Скачать или смотреть America 250: Online: Protest & Praise: 250 Years of American Poetry, Session Two

Poetry has the unique power to bring to life the pivotal moments that have shaped our nation, capturing the spirit of the American people. In this three-part exploration of American poetry since 1776, we’ll read and discuss poems that reflect the struggles and triumphs of our nation. And while we’ll revisit several poems you undoubtedly studied in school – “Oh Captain! My Captain!” and “The New Colossus” among them – most of the works we’ll explore will be penned by lesser-known American poets or represent little-read works by such masters as e.e. cummings and Langston Hughes.

One thing is promised: all of the poems included in the program will be accessible so that even the most “poetry resistant” can participate and enjoy!

Join Ridgefield Poet Laureate Emerita Barb Jennes as we explore 250 years of American poems of protest and praise.

Session 1:

American Revolution
Westward Expansion (including Indigenous voices)|
Civil War
Great Age of Immigration
Jim Crow Era
World War I

Session 2:

Suffrage
Harlem Renaissance
Great Depression
World War II
Cold War
Civil Rights Movement

Session 3:

Vietnam War
Rise of Feminism
Fall of the Berlin Wall
9/11 and Wars in Iraq/Afghanistan
Black Lives Matter Movement
Contemporary Issues

There are three sessions in this series, on 10/21, 11/4 and 11/18. Please register for each one separately. Programs will be held online in Zoom; the Zoom link will sent to you in the confirmation email, and in a reminder email the day before.

Support for this special America 250 Scholarly Series program is provided by The Friends of the Ridgefield Library. Additional promotional support provided by Ridgefield Commemorates America at 250.

November 4, 2025