2108 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20052

Thursday, December 5, 2024

1792 - George Washington is re-elected as President.

1932 - Albert Einstein is granted a visa to enter America.

1933 - Prohibition ends with the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution.

1955 - The historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery, Alabama.

2001 - “Ocean’s Eleven” directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt premieres in Westwood, California.

SMHS residents and fellows vote to strike, citing inadequate pay, mental health care. GW Hatchet.

Emily Dickinson, Virginia Hall, and Julia Kornberg: City Lights for Dec. 5–11. Washington City Paper.

The 25 Best Films of 2024. Hyperallergic.

Photo credit: Terra Pilch-Bisson

This newsletter edition we spotlight Terra Pilch-Bisson, a senior American Studies major at GW. Terra is part of the University Honors Program and a Philosophy minor.

Currently, in working towards receiving her American Studies degree, Terra is writing her senior thesis, an archival research project that examines Washington D.C.’s anti-freeway activist movement between 1968 and 1971, a source of ethical inspiration for contemporary radical environmentalism. Her research explores the rhetorical and organizational tactics of anti-freeway activists and the relationships between humans and the environment. Terra seeks to highlight the agency of social activists in the prevention of freeway construction and their dedication to environmental preservation. 

Additionally, as part of her work in the course Critiquing Culture, Terra is working on a collaborative project to produce a satirical mock-television episode. The episode is based on the GW American Studies Department and is focused on the topic of “authenticity.” In her episode, Terra will play both herself and Professor Dara Orenstein!

Outside of her studies, Terra is an organizer with GW Organizers for Revolutionary Climate Action (ORCA). In this role, she has led teach-ins on topics ranging from green capitalism to the relationship between climate change and militarism. She has furthered her environmental activism by working on a campaign to end GW’s financial ties to the fossil fuel industry. This semester, ORCA was able to fundraise over $650 for mutual aid hurricane relief in Appalachia and Florida.

Throughout college, Terra has spent her summers living and working on organic farms in Oregon, Spain, and Italy (ask her about WWOOFing!). She also enjoys rock climbing with GW Club Climbing, exploring DC on her bike, cooking, reading, camping, and hiking! Following graduation, Terra plans to take a year off from university before applying to PhD programs in American Studies, Cultural History, and Critical Theory. 

Marx + Merriment
GW American Studies

Join GW American Studies for a Marx + Merriment party! In addition, Prof. Emily Bock will be in discussion with Prof. Vanessa Wills about her 2024 monograph Marx's Ethical Vision published by Oxford University Press. Enjoy light refreshments, snacks, music, conversation, and piñatas!

When: Thursday, December 5, 2024; 7:00 PM
Where: 2106 G Street NW

Current PhD candidate Liz Foshe successfully defended her dissertation prospectus entitled "Remembering the Lenox Theater: Race, Place and Memory in Augusta GA."

Current PhD candidate Kwabena Slaughter published their essay “Twenty-Two Divided by Seven, Geometry at Tuskegee” in the recently published title Picturing Black History distributed by Abrams Books.

Prof. Akae Wright recently published their article “Ancestral Stiles: Caribbean Abolitionist Home Practices” in the special online issue of Frontiers: A Journal of Women’s Studies.

Prof. Akae Wright will publish their article “F.A.M: Trans-Afrofuturism in Janelle Monáe’s and Danny Lore’s “Nevermind.” in Introduction to Afrofuturism: A Mixtape in Black Literature & Arts, edited by DuEwa M Fraizer and set to be published by Routledge in 2025.

Prof. Libby Anker spoke to Al Jazeera in the segment about the presidential election.

Prof. Gayle Wald was quoted by The New York Times in the article “Ella Jenkins, Musician Who Found an Audience in Children, Dies at 100,” and by The Washington Post in the article “Ella Jenkins, first lady of children’s music, dies at 100,”

Call for Applications: Washington History: Magazine of the DC History Center seeks an experienced managing editor (short-term, part-time) to take spring issue to print. Immediate start through April, average 10-15 hours/week. The magazine is a lively hybrid of scholarship and general interest. Copy edit, assign volunteer writers, write captions, proofread, coordinate graphic design, and more. Contact editor Jane F. Levey for details: jflevey@dchistory.org

Call for Applications: The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Liberal Studies (ISLS) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is seeking a tenure-track faculty member in Interdisciplinary Studies at the rank of Assistant Professor. Click here to learn more // Deadline: Dec. 13, 2024

Call for Papers: The Rutgers Art History Graduate Symposium is currently accepting papers for their upcoming event entitled "Artivism: Art History and Heritage in Global Conflict." Click here to learn more // Deadline: Dec. 15, 2024

Call for Applications: The Massachusetts Historical Society will sponsor dozens of research fellowships for the 2025-2026 academic year, ranging from short-term support to long-term residency. Click here to learn more // Deadline: Varies by Fellowship Type

Call for Papers: UVA's English Department Graduate Symposium is currently seeking abstracts for their upcoming symposium themed "Space and Place." Click here to learn more // Deadline: Jan. 3, 2025

Call for Papers: The Twentieth Annual Yale University American Art Graduate Symposium is seeking papers for their upcoming conference. Click here to learn more // Deadline: Jan. 31, 2024

Call for Applications: The Swann Foundation seeks to award one fellowship annually (with a stipend of up to $5,000) to assist the fellow in their ongoing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. Click here to learn more // Deadline: Feb. 16, 2025

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