John D’Emilio, Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood: Coming of Age in the Sixties (Author Talk)

JOHN D’EMILIO is emeritus professor of history and gender and women’s studies at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and a National Endowment of the Humanities Fellow; he was a finalist for the National Book Award for Lost Prophet, which won the American Library Association's Stonewall Book Award for nonfiction. D’Emilio was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2005 and was named Chicagoan of the Year by the Chicago Tribune in 2004. Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood is D’Emilio's coming-of-age story in which he takes readers from his working-class Bronx neighborhood to an elite Jesuit high school in Manhattan to Columbia University and the political and social upheavals of the late 1960s. He shares his personal experiences of growing up in a conservative, tight-knit, multigenerational family and how he went from considering entering the priesthood to losing his faith and coming to terms with his same-sex desires. Throughout, D’Emilio outlines his complicated relationship with his family while showing how his passion for activism influenced his decision to use research, writing, and teaching to build a strong LGBTQ movement. In person and livestream. RSVP required; see website. Left Bank Books. 
Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, 63108

Virtual Program: The Political Alliance of Ulysses S. Grant and Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was a steadfast supporter of President Ulysses S. Grant who actively campaigned for him in 1868 and 1872. Grant recognized Douglass’ talents and asked him to visit Santo Domingo (present-day Dominican Republic) to learn more about the country. Presented by the history and genealogy department, historian Nick Sacco will discuss the political partnership of Ulysses S. Grant and Frederick Douglass. RSVP required; see website. St. Louis County Library.
VIRTUAL

An Evening with Bishop Deon Johnson

DEON KEVIN JOHNSON was ordained as the new bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Although he is its 11th bishop, he holds the distinction of being both the first Black and first openly gay leader of the diocese. Join us for an evening with Bishop Johnson as he shares his story of growing up in Barbados, immigrating to the U.S. as a teen and navigating his sexuality. He’ll also discuss his perspective on the relationship between faith and activism, political polarization and his commitment to fostering inclusion for the Episcopal church in eastern Missouri. Missouri Historical Society.
Missouri History Museum, Lee Auditorium, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 63112

Jared Sexton Yates, Midnight Kingdom: A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis (Author Talk)

Author, podcaster and political analyst Jared Sexton Yates will be in conversation with author Sarah Kendzior. Midnight Kingdom is an ambitious account of how white supremacist lies, religious mythologies and poisonous conspiracy theories built the modern world and threaten to plunge us into an authoritarian nightmare. To fully understand these strange and dangerous times, Sexton takes a hard look at our nation’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. Left Bank Books.
Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid Ave., Saint Louis, 63108

Carlotta Walls LaNier, A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School (Author Talk)

The 2023 Frankie Freeman Inspirational Lecture with civil rights leader Carlotta Walls LaNier is the author of A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School. Will Ross, MD, will receive the Frankie Freeman Inspirational Award during the program. Ross is associate dean of diversity at Washington University, Alumni Endowed Professor of Medicine, Nephrology and principal officer for community partnerships. He is founder of the Saturday Neighborhood Health Clinic, a free service for those in underserved areas. When 14-year-old Carlotta Walls walked up the stairs of Little Rock Central High School on September 25, 1957, she and eight other black students only wanted to make it to class. But the journey of the “Little Rock Nine,” as they came to be known, would lead the nation on an even longer and much more turbulent path, one that would challenge prevailing attitudes, break down barriers and forever change the landscape of America. For Carlotta, simply getting through the door of her high school involved angry mobs and racist elected officials, but entry was simply the first of many trials. St. Louis County Library.
Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, 63117

More Than Just Entertainment: The Politics of Branson’s Tourism Industry and Ethical Questions for Scholars

In the MLA tradition of approaching a theme from multiple perspectives, our speakers address bridges and divides locally, internationally, and even across species.

Bridges & Divides

The current presidential administration began with a commitment to bridging political divides, even offering physical bridges in the form of an infrastructure bill to help meet that goal. Locally, the team at Health Equity Works has studied inequity created by geographical divide resulting from conscious choices to create a segregated city, and then explored recommendations and activities that dismantle regional divides.

