Public Humanities Talk | Dr. Melaine Ferdinand-King

About this event

Join the Simmons Center for a Public Humanities talk with Dr. Melaine Ferdinand King. Dr. Melaine Ferdinand King is a cultural strategist and Associate Director of the African American Museum of Rhode Island, where she curated "Welcome to the Neighborhood: Black Providence in Art and Archives (1940s-1970s)." She was named 2023 Emerging Curator by the Providence Biennial for Contemporary Art for Poiesis, the first exhibition to spotlight Providence street culture, urban design, and experimentalism. She has also curated internationally, including in Johannesburg, South Africa, and co-founded The Black Biennial at Rhode Island School of Design. Ferdinand-King is the 2026 recipient of the Association of African American Museums' Burroughs-Wright Fellowship for Emerging Museum Professionals and a 2026 recipient of The Rabkin Prize. The Public Humanities Talk Series brings artists, curators, educators, activists, w riters, community organizers and thinkers together to highlight emergent themes in the public humanities. In concert with the Simmons Center's MA program in Public Humanities, it considers core themes ranging from decoloniality to resistance, cultural preservation to highlighting new modes of commemoration, redistribution, and justice. Lunch is provided with registration.orhood: Black Providence in Art and Archives (1940s-1970s)." She was named 2023 Emerging Curator by the Providence Biennial for Contemporary Art for Poiesis, the first exhibition to spotlight Providence street culture, urban design, and experimentalism. She has also curated internationally, including in Johannesburg, South Africa, and co-founded The Black Biennial at Rhode Island School of Design. Ferdinand-King is the 2026 recipient of the Association of African American Museums' Burroughs-Wright Fellowship for Emerging Museum Professionals and a 2026 recipient of The Rabkin Prize.

The Public Humanities Talk Series brings artists, curators, educators, activists, writers, community organizers and thi nkers together to highlight emergent themes in the public humanities. In concert with the Simmons Center's MA program in Public Humanities, it considers core themes ranging from decoloniality to resistance, cultural preservation to highlighting new modes of commemoration, redistribution, and justice.

Lunch is provided with registration.