Writing a Personal Urban History: The Importance of Genealogy for Understanding US History

On March 9, 2023, Newberry President Daniel Greene spoke with Leslie M. Harris, Professor of History at Northwestern University and the 2022-23 David L. Wagner Distinguished Fellow at the Newberry Library. 

Academic historians have sometimes struggled to understand how local and family histories illuminate national histories. Are they just exceptional, or can they provide new insights into some of the most challenging historical questions? Leslie M. Harris is among a group of historians who have turned to their own family and personal experiences as inspiration for writing history.

In this program, Harris discussed what it means for her, as a professional historian, to draw on her family's life in order to understand broader patterns in American history.

The David L. Wagner Distinguished Lectureship for Humanistic Inquiry Series is funded by David L. Wagner and Renie B. Adams.

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