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This graduation speech from a death-row inmate sparked a national outcry nearly 2 decades ago

A protestor in support of jailed African-American activist Mumia Abu-Jamal screams and thrusts his fist in the air July 30, 2000 as he marches through downtown Philadelphia during the Unity 2000 March. Demonstrators from more than 100 groups gathered in anticipation of the start of the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia on July 31.

These days, even commencement speakers aren’t safe from criticism aimed at their political or personal beliefs. President Obama, for example, gave the 2009 Notre Dame graduation speech and endured shouts of “baby killer! in response to his position on abortion rights.

But the outcry over Obama’s speech doesn’t come close to the controversy that erupted when Evergreen State College invited Mumia Abu-Jamal — convicted of killing a police officer — to speak at its 1999 graduation.

Abu-Jamal was on death row at the time of the graduation, so Evergreen played a 13-minute tape-recorded speech for the audience. Abu-Jamal was read more >>>

Source:: BusinessInsider.Com