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