A Crisis of Criminality and Policing

Join Elaine Frantz, professor of history at Kent State University, and Wesley Oliver, associate dean and professor of law at Duquesne University School of Law, for an in-depth look at crime (organized and otherwise), law enforcement, corruption, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Prohibition-era America. Through a discussion of their scholarly work on subjects ranging from violence to the establishment of longstanding police procedure, Frantz and Oliver will explore how decisions surrounding crime and law enforcement in 1920s America continue to have an impact today. Their discussion will be moderated by History Center senior curator and American Spirits content lead Leslie Przybylek.

Prior to the program, attendees will receive after-hours access to the American Spirits exhibition from 6-7 p.m. Following the conclusion of the speaking program, Elaine Frantz will be available to sign copies of her books, “Manhood Lost: Fallen Drunkards and Redeeming Women in the Nineteenth-Century United States” and “Ku Klux: The Birth of the Klan During Reconstruction.” Wesley Oliver will sign copies of his book, “The Prohibition Era and Policing: A Legacy of Misregulation.” All three books will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $10 and space is limited, so advance registration is encouraged.