Join us for a riveting conversation with award-winning biologist Beronda Montgomery as w e discuss her book\, \;When Trees Testify: Science\, Wisdom\, History\ , and America&rsquo\;s Black Botanical Legacy. \;
\nThe historie s of trees in America are also the histories of Black Americans. Pecan tre es were domesticated by an enslaved African named Antoine\; sycamore trees were both havens and signposts for people trying to escape enslavement\; poplar trees are historically associated with lynching\; and willow bark h as offered the gift of medicine. These trees\, and others\, testify not on ly to the complexity of the Black American narrative but also to a heritag e of Black botanical expertise that\, like Native American traditions\, pr edates the United States entirely.
\nIn \;When Trees Testify\, a ward-winning plant biologist Beronda L. Montgomery explores the ways seven trees\, as well as the cotton shrub\, are intertwined with Black history and culture. She reveals how knowledge surrounding these trees has shaped America since the very beginning. As Montgomery shows\, trees are material witnesses to the lives of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
\n< p>Combining the wisdom of science and history with stories from her own pa th to botany\, Montgomery talks to majestic trees\, and in this unique and compelling narrative\, they answer.\nRegister today for this insig htful discussion about Black history and botanical mastery. \;
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\nAbout the Author:
\nBeronda L. Montgomery\, PhD\, i s a writer\, researcher\, and scholar who pursues a common theme of unders tanding how individuals perceive\, respond to\, and are impacted by the en vironments in which they exist. Her primary laboratory-based research has been focused on the responses of photosynthetic organisms (i.e.\, plants a nd cyanobacteria) to external light cues. Additionally\, Beronda pursues t his theme in the context of effective mentoring and leadership of individu als\, and the role of innovative leaders in supporting success.
\nBe ronda is author of two books \;When Trees Testify: Science\, Wisdom\, History\, and America&rsquo\;s Black Botanical Legacy \;(2026\, Henry Holt and Co.) and \;Lessons From Plants \;(2021\, Harvard Universi ty Press).
\nFor more information about upcoming author talks\, and to view past recordings\, please visit \;Library Speakers Consortium Author Talks.
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