Historic sites, museums, archives, and monuments are neither neutral nor objective. Many were established to strengthen tradition, reinforce the cultural authority of elites, and inhibit change. Today, these sites have become the focal point of protest, symbols in a larger fight for inclusiveness and equality. In this talk, Dr. Denise Meringolo, Associate Professor and Director of Public History and Acting Director of the Dresher Center for the Humanities, identifies different, less well-documented forms of public history practice, drawing attention to individuals who understood collecting, preserving, analyzing, and interpreting the past as entirely compatible with –even necessary for—productive political discourse, and embraced the potential of their work to promote social justice.

AOK Library & Gallery Spotlight! Guest Instructor Series will be hosting a public symposium throughout the Fall 2021 semester examining the topic of radicalism. The aim of the symposium is not to declare a definitive definition of radicalism but to offer a regional and historical context to the term. The inspiration for the theme is the Library’s Special Collections’ Radical Literature and Alternative Press Center collections.