In 1616 Thomas Christensen collects enchanting stories and striking art to describe a world in motion
April 15, 2016 In 1616: The World in Motion, Thomas Christensen describes a time of great change, remarkable people, and global connections. Christensen will discuss the book at Rhodes College in Memphis on April 21, 2016, at 6 p.m. and at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis on April 23, 2016, at 1 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
In his Pulitzer-winning history, The Internal Enemy, Alan Taylor recounts how slaves shaped the War of 1812 and altered the nation’s history
March 24, 2016 Alan Taylor won the second of his two Pulitzer Prizes in History for The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832. On March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m. at the University Center Theatre on the campus of the University of Memphis, Taylor will deliver the Belle McWilliams Lecture in American History on the subject of “The Economy of Violence: The American Revolution in the South.”
Stephen V. Ash describes the Memphis Massacre of 1866, a brutal episode with profound implications for race and democracy
March 9, 2016 In A Massacre in Memphis, Stephen V. Ash tells the story of three days in May 1866 when white mobs rampaged through communities of newly freed blacks, shaping the history of Memphis and the nation. Ash will discuss the book at Rhodes College in Memphis on March 17, 2016, at 6 p.m.
Peniel Joseph chronicles the life of Stokely Carmichael, a global icon of revolution
February 5, 2016 Peniel Joseph’s Stokely: A Life details the life and importance of revolutionary icon Stokely Carmichael with such skill that it won the National Book Award from the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis. In honor of the award, Joseph will speak at 11 a.m. on February 11, 2016, at the University of Memphis.
Allyson Hobbs uncovers the fascinating history of racial passing in the United States
December 11, 2015 As Allyson Hobbs reveals in her fascinating history, A Chosen Exile, black people endured great loss when they “passed” as white. Hobbs will discuss her book at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis on December 17, 2015, at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Robert Norrell tells the story of Alex Haley, whose books shaped the way we think about black history and culture
December 10, 2015 In his new biography, Alex Haley and the Books That Changed a Nation, Robert Norrell not only chronicles the life of a fascinating author but also reveals how The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Roots shaped our thinking about African-American history and culture.
