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Noted essayist tells why we should remember Korean War

By David Gonnerman '90
March 11, 2005

Nationally recognized essayist and American culture critic Gerard Early presented "Why We Should Remember the Korean War" on Thursday, March 10, in Holland Hall 501 at St. Olaf College.

Early, who is working on a book about the Korean War (to be published by Harvard University Press), began his lecture with a general overview of the war. The core of his presentation addressed the significance of the integration of American combat troops during the conflict. Early ended with a discussion of three films that depict integration in Korea: Steel Helmet, All the Young Men and Pork Chop Hill.

Early is the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters and Professor of Afro-American Studies, American Culture Studies and English at Washington University in St. Louis. Author of The Culture of Bruising: Essays on Prizefighting, Literature, and Modern American Culture, the 1994 National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism, Early has twice been nominated for the Grammy Award in the category of best album notes for "Yes I Can: The Sammy Davis Jr. Story" and for "Rhapsodies in Black: Music and Words from the Harlem Renaissance." A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Early also has served as a consultant for Ken Burns' documentary films on baseball, jazz and boxer Jack Johnson.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.