The MLA lecture series is co-sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The series takes place every Saturday in February over Zoom.

Anti-oppressive and De-colonial Approaches to Community Engagement in St. Louis

Against a backdrop of de-colonial challenges, what should be the role of anti-oppressive community work practice? Join Durrell Smith, who has over a decade of experience actively combating institutionalized racism, as he identifies anti-oppressive and de-colonial approaches to community engagement. We will discuss guidance, lessons learned, and practical tips to build healthier communities in the St. Louis region.

This presentation is part of the Brown School’s recognition of Black History Month.

Register online to receive Zoom information on the morning of the event. You can also join us during the live stream.

What Good Is Higher Education for Our Cities? – 2023 Faculty Book Celebration

The publication of a monograph or significant creative work is a milestone in the career of an academic. The Center for the Humanities commemorates this achievement annually during the Faculty Book Celebration. The event recognizes Washington University faculty from across Arts & Sciences by displaying their recently published works and large-scale creative projects and inviting two campus authors and a guest lecturer to speak at a public gathering. 

Click here for more information.

Legacies of (De)segregated Medicine: Exhibit Opening and Lecture with Dr. Ezelle Sanford, III

Portraits of African American Women in Missouri: Before, During and After the Civil War

Storyteller Carole Shelton offers first- and third-person portrayals of Black women in Missouri, creating biographical sketches that illustrate the impact of enslavement and pending freedom upon their lives. Shelton’s presentation will focus on two icons of St. Louis history: Harriet Scott, wife of Dred Scott, and Annie Malone, businesswoman and philanthropist. Richmond Heights Memorial Library.
Richmond Heights Memorial Library – Program Room, 8001 Dale Ave., St. Louis, 63117

The Importance of Racial Socialization Messages in the Lives of African-American Youth

In the MLA tradition of approaching a theme from multiple perspectives, our speakers address bridges and divides locally, internationally, and even across species.

Bridges & Divides

The current presidential administration began with a commitment to bridging political divides, even offering physical bridges in the form of an infrastructure bill to help meet that goal. Locally, the team at Health Equity Works has studied inequity created by geographical divide resulting from conscious choices to create a segregated city, and then explored recommendations and activities that dismantle regional divides.

The MLA lecture series is co-sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The series takes place every Saturday in February over Zoom.

Bobby Bostic, Time: Endless Moments in Prison (Author Talk)

BOBBY BOSTIC will be in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger. At the age of 16, Bostic was sentenced to 241 years behind bars for an armed robbery. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to sentence a juvenile to life without the possibility of parole for nonhomicidal crimes. Through the efforts of the ACLU and the now-retired judge who originally sentenced him, Bobby Bostic finally left prison as a free man in 2022. While incarcerated, Bobby earned his GED and wrote several books. St. Louis County Library.
St. Louis Public Library – Florissant Valley Branch, 195 New Florissant Rd. S., Florissant, 63031

An Evening with Sarah Schulman

Monday, February 27, 2023 - 7:00 p.m. CST

RSVP required

In person at Left Bank Books or virtually
399 N. Euclid Ave.
Saint Louis, MO 63108

About the Event

Without ACT UP, all America had at the beginning of the AIDS pandemic was Ronald Reagan. One of the most brilliant queer activists, writers, and thinkers of our time, ACT UP participant and historian Sarah Schulman tells us how they got the job done.
 
*Masks required for in-person attendance*

About the Book

In just six years, ACT UP, New York, a broad and unlikely coalition of activists from all races, genders, sexualities, and backgrounds, changed the world. Armed with rancor, desperation, intelligence, and creativity, it took on the AIDS crisis with an indefatigable, ingenious, and multifaceted attack on the corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals who stood in the way of AIDS treatment for all. They stormed the FDA and NIH in Washington, DC, and started needle exchange programs in New York; they took over Grand Central Terminal and fought to change the legal definition of AIDS to include women; they transformed the American insurance industry, weaponized art and advertising to push their agenda, and battled and beat The New York Times, the Catholic Church, and the pharmaceutical industry. Their activism, in its complex and intersectional power, transformed the lives of people with AIDS and the bigoted society that had abandoned them.

