Great Lives – UMW Lecture Series to Start its 23rd Season

On Tuesday January 20th, 2026, the University of Mary Washington will begin the 23rd season of its lecture series, Great Lives: Biographical Approaches to History and Culture. This year’s program schedule will consist of 16 lectures running from January 20th though March 19th. These lectures are free and open to the public.

This year’s schedule starts off strong with Paul Revere on January 20th, hosted by Kostya Kennedy, author of The Ride. Some other highlights of the 2026 season include lectures on film composer John Williams, author Judy Blume, and musicians Ellington, Armstrong, and Basie.

Each lecture will begin at 7:30pm in the Dodd Auditorium of Washington Hall on the UMW Campus, with doors opening at 6:30pm. They will end with an audience Q&A, and will be recorded and uploaded to the Great Lives webpage. The University Bookstore will also sell selected titles based on the topic at each lecture. On certain nights, authors will be available to sign their books following the lectures.

Great Lives at the University of Mary Washington is a wonderfully insightful way to expand your education of history, and a fascinating journey into the stories of these revered individuals.

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