University Forum Announces New Speaker for Nov. 12 Program

Mon, 11/11/2024 - 12:47pm | By: Dr. David Tisdale

University Forum at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will have a new guest speaker for its Tuesday, Nov. 12 lecture program set for 6:30 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus.

Dr. Jessica Harris, a leading scholar on the culture and cuisine of the African Diaspora, replaces Erin Brockovich, the acclaimed environmental activist, who had to cancel her appearance due to unforeseen circumstances. Dr. Harris has been featured in the Netflix series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, based on her 2011 award-winning book tracing the roots of Black culinary traditions from their African origins through the history of slavery to their transformative influence on American cuisine.

A former editor at Essence magazine, Dr. Harris is a professor emeritus from Queens College, City University of New York. She has authored 12 books and has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the James Beard Foundation– her books were inducted into the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame–and the Southern Foodways Alliance.

In 2023, Dr. Harris received the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award for Culinary History, and in 2021, was named to TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the top 100 most influential people. 

University Forum is celebrating 50 years of bringing some of the world’s most renowned thought leaders and influencers to USM. Click here to learn more about University Forum.