This program will be held in person at the Newberry and also livestreamed on Zoom. Please register below.
Debates over how to represent and remember America’s past have been causing controversy in the United States for many, many years. Today, these conflicts are particularly intense, as politicians and pundits passionately weigh in on who should decide what we commemorate and what we teach about our nation’s history.
Public discussions about American history often leave out the voices of a key constituency: historians.
In this installment of “Conversations at the Newberry,” historians Daina Ramey Berry and Leslie M. Harris will discuss the country’s current divisions over presenting difficult history in public spaces and school classrooms. They’ll help us understand the most contentious issues at the center of these debates, while providing historical context for how they have changed over time.
“Conversations at the Newberry” are generously sponsored by Sue and Melvin Gray. The David L. Wagner Distinguished Lectureship for Humanistic Inquiry Series is funded by David L. Wagner and Renie B. Adams.
Speakers
Daina Ramey Berry is Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Leslie M. Harris is Professor of History at Northwestern University and the 2022-23 David L. Wagner Distinguished Fellow at the Newberry Library.
Support the Newberry
Your generosity is vital in keeping the library’s programs, exhibitions, and reading rooms free and accessible to everyone.
Make A Gift