In Memoriam
The Great Lives program was saddened by the recent death of Bernard Cohen, 86.
Mr. Cohen had a special connection to the program. He came to prominence as a young attorney who represented Richard and Mildred Loving in their landmark Supreme Court case in 1967 that struck down Virginia’s anti-miscegenation law. In 2012 he, together with the Lovings’ daughter Peggy Fortune, presented a Great Lives program on the Lovings. That program was one of the most memorable – and emotional — presentations in the history of the Great Lives series, never to be forgotten by the large audience in attendance (appropriately presented on Valentine’s Day). A video of the presentation may be accessed here or in the Great Lives website archives.
In addition to speaking in Great Lives, Mr. Cohen was a staunch supporter of the program, as evidenced both by his financial commitment and by his attendance at lectures. Until declining health prevented it, he and his wife, Rae, along with her twin sister and her husband, were regularly to be found in their customary seats near the front of Dodd Auditorium.
A man of humane ideals and a life-long advocate for social justice, Mr. Cohen will be missed by many, including the Great Lives team. RIP.
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With large in-person gatherings currently prohibited on campus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Lives program is offering a mini-series of recorded lectures focusing on several notable Presidents — an approach that seems particularly appropriate in this presidential election year.
Each lecture will be delivered by UMW Professor Emeritus of History William B. Crawley, who is the founding director of the Great Lives series. This year marks the completion of Professor Crawley’s 50 years on the Mary Washington faculty, during which he has won numerous awards for teaching excellence, focusing largely on political history.
Lectures will be pre-recorded observing COVID- 19 health and safety protocols and released on the dates listed below. They will remain posted throughout the series, after which they will be available in the Great Lives archives. Please refer to the schedule below and click on the media link to view the lecture.
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