NEWS

Human skeletons, folk artistry subjects of two public lectures

CHAPEL HILL -- Two faculty members from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will deliver free public lectures at the Transylvania County Public Library in Brevard.

Anthropology professor Dr. Clark Larsen will discuss "Bare Bones of Anthropology: What Human Skeletons Tell Us About Our Past" at 7 p.m. July 13.

Associate professor of anthropology Dr. Glenn Hinson, chair of UNC-CH's folklore curriculum, will discuss "Folk Artistry in North Carolina" at 7 p.m. Aug. 1. For more information about both talks, call Lisa Sheffield at 884-3151.

Larsen, an expert in the study of skeletons, was among seven scientists the federal government appointed in April to begin researching Kennewick Man, a 9,000-year-old skeleton found in Washington state. Pinpointing the skeleton's identity is key to ongoing legal battles. Five Indian tribes have claimed it as an ancestor and sued for possession of the bones, while scientists have requested delay for more study. Fewer than 10 complete skeletons as old as Kennewick Man have been found in North America, Larsen said.

Hinson, author of "Fire in My Bones: Transcendence and the Holy Spirit in African-American Gospel," has won two UNC-CH awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching and a Brown Hudson Folklore Award from the N.C. Folklore Society. He teaches courses on Southern style and culture and African-American vernacular music and helps public schools develop traditional arts curricula. Hinson's research focuses include the role of transcendent experience among African-American Christians and the roles of oral poetry among working-class African-Americans.

Both Brevard lectures were arranged by Carolina Speakers at UNC-CH. The program, which began as a statewide outreach effort in 1993, offers 83 leading faculty members and four student scholars to business, civic and community groups to share their expertise on more than 100 topics, including 44 that focus on North Carolina and the South. The program is part of UNC-CH’s ongoing efforts to connect with North Carolinians.

For more information about or to schedule Carolina Speakers, contact Sandy Roberts, CB 1793, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1793, telephone 919-962-1993, or visit the Carolina Speakers Web site at www.unc.edu/depts/uncspeak.

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