Literature is often the first cultural element to be marked for destruction by authoritarian regimes. But what makes the written word such a threat to these destructive forces? And how have different communities used the preservation of the written word as a method of resistance?

These are the foundational questions at the heart of this panel discussion that will look at historical parallels between the stories of Jewish literature during the Holocaust, Native American literature under the duress of settler colonialism, and Hmong literature in the crosshairs of multiple hostile governments. Join Jewish Museum Milwaukee for a rousing discussion that will challenge everyone to reconsider what they might risk to save a book.

Panelists include:

Mark Freeland, Director of the Electa Quinney Institute and Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Dr. Chia Youyee Vang, Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Max Yela, Head of Special Collections at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee