UMass Boston English Department

We are so proud of Ebony Gill for sharing their research on such an important topic for the Boston Culture! ✨️

"I created an Instagram page called at the end of the semester in December, posting some of my finds from my research, which has accumulated over 30,000 followers now. During my interview, I told [WBUR] part of my inspiration started during my research for a project for [English 209: Writing on Local Issues, Arts, and Culture class (Prof. McDonough)]"

We have links to Ebony Gill's interview with WBUR / podcast for your enjoyment:
https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/05/16/instagram-boston-urban-archive-massachusetts-hip-hop-history

https://www.wbur.org/the-common/2024/05/23/boston-history-communities-of-color-instagram

On Instagram, Boston Urban Archive shares history of Black communities From old videos to newspaper clips, Ebony Gill shines a light on communities often overlooked in the city through her Instagram account.

Sections of the literary scene were severely impacted by the war in Ukraine: from booksellers to local libraries. But these five individuals are trying to pull it back to what it was.
The group includes our very own Professor Askold Melnyczuk, and they have partnered with the Coral Gables Foundation to raise funds for direct support to libraries and those involved in the publishing industry.
Check out this Guardian article for more information:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/20/rare-book-donations-sought-for-auction-to-help-ukraine-booksellers

We are very excited to experience this momentous time with our students this week.
Yesterday, we had an award ceremony to honor our graduates. Their determination and hard work have paid off!
Tomorrow and Thursday, we will be hosting our graduation ceremonies for the Grad and Undergrad students!

We can't let Healey Library at UMass Boston be the only one to serve adorableness with some tips for the week of final essays/exams!
Enjoy the English Department's collection of pets and good luck!

What a great turn out for our Oceanic New England course!
Our students worked hard and were rewarded!
Special thanks to the Boston Athenæum for hosting the reception and presentation.

With the semester ending, what a great way to relax after (or give yourself a break from studying!) than with a Book'n Chill recommendation!
College professor Jack Gladney and his family's comfortable suburban life is upended when "The Airborne Toxic Event" occurs. White Noise is a cornerstone example of postmodern literature. It is widely considered DeLillo's breakout work and brought him to the attention of a much larger audience.

Did you know we have fun, weekend courses?!
Our students from "English 458: Tides, Tempests & Shipwrecks" were able to find suitable outdoor settings to read this shipwreck based play. The island site helps build fun and lasting memories with our students! This Nantucket trip was headed by our Professors Matt Brown and Scott Maisano.

Our Academy of American Poets contest has been decided!
Join us in welcoming our contest judge, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, on May 9th in Campus Center @ 3:30pm! The winners will be announced, with a reading, and snacks!

May is Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. At the English Department, we celebrate the only way we know how: WITH BOOKS! 📚
Have you read any of these suggestions? 📖

Please join us for our Multilingual Writing Competition!
We can celebrate our student writers, ESL Faculty, and the work that has been produced this semester!

This saturday is Earth Day!
Earth day was established in 1970 and this year's theme is "Invest in our planet"!
Want to do something for Earth day? Have you got a need to read?
Come celebrate Earth day with a book - recommended by us at the English Department!

Our very own Professor, Susan Tan, will be releasing a new book!
The launch will be on Thursday, April 27 at 7pm at Porter Square Books in Cambridge MA. All ages are welcome (grown-ups too!), and there will be a raffle, Q and A, and a reading.

The link to the event page is here for more details: http://bit.ly/3zThhT6

Congratulations to our 'Run for Krystle' team and a special shoutout to our Professors: Von Morze & Dyson!
These photos of them were taken at mile 2️⃣5️⃣! No doubt they were tired, but they proved they were 💙💛 yesterday.

Are you interested in putting your English skills to good use? Consider a Fellowship!

We have a keynote lecture coming to campus this April! Check out more info below!

The Writing Center is having a table out in Campus Center with candy! They're currently searching for Grad + Undergrad positions to fill !

Professors Leonard Von Morze and Paul Dyson will be running in the Boston Marathon this year on the "Run for Krystle" team. Accompanied by UMass Alumni and other volunteers, in order to raise funds for scholarships. Krystle Campbell was a UMass student who came to us from Medford and studied Sociology. Unfortunately, Krystle was one of the victims of the Boston Bombings in 2013.
To learn more about the "Run for Krystle" team this year check out New 5 article that was recently posted:
https://www.wcvb.com/article/krystle-campbell-boston-marathon-team-scholarship-presentation-medford-massachusetts/43486426

April is Arab - American Heritage month! We offer a reading recommendation list in celebration ☺️👍🏻.
Diversifying your reading lists can help not just in your academics!
Books serve as both a mirror and window to different human emotions or experiences. These diverse books help increase your own empathy, see the shared bonds of humanity, and discover important insights!

Our Book'n Chill recommendation series continues with April!
April is the month that sets the path for Spring, washing away the past with rain while nourishing the future blooms. Kindred by Octavia Butler is a story about what happens when the past is intrinsically tied to a person's future.
The book is the first-person account of a young African-American writer, Dana, who is involuntarily thrown backwards in time and with each time, her visits are extended and the costs get higher.

Our English Department 'Welcome Day Table' was attended by two of our awesome professors, Susan Tan and Hadi Banat!
Our staff (and pizza!) is here for Advising this week.
10 am - 2pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Check out these AWESOME classes for the upcoming Fall Semester!
We hope that you can attend them!

Robert Crossley taught for 37 years here at UMass Boston and even served as the English Department Chair! We hope you can attend this new event, April 18th!

Boston has an interesting holiday on March 17th, and no - it's not St. Patricks Day! Evacuation day is a public holiday that is celebrated in Massachusetts and New York, commemorating the first major American military victory in the American Revolutionary War. Part of the reason for the St. Patricks day is the celebration of this holiday! Dorchester Heights offered a strategic point and view of the Boston Harbor! March 17th, 1776 the British evacuated Boston following the siege of Boston. The New York Evacuation Day is held in November, to commemorate their own day in which the expelled the British.

Hello English Majors and Minors!
We are excited to announce the 5-10 line Poetry contest has returned! If you are interested in sending us your work but think it is missing something? The Writing center is more than happy to help!

Our Book'n Chill Recommendation series is having a screening done after Spring Break! The film, In the name of the Father, is about a landmark case in British-Irish relationship. Set during the midst of what we now call 'the Troubles'; the culmination of conflict that peaked for a period of about 30 years. The film follows the events which involved the two groups: 'Guildford Four' and 'Maguire Seven'. If you are interested in the Faculty - Led Study Abroad program about Irish Literature, Theatre, and Culture you are STRONGLY encouraged to attend in order to: meet with the Professors, students, and for discussion!😊

The Tuft University has invited any one who can attend to a discussion tomorrow night. Lee Edelman will be conversing on a new book that will be coming out called 'Bad Education' that they have authored.
Hope to see you there!

In honor of March being Irish-Heritage month and to celebrate our UMB students going abroad to Ireland in our Faculty-led program this summer, we have chosen two memoirs. Paul Hill and Gerry Conlon were two of the Guildford Four, a landmark case that highlights the tense relationship of the British and Irish during the 1970s (Later called 'The Troubles').

What are you doing this summer? Would you like to travel? Read a good book? See a play? Signing up for classes, maybe?
Why not join one of our Faculty-led Study Abroad programs? It does all of that!
Although a small island, Ireland has produced a remarkable number of extraordinary poets, fiction writers, and dramatists. Through this faculty-led study abroad, you can get credit + a first hand experience with these amazing works (and locations!)
Check it out:
https://studyabroad.umasscs.net/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=12333

EVENT: The Russian War on Ukraine: One Year after the Invasion

The panel will feature UMB sociologist Cinzia Solari, a specialist on gender and democracy in Ukraine, and Dr. Raphi Rechitsky, a Ukrainian himself and a scholar of refugees from the region.

DATE/TIME: Thursday, March 23, 1230-130