New Light on James W. C. Pennington: a virtual Juneteenth Talk

Join us to rediscover James W.C. Pennington (1808-1870), a truly remarkable figure of Black religious and political history who has been unjustly overlooked in contemporary scholarship. During the antebellum period, Pennington was an internationally-recognized figure and important “race leader,” often compared to Frederick Douglass. He was Yale Divinity School’s first (unofficial) Black student, and his intellectual achievement took him to Europe, where he published a bestselling slave narrative and received an honorary Doctorate from Heidelberg University. His writings, lectures, and involvement with various abolitionist organizations as well as the Underground Railroad make him one of the forgotten African American architects of the antislavery movement.

Drs. Jan Stievermann and Caitlin Smith will talk about two recent volumes on Pennington that they have co-edited for Oxford University Press. The first, The Fugitive Blacksmith and Other Essential Writings by James W.C. Pennington, is an anthology that, for the first time, makes Pennington’s writings available in a critical edition, including his autobiography. The second, James W.C. Pennington: Essays Toward Rediscovering a Great African American Intellectual and Reformer, gathers new research on Pennington’s life, work, and thought from leading scholars across various disciplines.

This event is free and open to all, but registration is required via this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4017793667460/WN_ozfIaKWwSOeNZZBnO2fQzw

After registering, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.

Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.

SPEAKER BIOS

Dr. Jan Stievermann is a Professor of the History of Christianity in the US at Heidelberg University. He has written books and essays on a broad range of topics in the fields of American religious history, culture, and literature, including a comprehensive study of the theology and aesthetics of Ralph Waldo Emerson (in German; Schoeningh 2007) and Prophecy, Piety, and the Problem of Historicity: Interpreting the Hebrew Scriptures in Cotton Mather’s Biblia Americana (Mohr Siebeck, 2016). In the scholarly edition of the Biblia Americana manuscript, he is responsible for volumes 5, 10, and 7 (2015; 2023; forthcoming in 2026), and serves as the executive editor of the whole project. His articles have been published in leading journals, including William and Mary, Early American Literature, Church History, and Religion and American Culture.

Dr. Caitlin Smith is an Assistant Professor of Early American Literature at St. Bonaventure University. Her research focuses on religion, race, and skepticism in nineteenth-century American literature. Along with Jan Stievermann and Eddie Glaude, she co-edited the works of James W.C. Pennington, and has published in ESQ, Leviathan, and two critical companions to Herman Melville.

Details

• Date:June 19
• Time:1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
• Event Categories:Book Talks, Congregational Story, Diverse Voices

Venue

• Virtual

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