By Lucinda H. MacKethan (NHC Fellow, 1984–85) Drawing upon letters, autobiographies, and novels, Daughters of Time examines the strategies that various southern women writers have used to create their own "voice," their own unique expression of mind and selfhood. Lucinda H. MacKethan shows that, despite the constraining and muting effects of the South's historically patriarchal society, the … Continued
Edited by Linda Dégh (NHC Fellow, 1990–91) Narratives in Society represents three decades of scholarship by distinguished folklorist Linda Dégh. The twenty essays—some new, the rest newly revised—present Dégh’s ideas, theories, and approaches to folktales: the people who tell them, listen to them, pass them on, and the communities that support them.
By Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp (NHC Fellow, 1993–94) As early as the 1780s, African Americans told stories that enabled them to survive and even thrive in the midst of unspeakable assault. Tracing previously unexplored narratives from the late eighteenth century to the 1920s, Laurie Maffly-Kipp brings to light an extraordinary trove of sweeping race histories that African Americans … Continued
This talk examines the complicated issue of Latinx representation in speculative cinema. While we ought to recognize the problems inherent when a non-Latinx actor plays a Latinx character—should Latinx actors only be relegated to Latinx roles? And how does one determine Latinx identity on film? How is Latinx identity expressed in a speculative film? Here … Continued
Is literature a form of sound recording? If so, how can we listen to it? This webinar presents approaches for bringing the study of sound into the literature and history classroom. We will explore specifically how interpreting sounds in historical literature like slave narratives and colonial travel writing opens up new ways of understanding the … Continued
The Holocaust was an intensely geographical phenomenon, as it displaced millions of people, created and destroyed thousands of places, rendered social space hostile—or deadly—and resulted in profound changes that reconfigured Europe and led to global diasporas. This webinar will explore the many geographical dimensions of Holocaust places, including concentration and labor camps and Jewish ghettos. … Continued
Author, educational advocate, and entrepreneur David Bruce Smith discusses a transformational moment in his education, during which a high school teacher showed him the revelatory truth that history, at its core, is a collection of stories and gossip. Smith believes strongly that by presenting history to students as a series of exciting and illuminating stories, … Continued
I encourage everyone to watch novelist Chimamanda Adichie’s 2009 TED talk “The Danger of A Single Story.” Adichie uses her personal experiences to illustrate the importance of sharing different stories about people. She warns of the consequences of a single story and how it can rob people of their dignity, create stereotypes, and make difficult … Continued
Mike Rizer used to avoid reading at any cost, even buying CliffsNotes when necessary. But in his sophomore year of college, Ernest Hemingway changed all that. Since then, he hasn’t stopped reading. In the professional realm of finance, Rizer finds that avid reading makes for good storytelling. Good storytelling makes for better leadership, communication, and … Continued
Juan Felipe Herrera, a performance artist, activist, and U.S. poet laureate in 2015, recalls how his third-grade teacher’s compliment on his singing voice led to his lifelong belief in using his voice to encourage the beauty in the voices, stories, and, experiences of others. He goes on to speak about the power of the humanities … Continued