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Exploring Black America: A historian’s unique path of inquiry
Marcia Chatelain

Marcia Chatelain’s next book, coming out this fall, is a narrative history of the women who played roles in the 1963 March on Washington.

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Exploring Black America: A historian’s unique path of inquiry

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marcia Chatelain, a Penn Presidential Compact Professor of Africana Studies, takes a unique approach to history, from the impact of fast food to the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement.

4 min. read

5 things: A conversation with Spike Lee
Spike Lee speaking on stage with Heather Williams.

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5 things: A conversation with Spike Lee

Penn’s Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award recipient and award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee spoke with professor Heather A. Williams, about the Civil Rights Movement, filmmaking, and more.

3 min. read

Connecting with America’s 250th anniversary
The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives

The Declaration of Independence on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

(Image: Mark Schiefelbein via AP Images)

Connecting with America’s 250th anniversary

Ahead of the main event on July 4, 2026, marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Penn students, faculty, and staff will have multiple early opportunities to engage with America’s 250th anniversary.

3 min. read

What to read, watch, and cook for Juneteenth

An Emancipation Day parade in St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1922.

(Image: State Archives of Florida)

What to read, watch, and cook for Juneteenth

Specialists from Penn Libraries offer seven resources to learn more about and celebrate Juneteenth.

3 min. read

How the Annenberg School connected all the dots for Naima Small
Naima Small in a tulip garden.

Image: Courtesy of Annenberg School for Communication

How the Annenberg School connected all the dots for Naima Small

The Class of 2025 communications major was drawn to studying social media and culture, how gender is portrayed online, and the role of technology in perpetuating bias. “I loved how Annenberg enabled me to not only see the diversity of ways I could use my degree, but also learn from people who had much different academic interests than me.”

From Annenberg School for Communication

2 min. read

Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky named 2025 Guggenheim Fellows  
Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky headshots

Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky of the School of Arts & Sciences each have been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship.

(Images: Courtesy of Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky)

Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky named 2025 Guggenheim Fellows  

Marcia Chatelain and Matthew Levendusky of the School of Arts & Sciences each have been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship.

2 min. read

Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith and Awards Commemoration honors King’s life and work
Eddie Glaude addresses the crowd with a large image of MLK in the background

“Let’s choose the America that Dr. King gave his life for,” Glaude said in his address. 

(Image: Damien Townsville)

Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith and Awards Commemoration honors King’s life and work

The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith and Awards Commemoration celebrates King’s life and work and honors students, faculty, staff, and community members. This year’s winners were selected for their work in the Penn community and beyond.

Kristina Linnea García