Programs for the Public | Newberry

Programs for the Public

The Newberry organizes and hosts programs illuminating topics in the humanities through a variety of formats, including lectures, staged readings, music and dance performances, panel discussions, workshops, and more.

Some events are part of ongoing series, such as Conversations at the Newberry, Meet the Author talks, Programs for Genealogists, the weekly Newberry Colloquium, and exhibition-related programming; others are signature annual events, such as the Newberry Book Fair and the Bughouse Square Debates. Additional public programming may be sponsored by the Newberry’s Research Centers.

Most Newberry public programs are free. Seating is limited and obtaining free tickets in advance is required for many events; see the individual listings for details.

Many of our programs are recorded, and you can listen to them on our website.

Upcoming Public Programs

Friday, April 2, 2021 – Saturday, July 24, 2021
Exhibitions
¡Viva la Libertad! Latin America and the Age of Revolutions
Featuring maps, manuscripts, and rare books from the Age of Revolutions, this exhibition returns to the 1820s, when new countries emerged from colonial rule across the Americas—from Mexico to Chile. These countries faced many challenges, including how best to govern, allocate resources, and treat their diverse populations.
Monday, April 19, 2021
Visita virtual: ¡Viva la Libertad!
Sintonice para un recorrido virtual en vivo de la más reciente exposición del Newberry, ¡Viva la Libertad! América Latina y la era de las revoluciones.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
NewbTube
Film, Race, and Archival Absences
Film scholar Allyson Nadia Field discusses how race shaped early American cinema.
Saturday, April 24, 2021
¡Viva la Libertad! Opening Event 
In this kick-off event, a panel of experts explore the latest scholarship on the Age of Revolutions in the Americas, focusing on independence struggles in the United States, Haiti, Mexico, and South America. 
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
By the Help of Devils: Shakespeare’s Villains
In this program, Peter Garino of the Shakespeare Project of Chicago introduces you to Shakespeare’s most malevolent villains by way of the company’s new film, By Help of Devils.
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Death by Pancakes & Other Events in the History of New Light Evangelicalism
In this illustrated lecture, historian Douglas Winiarski will explore the varied ways in which the “people called New Lights”—progenitors of today’s evangelical Protestants—resolved perplexing mind-body problems associated with their transformative conversion experiences.
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Trifles: A Feminist Drama
Join us for a performance of the classic feminist drama Trifles by actors from the Shakespeare Project of Chicago.
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Declaring Independence
What does it mean to declare independence? What belongs in such a declaration? How do you frame a convincing argument that sets a blueprint for the future? High school students from Chicago’s Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy share their answers.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Conversations at the Newberry
Documenting Our Lives: A Conversation about Film, Memory, and Preservation
Abraham Zapruder’s granddaughter Alexander Zapruder speaks with University of Chicago professor Jacqueline Stewart about the connections between home movies, family history, and difficult memories, as well as the emergence of citizen journalism in the United States.