African-American Intellectual Culture Series

These lectures bring experts on contemporary African American literature, history, theory, and culture to campus each year to share their research and theoretical perspectives with the Clark community. In the ten years this series has been running, illustrious leaders of the black community, such as Lee Baker of Columbia University, the renowned poet Derek Walcott, Anita Allen of the Georgetown Law Center, Deborah E. McDowell of the University of Virginia, and Tonya Lewis Lee (at left) have visited Clark and met with its students.

The Faculty Lecture Series

Members of the Clark humanities faculty present public lectures on the research that has been funded by the Higgins School.

Modern Poetry Series

This new series was inaugurated in 2003 with a public reading and student workshop by poet Edward Hirsch. Other speakers have included, Robert Cording – James N. and Sara O'Reilly Barrett Chair of Creative Writing at The College of the Holy Cross, and author of four volumes of poetry.

The Difficult Dialogues Symposium Series

Each semester since the Spring of 2007, Difficult Dialogues has held a series of public events which address difficult concerns through the skills of dialogue. Topics have included The State of our Democracy (at left Eugene Jarecki speaks about his documentary Why We Fight in February of 2007), Race and Ethnicity, Religion and Tolerance, Power, and Climate Change among others. By using the tools and practices of dialogue, the series engages both the Clark and the Worcester community in ways that aim to be both honest and meaningful, at times when the issues are personal and often difficult. For a listing of current symposium events, please visit the Difficult Dialogues website.