HBU celebrates grand opening of Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty

Houston Baptist University (HBU) will celebrate the grand opening of the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, on the HBU campus, 7504 Fondren, Houston, Texas 77074.

A special ribbon cutting will signal the official opening of the multi-million-dollar complex’s main building, modeled after Philadelphia’s iconic Independence Hall, and its adjacent Administrative Building I, housing classrooms dedicated to the study of law and the humanities. The complex was established to educate individuals on the principles that make America an exceptional nation, train and equip teachers, lawyers and the business community to articulate our nation’s founding principles and facilitate civil discourse among diverse groups on politics, public policy and our nation’s future.

“This beautiful building represents a powerful addition to the campus of HBU. It declares our commitment to teaching the founding principles of American democracy, and it stands as a visible symbol of the inextricable connection between law and liberty. The equality of all under the rule of law provides stability for a civil society and promotes the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans, freedoms that people the world over long for,” said HBU President Robert Sloan.

U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade, the event’s keynote speaker, will share remarks on the importance of the U.S. Constitution and the role the law plays in being a non-partisan adjudicator of our rights and responsibilities during a grand opening ceremony held on the second floor of Independence Hall.

HBU Founding Father and lead donor, Dr. Stewart Morris, Sr. and the Joella and Stewart Morris Foundation will be recognized for their contributions to the complex as well as the impressive list of donors, including The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, University Friends, alumni and members of the community.

Dr. Sloan and Dr. Christopher Hammons, Director of the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty, will share their thoughts on the impact the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty will have in educating students on the nation’s founding principles and enabling faculty to shine the light on American history. The aim is to also invite area school groups and visitors from across the city and beyond to the HBU campus to tour the main building and talk about the nation’s founding principles. A portion of the building, named in honor of the Joella and Stewart Morris Foundation, is dedicated to educating students on entrepreneurship and the principles of free enterprise.

“Independence Hall at HBU will not only be an iconic addition to our campus, but it will become an educational destination for school children, teachers and business leaders to learn more about American history, our constitutional system of government and free enterprise,” shared Hammons on his vision for the complex.

The public is invited to attend the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

For more information on the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty, visit HC.edu/law-liberty.