Marino to Kick Off Libraries' Spring Graduate Speaker Series Feb. 7

University Relations

Alex Marino

Join the University Libraries and graduate student Alex Marino Thursday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. in the Special Collections Reading Room as he presents "Were the Crusade or Mr. Hargis made aware? Fulbright, the Christian Crusade, and Portugal's Cold War Propaganda."

Marino's presentation focuses on J. William Fulbright's 1962 investigation into the "Activities of Agents of Foreign Principals in the United States," which included foreign governments seeking to influence American politics through shareable media. Marino is a graduate student the Department of History in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Through archival research conducted in the University of Arkansas Special Collections, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and the Portuguese National Archives, Marino tracks documents from Tulsa to Lisbon and back, showing that Portugal sought to take advantage of American racial tensions to promote its own interests.

The Graduate Student Speaker Series was launched last semester by the University Libraries and Graduate School and International Education. Other lectures include:

• March 7, Scout Johnson will present "Mothers of Intention: The Road to a Dissertation Lies through Special Collections."
• April 4, Robyn Spears will present "Arkansas Aprons: Women's Diaries and Food in the 19th Century."

All speaker events will be held at 4 p.m. in the Special Collections Reading Room.

"We're delighted to provide graduate students with the opportunity to share their research that draws on special collections resources with our community," said Lori Birrell, head of Special Collections. 

Graduate students interested in being part of the speaker series are encouraged to contact Birrell at lbirrell@uark.edu or 479-575-8443.