Please join us for the 2024 Ben Belitt Colloquium on Arts and Literary Culture at Bennington College, a special evening devoted to the life and work of poet Reginald Shepherd ‘88 (1963–2008), an under-celebrated member of Bennington's literary pantheon. We will explore Shepherd’s place in contemporary poetry, the question of who belongs in the literary canon and why, the legacy of AIDS and public silence, and what Queer writers owe (or do not owe) to their communities. Shepherd’s work is known for its elegance, beauty, and critical acumen.
This event is open to the public and will be livestreamed. Register here.
The 2024 Ben Belitt Colloquium will bring three nationally celebrated writers together campus to discuss Shepherd’s life and work: Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown, author most recently of The Tradition (Copper Canyon, 2019) and editor of the new collection The Selected Shepherd (U Pitt Press, 2024); MacArthur Fellowship winning novelist and essayist Jonathan Lethem '86, whose most recent book is Brooklyn Crime Novel (Ecco Press, 2024); and poet Camille Rankine, author of the poetry collection Incorrect Merciful Impulses (Copper Canyon, 2016) and recipient of the Discover Poetry Prize.