The North Carolina Central University Department of History and Historic Stagville invite you to the annual Earlie E. Thorpe Lecture, presented by Dr. Torren L. Gatson, Associate Professor of History and Associate Director of the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University.
After the program, refreshments will be offered thanks to the Historic Stagville Foundation.
About the Earlie E. Thorpe Memorial Lecture
This lecture series is given in honor of Dr. Earlie Endris Thorpe, who chaired the Department of History at North Carolina Central University from 1962 to 1973 and taught at NCCU for 27 years, until his death in 1989. An outstanding teacher and scholar, Dr. Thorpe published several seminal works of history, notably "The Mind of the Negro: An Intellectual History of Afro-Americans" (1961), "Black Historians: A Critique" (1971), and "The Old South: A Psychohistory" (1972). The 2025 program will be the 37th annual Earlie E. Thorpe Memorial Lecture dedicated to African American history.
About Dr. Torren L. Gatson
Dr. Torren L. Gatson is the Associate Director of the Center for Historic Preservation and Associate Professor in the Department of History at Middle Tennessee State University. A dynamic scholar and public historian, Gatson’s work sits at the intersection of African American history, historic preservation, and material culture. His role at the Center involves advancing strategically focused preservation practices, co-directing nationally recognized research initiatives, and guiding the next generation of public historians in documenting marginalized histories and communities.
Gatson brings a broad interdisciplinary perspective to his work, rooted in a Ph.D. in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University. His scholarship centers the contributions of Black craftspeople, housing discrimination, and the built environment in the American South. He is co-editor of Fighting for Freedom: Black Craftspeople and the Pursuit of Independence (UNC Press, 2025), a volume that accompanies a nationally traveling exhibition he co-curated, and is under contract for his next book, We Built This: The Legacies of Black Builders in the Old North State (UNC Press).
As a public historian, Gatson has developed over a dozen exhibitions, including the acclaimed Fighting for Freedom and More Than Just a Home, and he serves as co-director of the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive, a groundbreaking digital humanities project that maps and interprets the material legacy of Black artisans across centuries.
Through research, exhibitions, and community partnerships, Dr. Gatson continues to shape a more inclusive and truthful understanding of America's past-- one rooted in the material and cultural histories of African Americans whose labor, skill, and vision helped build the nation.
Know Before You Go
- This event takes place outdoors on the grounds at Horton Grove.
- Parking will be available in the grass field on Jock Road.
- The event includes walking less than 100 yards over grass or gravel surfaces. Contact Historic Stagville staff for more details about event accessibility.