Kentucky Humanities will present Democracy & the Informed Citizen, the first in a series of five community discussions on the importance of journalism in maintaining democracy, on September 13 at 6:30 pm EST at the Otto Budig Theater on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
This community event is sponsored by the Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement at NKU, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. RSVPs can be made at the EventBrite link below.
Panelists for the discussion are Judith Clabes, publisher and editor of KyForward.com and the NKyTribune.com; Trey Grayson, former Kentucky Secretary of State; and Dr. Jonathan S. Cullick, Professor of English at NKU.
The discussion will be moderated by Jay Stowe, former Editor-in-Chief of Cincinnati Magazine.
The evening will begin with a keynote address from Dr. Cullick on All the King’s Men and the themes of rhetoric and journalism therein, as well as his new book, Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men: A Reader’s Companion (University Press of Kentucky, 2018).
Following Dr. Cullick’s talk, the panelists will engage the audience in a discussion about the critical role of journalism in maintaining democracy and an informed citizenry, using Warren’s classic novel as a jumping-off point.
“From the earliest days of our country, citizens have relied on a free press to stay aware and informed,” says Bill Goodman, Executive Director of Kentucky Humanities. “Though the media has changed drastically over two centuries, the need has not. From the smallest rural newspaper to the largest cable news network, journalism is one of the keys to an engaged and informed populace. These discussions will be a great reminder of the influence journalism has on our communities and nation.”
“The novel All the King’s Men allows us to enter the worlds of politics and journalism as observers and then re-enter the world of our lives with greater perspective,” adds Dr. Cullick. “As a dedicated teacher of literature and writing, Robert Penn Warren would agree, I believe, that an education grounded in language, literature, and rhetoric is a powerful instrument to ensure the continuing health of democracy. All the King’s Men is a tale of caution but also a tale of hope for America’s future.”
“Although it was published over 70 years ago, Robert Penn Warren’s masterpiece retains its greatness and relevance today. I especially enjoyed revisiting All the Kings Men after nearly two decades in politics,” says panelist Trey Grayson. “I am looking forward to this much-needed conversation about politics, journalism, and an effective democracy.”
Democracy & the Informed Citizen is part of Kentucky Humanities’ Kentucky Reads: All the King’s Men, an initiative using Robert Penn Warren’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to guide a statewide conversation on contemporary populism and political discourse, and their relationship to journalism.
Kentucky Reads: All the King’s Men is part of the “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” Initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The initiative seeks to deepen the public’s knowledge and appreciation of the vital connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. We thank the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their generous support of this initiative and the Pulitzer Prizes for their partnership.
For more information about Kentucky Reads: All the King’s Men and activities taking place throughout the state, visit kyhumanities.org.
Social Media Hashtags: #HumCitizen #KyReads RSVP at this website.
Kentucky Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. We are supported by the National Endowment and by private contributions. For information about Kentucky Humanities’ programs and services, visit kyhumanities.org.
