The College of Liberal Arts honors Sydney Berger, a well-respected lawyer in Evansville, every year with a guest lecture about civil rights or civil liberties. Berger worked with local groups fighting for civil rights and labor rights, and he also taught constitutional law at the University of Southern Indiana for almost 20 years. When he died in 1988, the editor of the Evansville Courier said that no one in the city had done more for people who were struggling, such as the poor, the underprivileged, and those who had been denied their rights.
USI College of Liberal Arts welcomes Marc Adam Hertzman for Berger Lecture
The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts will welcome Marc Adam Hertzman, grandson of Sydney and Sadelle Berger, as the speaker of the Berger Lecture series, happening from 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, March 26 in University Center 2217-2218. This event is free and open to the public.
The lecture will explore how local histories shape scholarly lives, tracing the influence of Evansville labor activists Sydney and Sadelle Berger on the intellectual path of their grandson, now a professional historian. Blending personal narrative with historical reflection, the talk considers how family legacy, community activism and archival memory intersect to inspire new generations of scholars, and how local struggles for justice reverberate far beyond their place of origin.
“The Berger’s commitment to civil rights and working people helped shape the moral and civic landscape of Evansville,” says Dr. Kristalyn Shefveland, Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “Welcoming his grandson to speak on our campus reminds us that the stories of local activism live on not only in archives and history books, but also in the families and communities that carry that legacy forward.”
For more information about the event, contact Shefveland at kmshefvela@usi.edu.
Kleymeyer Hall, a 112-seat auditorium-style classroom, is located on the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center. For parking please use Lot J behind the Business and Engineering Center.
Virtual Q&A with Randolph McLaughlin
How to Sue the Klan: The Legacy of the Chattanooga Five
2 p.m. Wednesday, February 19 in Kleymeyer Hall (LA0101)
This event is free, open to the public and hybrid (In-person and online via Zoom).
Opening reception for the UnMasked exhibit will follow the Q&A at 4:30 p.m. in the MAC/PACE Galleries.