National Endowment for the Humanities Announces Ruth J. Simmons to Deliver the 2023 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities

In a press release, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced that Ruth J. Simmons, professor, author, and president emerita of Prairie View A&M, Brown University, and Smith College, will deliver the 2023 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities. Simmons will deliver her lecture titled, “Facing History to Find a Better Future,” on September 26 at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture at 7 p.m. EDT.

Simmons has more than 50 years of experience as a scholar, academic administrator, and changemaker in higher education. She will draw on her experience to speak on the role of humanities in fostering socioeconomic mobility and cultural belonging.

The NEH selects the lecturer through a formal review process that includes nominations from the public. The Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities is the agency’s signature event.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.