Lawrie Balfour is an Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia and the author The Evidence of Things Not Said: James Baldwin and the Promise of American Democracy (2001). Her articles have appeared in edited volumes and in several journals, including Political Theory, American Political Science Review, and The Review of Politics. Her current research focuses on reparations for slavery and the political thought of W.E.B. Du Bois. She is a past recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research and the Center for the Study of Values in Public Life at Harvard Divinity School. Dr. Balfour will present a lecture titled “Innocence in the Age of Apology: Why James Baldwin Now?” at 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 17 in the Gould Library Athenaeum. This is a campus community event for faculty, staff, and students.

Actor, playwright, and Tony Award nominee Calvin Levels will perform his acclaimed solo play, James Baldwin: Down From the Mountaintop on Saturday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall. The play depicts the rich and impassioned life of James Baldwin, the esteemed novelist, playwright, essayist and civil rights activist. Mr. Levels is a member of The Actors Studio and has worked with many theaters across the country. This event is open to the public but you must request a ticket at 507-222-4141 or on-line.