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ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Dr. Jeffrey Fortin of the
History Department of the
SUNY College at Oneonta will present a lecture entitled "Abolishing the
International Slave Trade: The Wilberforce Myth" as the first installment of
a new faculty-lecture series entitled "Philosophy Outside the Margins" at
the College's Center for Multicultural Experiences in Lee Hall at
noon on
Wednesday, February 13. Admission to all events in the series is
complimentary, and members of the community are invited to attend.
The lecture series is being presented in honor of the late Professor
Emeritus Ralph Watkins of the SUNY-Oneonta History and Africana and Latino
Studies Departments, who passed away last year. A specialist in
African-American and American history, Professor Watkins taught at the
College for over 30 years and served as Chair of the
Africana and Latino
Studies Department for more than a decade.
Dr. Fortin's presentation will examine the Hollywood myths regarding the
1807 and 1808 abolition of the international slave trade by Great Britain
and the United States. He will focus on the facts behind the
anti-slave-trade movement, how the movement affected the Atlantic world, and
how the film Amazing Grace continues a largely inaccurate vision of the
end of slavery.
Dr. Fortin, who joined the SUNY-Oneonta faculty in 2007, holds a
doctorate in American history from the University of New Hampshire, where he
taught previously. His recent articles in the journals "Citizenship Studies"
and "Atlantic Studies" reflect his research interests in transatlantic
forced migrations and the nature of race and identity. He is currently
working on a book manuscript entitled Removals: Making Diasporas in the
Atlantic World, 1745-1820.
Upcoming events scheduled in the "Philosophy Outside the Margins" series
include the following:
- Thursday, February 28, at 7 p.m., "Torture, Protest, and Moral
Considerations," presented by Dr. Christopher Keegan
- Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m., "The Morality of Dealing Drugs,"
presented by Dr. Christopher Keegan
- Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m., "Slavery and the Making of Colonial
New England," presented by Eric Kimball.
More information about the series is available from the Center for
Multicultural Experiences at (607) 436-2663.
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