic library building. Since its inception, Friends has invested over $1 million in Hackley Public Library.