Forum at FHI

"Always Looking" explores the artistic and community-centered practices of acclaimed photographer (and Duke alum) Titus Brooks Heagins. Join us for a screening of the documentary on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 pm, followed by a discussion with Heagins and the filmmaker, Olympia Stone, and a reception. Smith Warehouse, Bay 4, Ahmadieh Family Lecture Hall. All are welcome.
https://fsp.duke.edu/events/always-looking-titus-brooks-heagins/

Join us to welcome Crystal Simone Smith for a conversation with Tsitsi Jaji, including readings from Smith's new book, Runagate: Songs of the Freedom Bound (Duke University Press 2025). Wednesday, Sept 17, noon-1:15, with light refreshments. Smith Warehouse Bay 4. Books will be available for sale.

Runagate: Songs of the Freedom Bound | Duke Forum for Scholars and Publics Join us to welcome Crystal Simone Smith back to the Franklin Humanities Institute for a conversation with fellow poet-scholar Tsitsi Ella Jaji in celebration of Smith's latest poetry collection, Runagate: Songs of the Freedom Bound, published in May 2025 by Duke University Press.

We are thrilled to welcome visual artist and UC Berkeley professor Stephanie Syjuco to Duke in October! She'll give a public lecture on Wednesday, October 22 at 4 pm entitled, "Critical Interventions: Talking Back to the Archive".

Professor Syjuco's lecture is part of a 4-day residency at Duke focused on justice, visibility, and power in archival collections. While on campus, she'll visit classes, present workshops for students, meet with faculty, staff and community members, and explore Duke's archival collections, culminating in this public lecture open to all.

Generously supported by the Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation Endowment Fund, with additional support from the following: Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University Art, Art History & Visual Studies Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts at Duke University Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University

There will be time for Q & A and a reception will follow the talk.
https://fsp.duke.edu/events/rogue-archiving/

Join us for a roundtable discussion about Ryan Coogler's latest film, Sinners. Warning: there will be spoilers! Duke Professor and Left of Black creator and host Mark Anthony Neal will guide the discussion with fellow professors Franklin Cason and Joseph Winters and celebrated musician Lois Deloatch. Thursday, May 22 at noon, Smith Warehouse Bay 4, Ahmadieh Family Lecture Hall.

Tuesday, December 3, undergraduates on the Duke Bass Connections team, "Archives & Creative Process: Blues Women & Rosetta Records" present their research in progress. 5:30-7 pm. Smith Warehouse, Bay 4, Ahmadieh Family Lecture Hall. All are welcome.

Monday December 2, Kym Register and Kamara Thomas talk with Craig Breaden about archives, music, and country and soul music: Remaking the Archive with Country Soul Songbook. Smith Warehouse, Bay 4, Duke. 6:00 pm. All are welcome.

Monday, November 11, evening event featuring Duke's Javier Wallace guiding a conversation with News & Observer reporter Andrew Carter. Carter has been covering North Carolina since 2011, and his reporting demonstrates the power of grounded storytelling. Join us to learn about the impact of local news beyond politics and scandal. https://fsp.duke.edu/events/grounded-storytelling-and-newspaper-journalism/

Tuesday, April 9 - A Bass Connections team conversation with Rissi Palmer about race and the music industry, with a special focus on the Rosetta Records album, "Sweet Petunias."
More info: https://fsp.duke.edu/events/sex-race-and-sweet-petunias/
Along with Palmer, the conversation will feature undergraduate team members Lindsay Frankfort and Trisha Santanam and team co-lead Tift Merritt.
Tift Merritt Rissi Palmer Duke Bass Connections Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University (SSRI) Social Science Research Institute, Duke University Duke Arts