How Antislavery Writers Changed History
Josephine Community Library is proud to welcome native son James Basker, renowned scholar, author, and educational leader, for a special afternoon book talk surrounding the theme of “How Antislavery Writers Changed History” from 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 22 at the Grants Pass branch.
“Antislavery writing was one of the most energetic, voluminous, and transformative traditions of literature in the history of American letters,” said Basker. During the time, the opponents of slavery employed every available literary device to advance their cause to abolish slavery. In his book, Basker includes fiction and poetry, essay and autobiography, sermons, pamphlets, speeches, hymns, plays, and even children’s literature.
Basker is a professor of Literary History at Barnard College, Columbia University, and President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. As the son of former Josephine County Commissioner Anne Basker, he attended Grants Pass High School in his formative years. He went on to complete his education at Harvard, Cambridge, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Basker is also the founder and President of OxBridge Academic Programs, which for the past 30 years has sponsored academic summer programs and teacher seminars in Oxford, Cambridge, Paris, Barcelona, and New York.
Registration is not required, but space is limited.