Renowned Author, Journalist, and Historian Visits Lovett

The Lovett community welcomed Alex Kershaw to campus as part of the 2024 Glenn Speaker Series. Kershaw is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, and historian. He has reported for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, AARP Magazine, The Guardian, and many other newspapers and magazines. His 2012 book, The Liberator, is now a four-part series on Netflix. Kershaw is also a popular public speaker and designs and leads history tours around the world.

Kershaw spoke to an auditorium of about 150 students, parents, faculty, and staff, in a conversation led by Lovett History Department Chair Kevin Randolph. They discussed the power of journalism, Kershaw’s journey to becoming a renowned author, and the importance of studying history and its patterns. Specifically, Kershaw emphasized the impacts of talking to those who have lived through historic, life-changing experiences, including World War II veterans. His passion for studying World War II plays out in The Liberator, which tells the true story of a group of soldiers who become some of the most heroic fighters of the European invasion.

During his visit, Kershaw also spent time with Upper School students, sharing his real-world experiences with aspiring journalists and historians here at Lovett.

"When students hear firsthand from people who've experienced success, they're able to draw inspiration from their career path and see yet another example of the possibilities,” said Lovett American Studies Coordinator Mark May-Beaver. “Alex Kershaw serves as a prime example of someone who has merged his passion with his vocation in service of a cause much bigger than himself.”

The Glenn Speaker Series was established in 2004 with the purpose of welcoming speakers and scholars who engage the Lovett community as part of educating the whole child. In the 20 years since, Lovett has hosted several world-renowned speakers, including Sarah Burns, Jon Meacham, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Wes Moore, and Bob Woodward.

By Anna Keller, Communications Manager