1968 was one of the most turbulent years of the 20th century.  2018 marks the 50th anniversary of that year’s landmark political, social and cultural events--events that continue to influence our world today.  Are you interested in politics, student riots, racism, redlining, civil rights, wild and scenic rivers designations, Laugh-in and popular culture, or advancements in the space program? Have you considered spatial relationships among factors that diminish social equity, environmental safety, and ultimately, quality of life? Then you are interested in mapping 1968.

Since 1865 and the passage of the 13^th Amendment, every time African Americans have made advances toward full participation in our democracy, white reaction has fueled a deliberate and relentless rollback of their gains. In this presentation, Anderson will discuss her New York Times bestselling book that carefully links historical flashpoints when social progress for African Americans was countered by deliberate and cleverly crafted opposition.

This dramatic hip-hop spoken word and dance performance depicts the death and inner life of a young woman, Myeisha Mills, based on the true story of Tyisha Miller. It reimagines the night she was shot by four police officers while she lay unconscious in a car. The two-person play takes a powerfully clear-eyed look at the relationships between race, the body, and violence by following the trajectory and impact of the 12 bullets that struck her—each one triggering its own unique memory.

Performers: John Merchant and Natali Micciche

What is it about the Moon that captures the fancy of humankind? A silvery disk hanging in the night sky, it conjures up images of romance and magic. It has been counted upon to foreshadow important events, both of good and ill, and its phases for eons served humanity as its most accurate measure of time. This presentation by retired NASA Chief Historian Roger Launius discusses the Moon as a target for Human exploration and eventual settlement.

Borders often do not have much to do with the physical world. The edges of voting districts, cities, counties, states, and countries are decided by human processes, always implicitly if not explicitly political. Data are often provided pre­aggregated at a particular spatial polygon level. For example, data on poverty is collected at the block­group level, while data on education is easiest to obtain for school districts. This makes it difficult to combine data, and can lead to problems when data does not make sense at the level it was collected.

Julie Schumacher, winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, will read from and discuss her new novel, The Shakespeare Requirement.  The novel takes place at Payne University, where Jason T. Fitger, the hapless anti-hero of Dear Committee Members, has been elected chair of his dysfunctional department.  Not the most natural of leaders, Fitger is stymied on multiple fronts.

On Monday, September 10, Publishing Without Walls is conducting a one-day digital scholarly publishing workshop. Conceived as a digital makerspace-meets-writers’ workshop, this event is geared toward scholars and advanced level graduate students who are interested in digital options for publishing their scholarship.