Dickinson Announces October Public Lectures
Events explore trees, cultural and personal histories, journalism, law
Dickinson College’s Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues will host three free events in October. All of the events are open to the public.
From left: Beronda L. Montgomery (photo credit: Melissa Blackall), Scott MacFarlane, John E. Jones III '77, P'11, and Neta Pulvermacher.
Monday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
When Trees Testify: Learning From and With Trees
Beronda L. Montgomery, Grinnell College
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium
Montgomery is a writer, science communicator, researcher and professor at Grinnell College and a recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, among other honors. She will discuss themes from her recent book, When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy.
Montgomery notes that the histories of trees in America are intertwined with the histories of Black Americans. She will explore, for example, how pecan trees were domesticated by an enslaved African named Antoine, how sycamore trees were both havens and signposts for people trying to escape enslavement, the fact that poplar trees are historically associated with lynchings and traditional medicinal uses of willow bark. These histories testify to a heritage of Black botanical expertise that, like Native American traditions, predates the formation of the United States.
The program is presented in conjunction with the Trout Gallery exhibition Branch: Trees in American Art. It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s annual theme, Revolutions.
Learn more about Montgomery and this event.
Learn more about Branch events and programs.
Thursday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m.
The Archive
Neta Pulvermacher, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
Mathers Theatre
Pulvermacher, a choreographer and professor of dance at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, will perform her one-woman show, “The Archive.” It is a jarring, witty and deeply moving exploration of Pulvermacher's German-Jewish family history, following her family's story to Frankfurt and Berlin.
Pulvermacher has choreographed nearly 100 works for companies and institutions around the world. She is also the founder of Neta Dance Company, which has performed nationally and internationally. Her works have attracted international acclaim and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, among other respected entities.
Learn more about Pulvermacher and this event.
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
The First Amendment and This Moment: Journalism and Law
Scott MacFarlane, MeidasTouch Network
John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, Dickinson College
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium
Join MacFarlane, an investigative journalist, and Jones, a former federal judge, for a conversation about freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the challenges facing American democracy.
MacFarlane is chief Washington correspondent for the MeidasTouch Network and anchor of Scott MacFarlane Reports. Jones served as chief judge of the U.S. Middle District of Pennsylvania before leaving the bench to lead his alma mater in 2021. Their dialogue will touch on cases related to the U.S. Constitution, press access, the pursuit of truth, engaged citizenship and public trust.
Learn more about MacFarlane, Jones and this event.
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Published September 21, 2026