Iconic Conversations: Geoff Ward, Reparative Memory Work

Join us each month for a thought-provoking speaker series that brings St. Louis history to life. Gateway Arch National Park and Jefferson National Parks Association are proud to host compelling talks by local authors and other knowledgeable guests who will explore a variety of topics relevant to the St. Louis region. You might learn about our city’s early beginnings, its architecture, our prominent leaders, the rise of the Gateway Arch, our civil rights struggles, and the best things to do around town. Book discussions will be followed by an author signing opportunity. 

All programs are free and no reservations are needed. They will be held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the rotunda of the historic Old Courthouse (11 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102). The building is fully accessible, and a sign language interpreter will be on hand for each presentation. 

Geoff Ward is Professor of African and African American Studies and faculty affiliate in the Department of Sociology and American Culture Studies Program at Washington University in St. Louis. He is director of the WashU & Slavery Project, a university initiative in partnership with the global consortium of Universities Studying Slavery. His research and teaching focus on histories and legacies of racial violence, and the question of redress.

His presentation will explore the efforts across greater St. Louis, the U.S., and beyond to address legacies of historical racial injustice through commemorative efforts, and the potential for reparative memory work to shape a more just future.