John L. Hatfield ’67 Lecture

The Hatfield Lecture series is sponsored by the Lafayette College Libraries and endowed by a generous gift from alumnus John L. Hatfield ‘67.  The series brings a prominent author to campus for a public lecture and to visit with students.  The Hatfield lecture occurs once a year in the spring, usually in February or early March, and has become an annual highlight for the college.  The libraries are proud to provide a home for the series, which has celebrated great writing, since 2008.

Past Speakers

• 2024
  Annette Gordon Reed, On Juneteenth
• 2023
  Jia Tolentino, Against Optimization
• 2022
  Valeria Luiselli, Migration Stories
• 2021
  Tressie McMillan Cottom, An Evening with Tressie McMillan Cottom
• 2020
  Robert McFarlane, Underland: a deep time journey
• 2019
  Susan Orlean, Shelf Awareness: Finding Myself in the Library
• 2018
  Kevin Young, The Grey Album
• 2017
  Lynn Nottage, Reflections on “Sweat”
• 2016
  Leslie Jamison, The Open Courtyard
• 2015
  Jill Lepore, The Secret History of Wonder Woman
• 2014
  Natasha Trethewey, 19th Poet Laureate of the United States
• 2013
  Geraldine Brooks, The Art of Historical Fiction
• 2012
  David Henry Hwang,  Lost (and Found) in Translation
• 2011
  Donald L. Miller, Sodom on the Hudson
• 2010
  Karla F. C. Holloway, Reading Culture, Reading Race
• 2009
  Lloyd Kramer, Lafayette’s Historical Legacy: Politics, Culture, and the Modern World
• 2008
  Richard Carwardine, Abraham Lincoln’s Leadership

To nominate a speaker:

If you would like to nominate a speaker to present at this annual lecture, please fill out the form below and we will reach out to you for a conversation.