Based on more than two hundred interviews with ACT UP members and rich with lessons for today’s activists, Let the Record Show is a revelatory exploration and long-overdue reassessment of the coalition’s inner workings, conflicts, achievements, and ultimate fracture. Schulman, one of the most revered queer writers and thinkers of her generation, explores the how and the why, examining, with her characteristic rigor and bite, how a group of desperate outcasts changed America forever, and in the process created a livable future for generations of people across the world.

• Winner of the 2022 Lambda Literary LGBTQ Nonfiction Award and the 2022 NLGJA Excellence in Book Writing Award
• Finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbriath Award for Nonfiction, the Gotham Book Prize and the ALA Stonewall Israel Fishman Nonfiction Award
• A 2021 New York Times Book Review Notable Book and a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
• Longlisted for the 2021 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize
• One of NPR, New York, and The Guardian's Best Books of 2021, one of Buzzfeed's Best LGBTQ+ Books of 2021, one of Electric Literature's Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2021, one of NBC's 10 Most Notable LGBTQ Books of 2021, & one of Gay Times' Best LGBTQ Books of 2021

About the Author

Sarah Schulman is the author of more than twenty works of fiction (including The Cosmopolitans, Rat Bohemia, and Maggie Terry), nonfiction (including Stagestruck, Conflict is Not Abuse, and The Gentrification of the Mind), and theater (Carson McCullers, Manic Flight Reaction, and more), and the producer and screenwriter of several feature films (The Owls, Mommy Is Coming, and United in Anger, among others). Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Slate, and many other outlets. She is a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at College of Staten Island, a Fellow at the New York Institute of Humanities, the recipient of multiple fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the New York Foundation for the Arts, and was presented in 2018 with Publishing Triangle's Bill Whitehead Award. She is also the cofounder of the MIX New York LGBT Experimental Film and Video Festival, and the co-director of the groundbreaking ACT UP Oral History Project. A lifelong New Yorker, she is a longtime activist for queer rights and female empowerment, and serves on the advisory board of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Sponsors

Department of Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, Left Bank Books, Department of History, American Culture Studies Program, and Center for the Humanities.

Black Resistance: Extraordinary Black Missourians

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s national theme for Black History Month 2023 is Black Resistance. Join John A. Wright Jr. for a deep dive into the history of Black resistance in Missouri and in St. Louis, highlighting historical figures from the book Extraordinary Black Missourians. Missouri Historical Society.
Missouri History Museum, Lee Auditorium, 5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 63112

In Conversation with Michelle Alexander

The John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics is honored to host Professor Michelle Alexander for a public conversation on the state of legal and social movements against mass incarceration. Since the publication in 2010 of Alexander’s sea-changing book The New Jim Crow, millions more Americans have been incarcerated in prisons and jails, sometimes held for years without a trial. But American conversations about incarceration have changed, with growing abolitionist movements as well as state and federal initiatives for carceral reform. Alexander’s work has done much to bring these issues to light.

Professor Fannie Bialek will ask Alexander about the state of legal and social movements for carceral reform and prison abolition and their invigoration of religious activism for social change. There will also be time for audience Q&A and a reception immediately following in nearby Umrath Lounge.

We hope you will join us in person or online for this Danforth Distinguished Lecture. Graham Chapel is open seating and doors will open at 6:00 p.m.

Free and open to all.

African Modernism in America

Juneteenth Keynote: From New Orleans to Galveston to St. Louis and Beyond

Join us for a riveting nine-generation family migration story from Texas to Missouri. Vanessa Slaughter, a native St. Louisan, will join Jim Vincent of the St.  Louis African American History & Genealogy Society in a fireside chat to trace her family’s legacy to Galveston, Texas, in  the 1860s. Each generation builds on the foundation of love, community, and freedom to give us inspiration to dig into our own family histories and celebrate Juneteenth as a community. The  evening will kick off with a brief presentation about the history and meaning of the Juneteenth holiday by Dr. Geoff K. Ward of Washington University in St. Louis and will end with a live performance by the Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis, inspiring us to look deep into our own family legacies of migration, freedom, and community love.