Louis Gossett, Jr., one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, is scheduled to appear at Lynn City Hall today where he’ll talk to over 2,000 middle school students about violence, racism, and bullying. Gossett won an Emmy for his role in “Roots” (1977) and with “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982) he became the first black male to win an Oscar in a supporting role. In 2006, he created the Eracism Foundation as an “offensive against racism, violence, and ignorance.”
Gossett is recently the author of “An Actor and a Gentleman,” an autobiography written with Phyllis Karas of Marblehead. In it he talks about the prejudices of the film industry, his longtime struggle with alcohol and drugs, and more than fifty years of experiences in the business. Gossett spoke and signed copies of his book last night at the Boston Public Library as part of the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University lecture series.