The following information comes from a brochure I picked up at the Mark
Twain House in Hartford over the weekend.  Those interested in registering
for the symposium should contact the Mark Twain House at (203) 247-0998.


                     THE POWER OF LANGUAGE
                    1994 FALL TWAIN SYMPOSIUM
                      THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE
                      HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
                     SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1994


The Mark Twain House's 1994 Fall Twain Symposium, "The Power of
Language,"will examine the power of Twain's own language and the
relevance of issues in Twain's works to contemporary issues.

The continuing controversy over Twain's portrayal of
African-Americans (such as the runaway slave Jim) and his use of
period dialect (particularly the use of the word "nigger" in
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the basis for the morning
session. Talks and a panel discussion will explore the image of
African-Americans as portrayed through the language of American
culture, especially literature.

Mark Twain wrote "A powerful agent is the right word: it lights the
reader's way and makes it plain..." But who chooses the right word
in the wake of political correctness? The afternoon session will
address the emerging "PC" lexicon and how it has affected the
English language.

The conference will be held at the Aetna Life & Casualty Home
Office auditorium at 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut,
just 4 blocks east of The Mark Twain House. Those attending the
conference can reserve hotel rooms at the Aetna Institute for
Corporate Education at $65 for a single room and $75 for a double.
The Aetna Institute is located across the street from the symposium
site.  A reservation form will be sent with confirmation of
symposium registration.

Connecticut teachers can receive .4 Continuing Education Units
(CEUs) for attending this conference (see registration form). The
Mark Twain House is a Connecticut State Department of Education
approved CEU provider (provider #677).

Registrants showing their symposium admission ticket will receive
a 10% discount in The Mark Twain House Museum Shop the weekend of
the symposium.  A discounted tour of The Mark Twain House also is
available to symposium registrants from September 1 through October
2, 1994.


                             PARTICIPANTS
Roger Abrahams
      Hum Rosen Professor of Folklore and Folklife,
      University of Pennsylvania

James Bernard
      Editor, _The Source_

Jocelyn Chadwick Joshua
      Professor of English,
      University of North Texas

Linda Chavez
      John M. Olin Fellow and Director of the
      Center for the New American Community,
      Manhattan Institute

Michael Dyson
      Professor of Communication Studies at the
      University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Stanley Fish
      Professor of English and Law,
      Duke University

Shelley Fisher Fishkin
      Professor of American Studies,
      University of Texas, Austin

Andrea Ford
      Reporter, _The Los Angeles Times_

Jeff Greenfield
      ABC News Political and Media Analyst

Dick Gregory
      Comedian, Author, and Civil Rights Activist

Christopher Hitchens
      Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair

Gloria Naylor
      Writer

Clarence Page
      Columnist, _Chicago Tribune_

Frank Rich
      Op-Ed Columnist, _The New York Times_


*****************************************************************

                          SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:00 a.m   Registration

9:15       Welcome

           John Vincent Boyer, Executive Director
           Debra Petke, Director of Education

9:30       The African-American Image in American Literature

           Gloria Naylor

10:15      African-American Identity in Language
           Michael Dyson

10:45      Break

11:00      Panel discussion on African-American identity as
           expressed through the language of the arts

           Michael Dyson, moderator
           Roger Abrahams, James Bernard,
           Jocelyn Chadwick-Joshua, Shelley Fisher Fishkin,
           Dick Gregory, Gloria Naylor

12:30 p.m. Lunch

2:00       Language and the Media

           Frank Rich

2:45       Panel discussion on the impact of political correctness
           on language

           Jeff Greenfield, moderator
           Linda Chavez, Stanley Fish, Andrea Ford, Christopher
           Hitchens, Clarence Page, Frank Rich

4:15       Final Remarks
*****************************************************************

Symposium Registration Fee
(includes buffet lunch and garage parking)

$40 general public

$30 members of The Mark Twain House

$15 full-time students
(copy of current student ID required for college students)

Tickets and information packets will be sent upon receipt of
registration form and payment.  For more information call,
(203) 247-0998 or FAX (203) 278-8148.  Reservations for the program
must be postmarked by September 19, 1994.
Send your registration to:

           The Mark Twain House
           351 Farmington Avenue
           Hartford, Connecticut  06105