March 7, 2019
Join Cotten Seiler, associate professor of American Studies, for a lecture and discussion on the myth of the American "open road."
Join Cotten Seiler, associate professor of American Studies, for a lecture and discussion on the myth of the American "open road." Americans have long prized the freedom and mobility that the car and the highway make possible. But was the road really open to all? Why and how has the mobility of people of color been limited, and does it remain so today? Professor Seiler will pay particular attention to the guidebooks produced for African American travelers during the era of Jim Crow, such as The Negro Motorist Green Book, which inspired a recent award-winning Hollywood film. Remarks and welcome by President Margee Ensign. Reception to follow. Please register by Monday, March 4.
Cotten Seiler is associate professor of American Studies, where he teaches courses on U.S. cultural history, popular culture and race. His published work includes Republic of Drivers: A Cultural History of Automobility in America (University of Chicago Press, 2009) and essays in the journals American Quarterly, Social Text, Public Culture, American Studies and Reviews in American History. His current book project examines the rise and transformation of liberalism in the 20th century through the lens of race.
Further information
- Location: Office of Chris Sharples ’87, SHoP Architects, 233 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10279
- Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
- Cost: Free