Second annual Festival of Ideas boasts Meacham as keynote speaker

ETSU brought leading minds to campus last week by hosting the second annual Festival of Ideas.

Public intellectual and Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham was the keynote speaker at the festival. On Thursday, Meacham presented “Songs of America,” a retrospective into the impact and reflection that music offers throughout American history. 

Meacham’s new book in cooperation with Tim McGraw, “Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation,” examines the historical context of songs and their relationships to modern discourse.

“The emotional power of music, which I intuitively knew, it was interesting to encounter historically,” said Meacham. “To me what was so fascinating was finding how closely the music of a given time tracked with the passions of that time.”

Meacham’s event was open to the public with free tickets available to students, faculty and staff. Tickets were also available to a meet and greet beforehand which included a free copy of the book. Meacham’s event focused closely on the ability of the public to hold civil discourse and what steps are needed to bring the public closer.

“I think one of the things we have to do is to try and get back to a place where we have common experiences, and those experiences have the capacity to actually change our minds as opposed to simply affirming what we already think,” Meacham said.

“An Evening with Melissa Fitzgerald” started off the festival on Monday with a public lecture. Fitzgerald is most known for her acting role on “The West Wing” and her extensive humanitarian work. Fitzgerald’s work with Justice for Vets advances justice reform and rehabilitation for returning veterans. The lecture covered many topics with additional reading surrounding the opioid crisis in Appalachia and the impact it has on veterans.

Singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey gave a performance and lecture on Tuesday titled “Hidden Challenges: Understanding Invisible Disabilities.” An avid singer and musician, Harvey lost her hearing entirely at 18 years old due to complications from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, an inherited group of connective tissue disorders. Harvey went on to win fourth place in America’s Got Talent, earning the coveted “Golden Buzzer” from Simon Cowell. Harvey discussed the challenges that arise from disabilities that aren’t readily apparent and may not receive the same recognition as others.

Wednesday featured “By the People, for the People: Campus and Community Perspectives on Voting,” a community discussion moderated by WJHL anchor Josh Smith intended to open a dialogue about democratic participation in the region.

Mike Wiley capped off the week on Friday with his performance of “Breach of Peace,” a tie-in with the Black History Month events already occurring on campus. Wiley’s play is based on the experiences of Civil Rights Movement leaders and their work on Freedom Rides and early movements. Wiley writes, directs and acts in plays revolving around pivotal moments and figures in the Civil Rights movement.

The Festival of Ideas began last year with the support of the Office of the President, Provost and Student Life and Enrollment. The festival showcases innovators in multiple fields and opens an avenue of communication among the students, faculty, staff and community. Each festival operates around a central theme. The focus for 2020 was Dreams and Discord.

For more information regarding the Festival of Ideas and upcoming events, visit https://www.etsu.edu/festival/.