Mergen-Palmer Distinguished Lecture
Since 2014, the annual Mergen-Palmer Distinguished Lecture in American Studies has brought visiting scholars to GW to share their expertise. Recent talks covered the Iraqi smallpox invasion of 2003, the national quest for food “freshness” and the history of religion in the Mississippi Delta.
2023 Mergen-Palmer Lecture
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
"Queer Love on Barbary Lane: The Serial Experience of Coming Out of the Closet with Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City"
Dr. Ramzi Fawaz | Romnes Professor of English
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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2022 Mergen-Palmer Lecture
Thursday, April 21, 2022
"The Global Curatorial Project: In Slavery's Wake: Making Black Freedom in the World and Unfinished Conversations"
Dr. Anthony Bogues | Professor of Humanities and Critical Theory, Professor of Africana Studies, Director of the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, Professor of History of Art and Architecture
Dr. Paul Gardullo | Executive Director of the Matahari Women Workers Center in Boston
Johanna Obenda | National Museum of African American History and Culture
History
The lecture series was founded in 2014 in honor of Bernard Mergen and Phyllis Palmer, who were beloved emeriti professors of American Studies at the university. Palmer, who passed away in 2014, also taught women’s studies courses.
Both professors played a major role as scholars and teachers at the university and shared specific interests in sustainability, food studies and the environment.