On Wednesday, November 7, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu spoke to a packed house of 200 students, alumni, faculty, and staff on “Faith, Race, and Politics,” as part of the History Department's “History Matters” series.
Landrieu (B.A., Catholic University, 1982) discussed how he as a public official grappled with the history of the Civil War, slavery, and racism in removing Confederate monuments from public spaces in New Orleans. He also spoke of how his faith and his Catholic education inform his public service. Afterwards, Landrieu took questions from students and signed copies of his recently published book, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History. The History Department thanks our co-sponsors of this event, the Catholic University of America Alumni Association.
“History Matters” seeks to understand how societies remember and commemorate events. It also explores ways in which deep, careful historical investigation can inform present-day debates, which sometimes attempt to harness misunderstandings of the past.
The final event in the series is a panel discussion on “Immigration Debates: Past and Present” on Wednesday, December 5. For more information, see the series listing.