The general title for this series of four lectures is Biography and the Historian's Understanding of Culture and Society. The series will show how the research and writing of members of the History Department's faculty are relevant to readers in the world beyond the classroom and within the community. Each lecture will demonstrate how biography, which is typically accessible and jargon-free, is an important means for joining scholarship with public readership.
Cultural biography attempts to restore humanity to the humanities.
Both speakers are members of the History Department at CSU, Chico and are preparing an edition of the collected writings of John Bidwell. The dates and venue for these lectures will be announced shortly. A reception will follow each lecture. The donation will also help to fund community lectures, special student seminars, historical film series, and the general study of history at CSU, Chico.