Month: January 2021

Evan Wade and Britney Yancy Deliver MLK Celebration Lecture

UConn History PhD students Evan Wade and Britney Yancy will be delivering a virtual talk at Kent State University on Thursday, January 28, from 12-2 PM EST. Wade (a Professor at San Joaquin Delta College) and Yancy (a Professor at Goodwin University) will speak about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s lasting impact and his influence on the fight for fairness, justice, and equality. Their talk is titled, “A Time to Break the Silence: From Martin Luther King to Black Lives Matter.” You can register for the talk through this link. Here is more information about their forthcoming talk:

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech entitled, “A Time to Break Silence,” criticizing the United States on the Vietnam War and the continued injustices at home. He called for the nation to “rapidly shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘person-oriented” society. The fight for freedom and equity has made tremendous steps forward since 1967. And there is more work to be done.

As we celebrate the life of Dr. King, his call to break the silence continues to resonate in 2021 with the rallying cry for Black Lives Matter. On January 28 at Noon, join Professor Evan Wade from San Joaquin Delta College and Professor Brittney Yancy from Goodwin University for a critical conversation honoring Dr. King’s lasting impact and the current struggle for fairness, equity, and justice.

Britney Murphy Named Humanities Without Walls Fellow

Britney Murphy Profile PicCongratulations are in order to UConn History PhD student Britney Murphy. Britney will be a 2021 National Humanities Without Walls Predoctoral Fellow. Humanities Without Walls (HWW) is a “a consortium of humanities centers and institutes at 16 major research universities throughout the Midwest and beyond.” Thanks to funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, doctoral students learn about careers outside of the academy and/or the tenure track professoriate. Britney will be virtually attending the event, which includes workshops, talks, and virtual field trips, and learn how to leverage her skills and training towards careers in the private sector, the non-profit world, arts administration, public media and many other fields.

Well done, Britney, and great job continuing the tradition of UConn students participating in this incredible initiative.

Micki McElya Interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered

Yesterday you might have heard an unmistakable voice on the radio: UConn History’s own Professor Micki McElya. Professor McElya appeared on National Public Radio’s (NPR) All Things Considered to talk about the four hundred lights, around the Lincoln Memorial, honoring the 400,000 people in the U.S. who have died from COVID-19. Across the country, many cities and states took the moment to commemorate the staggering death toll of the disease that has wrecked countless families and communities. Professor McElya spoke with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly about collective mourning and how sharing grief can bring people together.

This is a wonderful interview with Professor McElya. Do yourself a favor and find five minutes today to listen. Follow the link for their conversation and share it with someone close to you.