Calendar of Events

In-person tickets have SOLD OUT. Register for the live stream to attend the lecture via Zoom.

5pm reception, 6pm lecture—In museum & virtual 
Jelani Cobb, PhD, is an expert on how race, politics, history, and popular culture intersect in America. Author of the highly acclaimed book The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress, Cobb also writes about police brutality, voter access, racial discord, and partisan polarization and eloquently explores how the past looms in our contemporary societal landscape and how we can collectively push toward a more equitable America. Jelani Cobb discusses the complex dynamics of race and racism in America, to clarify them and inspire his audience to collective activism with the goal of achieving equity in the form of genuine democracy. He shows us that not only are the levers of justice in our hands, but we can move them in the direction we see fit. 

The Pennington Lecture is presented in honor of the Rev. Dr. James W. C. Pennington and is part of Capital Community College’s Black Heritage Project. The project aims to surface the remarkable history of the first Black church and school for Black children in Hartford through an exhibition on Hartford’s Black community formation (now on view at the college), curriculum in a variety of courses, and programs such as this.  

This lecture is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Capital Community College Foundation and presented as a collaboration between Capital Community College, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture, and the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. 

Natural Information Society’s hypnotic sound celebrates rhythm and collective listening through its approach to structured improvisation. Hailed by The New York Times as “patient, layered music that’s always heading somewhere, sometimes spare and sometimes complex and shimmering,” Natural Information Society fuses elements of minimalism and jazz with sounds from across the globe. Led by Joshua Abrams—composer, multi-instrumentalist, and founding member of The Roots—the ensemble incorporates free-hanging paintings by artist and band member Lisa Alvarado (MATRIX 192) into its performances, setting the stage for a multisensory journey through the ensemble’s colorful world. $15; $10 members, Wadsworth Welcome, and students with ID. Museum admission not included.

Joshua Abrams – guimbri, Lisa Alvarado – harmonium, Mikel Avery – drums & cymbals, Jason Stein – bass clarinet 

Presented in conjunction with the Lisa Alvarado / MATRIX 192 exhibition and generously supported by the Wadsworth’s Contemporary Coalition. Additional support for the performance is provided by the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation Fund at the Wadsworth Atheneum.  

Image: Photo by Mikel Patrick Avery, Courtesy of Natural Information Society and Front Porch Productions