Spring Speaker Series Lineup Announced

The CALS Spring Speaker Series will host a dynamic lineup of voices from literature, journalism, and beyond. Bestselling author ReShonda Tate, rare book specialist Rebecca Romney, poet Ross Gay, and journalist Richard Kreitner will visit to discuss their works at the Ron Robinson Theater.

The national bestselling author of more than 53 books, ReShonda Tate, brings both passion and authority to her storytelling. Tate will share her latest book, With Love from Harlem, on Thursday, February 19. This program honors Fred K. Darragh Jr. and his commitment to civil liberties and education.

Rebecca Romney is the rare books specialist on the HISTORY Channel’s show Pawn Stars.  In 2019, she was featured in The Bookseller, the documentary on the rare book trade. On Thursday, March 26, Romney will discuss her work, Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend. This program honors Betsey Wright and her commitment to women’s issues.

CALS is proud to have been a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts’ Big Read program. With support from this grant, throughout the month of April, CALS will present numerous programs connected to the themes of gardening, poetry, nature, community, joy, and sorrow. Speaking on Friday, April 10, essayist and poet Ross Gay will headline the Big Read series of programming. His acclaimed works include Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which explores the wisdom of the garden and orchard, places where all—death, sorrow, loss— is converted into what might nourish us. Free copies of Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude will be available at CALS locations starting on April 1. Gay’s appearance is co-presented with the Oxford American. This Big Read project was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest.

Journalist, historian, and author of Fear No Pharoah: American Jews, the Civil War, and the Fight to End Slavery, Richard Kreitner will share insights on the shifting dynamics of Jewish life in America during the Civil War. His appearance will occur on Thursday, May 14. This program honors Rabbi Ira Sanders and his commitment to intellectual freedom.

SCHEDULE:
Thursday, February 19, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM – ReShonda Tate
Thursday, March 26, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Rebecca Romney (Note: earlier time)
Friday, April 10, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM – Ross Gay
Thursday, May 14, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM – Richard Kreitner