A UT professor will discuss research on various aspects of nineteenth-century polygamy during the last “Conversations and Cocktails” talk, at UT from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 3.
Mary Campbell, assistant professor in the School of Art, will speak at the event, which will take place at a new location, Holly’s Corner, 842 N. Central Avenue. The UT Humanities Center is sponsoring the event.
The “Conversations and Cocktails” series provides the community an opportunity to interact with guest scholars as they discuss history while enjoying special dinner and appetizer selections.
Dinner reservations are required, and seating is limited. A reservation can be made by calling 865-974-2557. Parking at Holly’s Corner is free.
During the May 3 lecture, Campbell will discuss the notable absence of plural wives in pictures, as well as the often-surprising ways in which these women began to represent themselves during the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
Between 1824 and 1872, the second Mormon prophet, Brigham Young, married fifty-six women. Despite his dedication to polygamy, Young actively avoided being photographed with any of his wives. Young was not alone in his refusal to commemorate plural marriage in pictures. The striking absence of plural wives from the Latter-day Saints’ visual record sparks much interest among historians studying the Mormon church.
Recognized as a scholar, teacher, and lawyer, Campbell specializes in nineteenth-century American art. She is also a former Humanities Center fellow.
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CONTACT:
Joan Murray (865-974-4222, jmurra10@utk.edu)