We create conversations of consequence to help democracy thrive. Here's who is speaking next at the City Club. Be challenged. Learn something new. Join us.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
America 250: Native American Nations and the Making of the United States
A Conversation with University of Michigan Law Professor Matthew L.M. Fletcher
Throughout 2026, and in partnership with the America 250-Ohio Commission, the City Club will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by exploring all the ways that Ohio has contributed to U.S. history for 250+ years. In January, our...
Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
Israel, Gaza, the Ceasefire, and the Prospects for the Future
Two years after Hamas invaded Israel, a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States brought the conflict one step closer to resolution. That October 10th agreement created to conditions for the return of remaining Israeli hostages and the bodies of...
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
The Black Home Initiative: Dismantling Homeownership Inequities in the Seattle-Tacoma Region
A Conversation with the Seattle Foundation's Alesha Washington and Civic Commons' Michael Brown
In Washington State, 42% of Black households have zero net worth. It's a statistic echoed in Black communities across the nation--including here in Cleveland. The legacy of historical policies like segregation and redlining has impacted both homeownership and opportunities to...
Friday, January 30, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
Omaha 360: How One City Reduced Gun Violence by 50 percent
In 2009, 246 people were victims of gun violence in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2022, that number was 121, reflective of a steady decline over more than a decade. That reduction in gun violence was the result of the work of...
Friday, February 06, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
The BW Way: Leader-Ready, Career-Ready, Future-Ready
Remarks from Lee Fisher, the 10th President of Baldwin Wallace University
Baldwin Wallace University has a new President, and Lee Fisher is ushering in a new era as the University's 10th President. Tapping into his deep and diverse career spanning the public, private, nonprofit, and academic sectors, President Fisher hopes to...
Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
Healthcare Inequality and Access to Care
This is a youth-led forum, powered by student voices. Access to quality healthcare is not experienced equally across communities. Differences in policy, insurance coverage, education, and systemic barriers can shape who receives care, when they receive it, and the outcomes they...
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 7:00 p.m.
Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment
A Conversation with Author Daniel Coyle at the Cuyahoga County Public Library
Daniel Coyle is the New York Times bestselling author of The Culture Code, The Talent Code, The Little Book of Talent, The Secret Race, Lance Armstrong’s War, and Hardball: A Season in the Projects. Coyle, who works as an advisor...
Friday, February 13, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
Daughters of Birmingham: Reflections on the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombings
A Conversation with Lisa McNair and Sarah Collins Rudolph
On September 15, 1963, a bombing carried out by members of the Ku Klux Klan at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, instantly killed Addie Mae Collins, Carol Denise McNair, Carole Rosamond Robinson, and Cynthia Dionne Morris Wesley....
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 5:15 p.m.
In December 2025, Slovenia completed its two-year term on the United Nations Security Council—participating in 558 formal meetings and 238 consultations of the Security Council, and so much more. Throughout its term, Slovenia addressed the most pressing issues, upheld its...
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
Exit Interview: The Chief of Staff Speaks
Few have as clear a view to what's actually going on in our city than the leaders in City Hall tasked with improving conditions for the residents who live, work, and recreate in our region's urban core. Brad Davy served...
Friday, February 20, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
On Morrison: A Conversation About Toni Morrison with Author Namwali Serpell
“In this lavish yet clear-eyed study, Serpell shows how Morrison breathed new life into the novel. This is literary criticism at its finest.”—Time, “The 36 Most Anticipated Books of 2026” ---- Toni Morrison's work undeniably reshaped American literature, and her influence extended...
Science, Technology & Innovation
Friday, February 27, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
A Conversation with Dr. James A. Kenyon, Director, NASA Glenn Research Center
Throughout 2026, and in partnership with the America 250-Ohio Commission, the City Club will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by exploring all the ways that Ohio has contributed to U.S. history for 250+ years. In February, our...
Friday, March 13, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
2026 High School Debate Championship
For more than two decades, The City Club of Cleveland has hosted the annual High School Debate Championship. Every year, the top two area high school debaters square off in a classic "Lincoln-Douglas" style debate at a Friday forum. This allows...
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
A Conversation with Author Halle Tecco
This is the newly rescheduled date! All tickets from the original date in February will be transferred to the new date, Thursday, March 19th. For more information regarding ticketing/registration, contact Stacy Rogers at (216) 621-0082. ---- What if our loyalty is not...
Friday, March 20, 2026, 11:30 a.m.
A Conversation with 'Five Bullets' Author Elliot Williams
The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York's Explosive '80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial That Divided the Nation
“Wow, what a ride back to New York in the 1980s, and the case that captivated the country! Elliot Williams’s Five Bullets is an amazing story, well told.” —Anderson Cooper ---- On Dec. 22, 1984, Bernard "Bernie" Goetz, a white man, shot...
Monday, May 18, 2026, 7:00 p.m.
Part of The Cleveland Orchestra's 2026 Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival
The City Club is once again proud to partner with The Cleveland Orchestra as part of the fourth annual Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Opera and Humanities Festival. The 2026 installment, curated by Terence Blanchard and centered around three concert...
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