Charles W. Chesnutt: Symposium (In Person)
Sponsored by The Western Reserve Historical Society, The Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society, The Rowfant Club, Charles W. Chesnutt Digital Archive, The Cuyahoga County Public Library, and the Cleveland Public Library.
The Second Charles W. Chesnutt Symposium [In Person Only]
Saturday, September 26, 2026
8:00 AM through 5:30 PM
At the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Registration Fee: $80.00 for standard participants and $50.00 for full time students
Fully Refundable Date: August 15, 2026
https://www.chesnutt2026.com or www.rowfant.org
Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) was arguably the most important African American author (fiction, essays and advocacy) to ply his trade in America between Reconstruction and the Harlem Renaissance; he was certainly the most important author to come from Ohio during this period, and his influence was clearly national. It is also important to note that several of his novels were not published until 50 years after his death, largely because they were considered too provocative for their time.
Featuring presentations by:
Stephanie Browner, PhD: The New School
Tess Chakkalakal, PhD: Bowdoin College
Charles Duncan, PhD: William Peace University
William Hardwig, PhD: University of Tennessee Knoxville
Kenneth M. Price, PhD: University of Nebraska Lincoln
Regennia Williams, PhD: Western Reserve Historical Society Cleveland
There will also be opportunities to see the Rowfant Club of Cleveland, take a white-glove tour of the Chesnutt archives, and interact with the Cleveland community. Continental breakfast and a full buffet luncheon will be served; local accommodation will be available near the Case Western Reserve University campus, including the Glidden House.
Cosponsors: The Western Reserve Historical Society, The Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society, Charles W. Chesnutt Digital Archive, The Cuyahoga County Public Library, and the Cleveland Public Library.
https://chesnuttarchive.org/
Questions? email cuw123@aol.com