Hear the voices of immigrants from 1492-1867 at New Lyceum Series Sept. 18

The Batavia Public Library New Lyceum Lecture Series program, "Immigrant Voices: Forced and Free Migrations to the Americas, 1492-1867," will be presented by Aaron Spencer Fogleman at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.

From 1492 to 1870, more than 22 million migrants - whether forced or free - made their way to the Americas. These immigrants played a critical role in the development of new societies in the Americas. And throughout those four centuries, like today, there was tension and bias and hatred and violence, with every generation of people predicting that immigrants were going to destroy America.

In this lecture, Fogelman will investigate "immigrant voices" - letters, diaries, memoirs, and published narratives that capture the poignancy, pain, dreams, disasters, disappointments, goals, and thrills of living through the experiences of transatlantic migration and life in the Americas.

Fogleman is a resident of Batavia and a Presidential Research Professor in the History Department at Northern Illinois University. Fogleman has lectured and presented his work in Europe, throughout the United States, and in the Caribbean.

Fogleman's specialties are Early America and the history of the Atlantic World, 1492-1867. He has written three books, numerous articles, and has taught at NIU since 2002. He has won numerous awards including being named a Guggenheim Fellow.

The lecture is free; however, registration is required. Register online at www.BataviaPublicLibrary.org or call the library Reference Desk, (630) 879-1393, ext. 200.

The New Lyceum Lecture Series 2019-2020 season is sponsored by the Batavia Public Library Foundation.