The Henrietta Harvey Distinguished Lecture Series
The Henrietta Harvey Distinguished Lecture Series brings highly-regarded scholars to Memorial University. Established as part of the Henrietta Harvey Endowment Fund in 1964, the series has provided our faculty, students and public with tremendous insight and the opportunity to share knowledge.
Mrs. Henrietta Harvey (1878-1964) left a significant gift to Memorial University. Her bequest funds continue to enrich our community. Each year, this fund allows Memorial to bring in three or four distinguished lecturers not only to speak to the larger community about issues of interest and importance, but also to spend time in discussion with faculty, students and staff.
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is postponing the Call for Nominations for the Henrietta Harvey Distinguished Lectureship at this time, due to the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to windows for future potential travel. The original call was circulated on February 26, 2020 with a due date of April 30, 2020. We will be back in touch about this competition when we have further information.
Please note that we have moved the timing of the Henrietta Harvey lectureship to November of each calendar year so the current call is for a speaker who can come to St. John’s in November of 2020.
Past Henrietta Harvey Distinguished Lecturers
Winter 2020
This year's Henrietta Harvey Public Lecture was Writing Ocean Histories with Dr. Helen Rozwadowski, Professor of History and Maritime Studies at the University of Connecticut and author of the 2018 book Vast Expanses: A History of the Oceans.
The lecture was held on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 7 p.m. at the Emera Innovation Exchange at 100 Signal Road in St. John's. This event was co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology, the Department of Classics, the Department of History and the Maritime Studies Research Unit at Memorial University.
Winter 2019
Dr. Kim TallBear, Sponsored by the Department of Gender Studies, March 7, 2019
Fall 2017
Dr. Robert Orsi, Sponsored by Department of Religious Studies, October 5, 7 p.m.
Fall 2015
Dr. Riley E Dunlap, Oklahoma State University, Sponsored by Department of Sociology, October 1, 2015
Winter 2015
Dr. Gavin Bridge, Durham University. Sponsored by Department of Geography - January 15, 2015
Fall 2014
Dr. Jeff Malpas, University of Tasmania. Sponsored by Department of Philosophy - September 29, 2014
Fall 2013
Dr. Henry Glassie, Indiana University. Sponsored by Department of Folklore - October 3, 2013
Winter 2013
Dr. Frederick Newmeyer, University of Washington. Sponsored by Department of Linguistics - February 26, 2013
Fall 2012
Dr. Sandra Whitworth, York University. Sponsored by Departments of Political Science and Gender Studies - October 3, 2012
Fall 2011
- Dr. Lutgarde Vandeput,Director of the British Institute, Ankara, Turkey. Sponsored by the Department of Classics - October 5, 2011
- Dr. Maryanne Kowaleski, Fordham University. Sponsored by Department of History - October 20, 2011
Fall 2010
- Dr. Nigel Waters, George Mason University. Sponsored by Department of Geography - September 29, 2010
Fall 2009
- Dr. Bonnie McCay, Rutgers University. Sponsored by Department of Gender Studies and Department of Sociology.
- Dr. Marek Zvelebil, University of Sheffield. Sponsored by Department of Archaeology and Department of Anthropology.
Fall 2008
- Dr. Gianfranco Pasquino, University of Bologna and Johns Hopkins University. Sponsored by Department of Political Science
- Dr. Mathieu Marion, Université du Quebec à Montréal.Sponsored by Department of Philosophy
Who was Henrietta Harvey?
Mrs. Henrietta Harvey was a generous benefactress of Memorial University. Born in Nova Scotia in 1878, she first visited St. John's in 1905, accompanied by her mother. The following year she married John Harvey, a St. John's businessman and an important figure in the advancement of education and the fight against tuberculosis in Newfoundland. Mrs. Harvey was widowed in 1920.
When Mrs. Harvey died in 1964, she left a significant bequest to Memorial University. Among the properties were two letters from Rudyard Kipling (she and the Kiplings were warm friends). Memorial University presented these to the University of Dalhousie library, which already had an extensive Kipling collection.
The generous fund which Mrs. Harvey left to the university has been used, in accordance with her wishes, for the general enrichment of University activities in ways which would not otherwise be possible. It was decided that the benefaction would used be for the endowment of Chairs, to cover the costs of special visiting professors, and for the organization of special conferences and lectures.
While her funds were not used for buildings, Memorial's leadership felt it would be fitting to commemorat e her gift in a tangible way. In 1970, at a special ceremony honouring Harvey, Memorial University Library was officially named the Henrietta Harvey Library. This library was replaced by a new one named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, which opened in 1982. Today, the Mathematics Building on our campus bears Mrs. Harvey's name.