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Kristen de Groot
News Officer
krisde@upenn.edu
History
Cholera vs. flu: Philadelphia’s historical epidemic successes and failures
Cholera vs. flu: Philadelphia’s historical epidemic successes and failures
Philadelphia’s response to the 1918 influenza might be the poster child of how not to handle an epidemic. Timothy Kent Holliday makes the case that the city was well equipped for outbreaks decades and even centuries earlier.
Children’s literature as ‘seed work’
Children’s literature as ‘seed work’
Penn GSE’s Ebony Elizabeth Thomas discusses the importance of more diverse books for kids and the challenges that continue to stifle early anti-racist learning. She also shares a curated list of recommended books for youth catered to this particular moment.
What the 1968 Kerner Commission can teach us
What the 1968 Kerner Commission can teach us
Criminologist and statistician Richard Berk, who worked on the report as a graduate student, explains the systemic racism and poverty found to underlie violent unrest in the 1960s and where COVID-19 and the economy fit today.
Juneteenth: A day for reflection, conversation, and learning
Juneteenth: A day for reflection, conversation, and learning
As the Penn community takes time today to consider the significance of Juneteenth, Penn Today also pauses for critical reflection
Final chapter in a pandemic’s shadow
Final chapter in a pandemic’s shadow
Historian David Ruderman was set to publish a new book and celebrate his retirement. Then the pandemic hit.
A virtual tour of architectural masterpieces
A virtual tour of architectural masterpieces
David Brownlee, Frances Shapiro-Weitzenhoffer Professor of 19th Century European Art in the School of Arts and Sciences, leads a virtual tour of some of Penn’s best-known historic buildings.
Can widespread protests bring lasting change?
Can widespread protests bring lasting change?
Amidst the current protests decrying the killings of Black people by police and demand for reforms, Penn Today speaks to political scientist Daniel Gillion about his new book, “The Loud Minority: Why Protests Matter in American Democracy.”
Historian Mary Frances Berry responds to the George Floyd protests
Historian Mary Frances Berry responds to the George Floyd protests
The professor of history and Africana studies speaks with Penn Today about protesting injustice, pushing for change, and the history of African American civil rights.
Can, or should, the Insurrection Act be invoked?
Can, or should, the Insurrection Act be invoked?
Claire Finkelstein of the Law School spoke to Penn Today to discuss the history and meaning of a rarely used law, propelled into the news this week.
Kindred spirits: Irish-Native American solidarity
Kindred spirits: Irish-Native American solidarity
A fundraiser for two Native American tribes hard hit by the pandemic has received tens of thousands of dollars from donors in Ireland. Conor Donnan looks at the Irish diaspora in the United States and at the transatlantic solidarity between Ireland and Native nations.
Media Contact
In the News
USA Today
Amid COVID-19, church killings anniversary, Charleston Black history museum keeps eye on 2022 opening
Howard Stevenson of the Graduate School of Education said a comprehensive history education can help people “navigate racism today” and better understand intergenerational trauma.
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CNN
The art world is trying to protect artwork amid civil unrest and support community unity
George Wheeler of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design spoke about the preservation of public monuments amid protests and uprisings.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Outrage over police injustice is older than the nation
Mary Frances Berry of the School of Arts & Sciences said the uprisings of the 1960s in the U.S. were catalyzed by police violence but didn’t lead to policing reforms.
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GQ
Why violent protests work
Daniel Gillion of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about the history of American protests and how they’ve effected change. “I’m not pushing for individuals to engage in unlawful behavior, but if we are objectively examining the influence of protests, we’re being disingenuous to say that violent protest does not bring individuals to the table, that it does not lead to policy change,” he said. “That simply isn’t true.”
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ABC News
'We feel your pain': Local experts respond to unrest in Minnesota
Mary Frances Berry of the School of Arts & Sciences commented on the public response to the police killing of George Floyd. "What we are seeing is the latest incident of the perpetuation of white supremacy in this country, and it's there and everywhere for everybody to see. We should not be so angry at the people being angry because they have a reason to be angry,” she said.
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Los Angeles Times
Column: Developing a coronavirus vaccine should not be rushed. Here’s why
Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the 1955 Cutter incident, in which a polio vaccine was rushed to production and ended up infecting tens of thousands. “We’re much better educated about how to mass-produce vaccines than we were then,” he said.
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