Call for Participants: SHEAR Biography Workshop

SHEAR is pleased to announce and invite applications for the Second Annual SHEAR Biography Workshop, to be held in advance of the annual meeting in July 2021.

The workshop will be held virtually from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm EDT on Monday, July 12. The morning session will comprise presentations by biographer-historians and reflective activities to aid participants in conceptualizing and moving forward with their own biographical projects. The presenters are:

  • Lorri Glover, John Francis Bannon Endowed Chair in History at Saint Louis University, and author of Eliza Lucas Pinckney: An Independent Woman in the Age of Revolution (2020)
  • Caleb McDaniel, Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities at Rice University, and author of Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America (2019)
  • Jeffrey C. Stewart, Professor of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke (2017)

In the afternoon, participants will join breakout groups to discuss pre-circulated chapters of their own projects. All shared chapters must be biographical in content and situated historically in the early American republic. Groups will be assigned by mid-May and participants’ chapters will be due to fellow group members by June 21.

All scholars at any stage of their biographical projects are welcome, as are individuals who do not have projects underway but are curious about historical biography and eager to help fellow scholars in the development of their projects.

If you want to register for the workshop or have questions, please contact Craig Friend at ctfriend@ncsu.edu with the subject line: SHEAR biography. Please indicate if you plan to share a chapter and, if so, the biographical subject of your project. Registration deadline is March 31.