Baldwin Circles Convener Information Session

Design: Michael Quanci

Join Humanities Council Chair Esther Schor (English) and Executive Director Kathleen Crown for an information session about the Baldwin Circles project and to learn more about convening your own reading group.

This informal lunch discussion will provide an overview of the resources, support, and special opportunities available to conveners.

No previous experience or expertise with Baldwin’s work is expected of conveners; this opportunity is open to everyone eager to read, ponder, and discuss Baldwin and his legacy in a communal setting. All University faculty, graduate students, post-docs, and staff are welcome to register as conveners.

RSVP for lunch here.

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About Baldwin Circles

James Baldwin was born on August 2, 1924, at Harlem Hospital in New York City. During his lifetime and since his death in 1987, Baldwin’s life and works – novels, essays, reportage, plays, and more – have influenced generations of readers, artists, scholars, and activists.

To celebrate his 100th birthday, the Humanities Council is pleased to announce “Baldwin Circles,” a yearlong cross-disciplinary initiative, inviting the campus community to encounter Baldwin’s legacy in the intimate setting of a reading circle.

The Council will provide each Baldwin Circle with funds for books, meals, and refreshments during the 2024-25 academic year. Groups will come to their own consensus on what to read, in what sequence, and how often to meet. Each Baldwin Circle will:

• Comprise up to 6 people, one designated as the “convener”
• Involve members of at least 2 departments or offices
• Meet at least 2 times per semester in AY 2024-25
• Join in 1-2 larger-group receptions and lectures hosted by the Council during the year