From staff reports
Now in its ninth year, the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center’s annual March Forth weekend, a collaboration with historic Penn Center, will be held on March 1 and 2.
This special event commemorates the anniversary of Pat Conroy’s passing on March 4, 2016, by engaging with major themes of his writing and teaching life, including social justice, inclusivity, conservation, education, truth-telling, and storytelling. March Forth includes a guided nature walk at historic Penn Center, author conversations (in person and virtually), a history presentation, book signings, a catered lunch, a writing workshop, a community literacy read-aloud, and opportunities for tours.
March Forth will include appearances by:
- Ashley Hope Pérez: Young Adult novelist, educator, advocate, and editor of “Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights;”
- Kimberly Brock: novelist, past Georgia Author of the Year, and author of “The Fabled Earth,: a finalist for the Townsend Prize for Fiction;
- Edda L. Fields-Black: professor of history and director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University, author of “Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War;”
- Katherine Freeman: National Park Service Ranger with the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park;
- Jake Zadik: Brays Island naturalist, nature photographer, and cofounder of South Carolina Partners of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SCPARC);
- Juliana Zadik: naturalist, educator, and Beaufort County Long-Range Environmental Planner;
- Dana Ridenour: retired FBI undercover special agent, author of the Lexie Montgomery series;
- Eugene A. Rugala: retired FBI agent and profiler, behavioral science consultant and author.
This year, March Forth is hosted by Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and nationally recognized youth advocate Julia Garnett. For more information or to register, visit https://bit.ly/3QdJz2x.
March Forth is presented in collaboration between the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, Penn Center, NeverMore Books, the Rhett House Inn, the Port Royal Farmers Market, the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park, and DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization.
Schedule
Saturday, March 1
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Reconstruction Era National Historic Park Tours — Explore the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park locations in Beaufort, Port Royal, and St. Helena. Free. Details: https://www.nps.gov/reer/index.htm.
9:30 a.m. to Noon: Read with a Ranger and Teddy Bear Picnic at the Port Royal Farmers Market — Student volunteers from DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization) will be reading children’s picture books to young readers and their families, with light snacks provided. DAYLO students will be joined by National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman from the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park for a special read-aloud, Read with a Ranger. This free event will be held near the gazebo at the Port Royal Farmers Market at 1615 Ribaut Road in Port Royal. No registration needed.
10:00 a.m. to Noon: Demythologizing the FBI: What Writers Get Wrong, Workshop Led by Dana Ridenour and Eugene A. Rugala — Join retired FBI undercover special agent turned novelist Dana Ridenour and retired FBI agent and “profiler” turned consultant Eugene A. Rugala for a workshop for writers (and interested readers) about what FBI work is really like — and what novels and films get wrong. $60/person, limited to 20 attendees. Held at the Conroy Center at 601 Bladen Street in Beaufort. Register in advance at https://demythologizingthefbiworkshop.eventbrite.com.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Penn Center’s York W. Bailey Museum Tours — Explore Penn Center and the York W. Bailey Museum at 16 Penn Center Circle West on St. Helena Island. Docent-led tours available. $15-$20/person.
Noon to 4 p.m.: Pat Conroy Literary Center Tours — The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) is open for free public tours, guided by volunteer docents.
6 to 7 p.m.: Facebook Live Interview with Ashley Hope Pérez, Editor of “Banned Together,” in Conversation with Jonathan Haupt and Julia Garnett — Ashley Hope Pérez’s 2015 Young Adult novel “Out of Darkness”wona Printz Honor and the Tomás Rivera Book Award — and it as one of the top 10 most banned books of 2021. Pérez will discuss her new anthology “Banned Together: The Fight for Reader’s Rights” (to be published on March 4) in conversation with Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and Banned Books Week Honorary Youth Chair Julia Garnett. This free virtual event will be live-streamed to the Conroy Center’s Fcebook page and available to watch through Monday, March 3, at 6 p.m. No registration required. https://www.facebook.com/patconroyliterarycenter.
Sunday, March 2
All Sunday events are ticketed and held at Penn Center’s Frissell Hall at 16 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island. Nature walk: $10/person. Catered lunch plus two author presentations: $30.
9:30-10 a.m.: Attendee check-in.
10-11:30 a.m.: Birding and nature walk of Penn Center led by husband and wife naturalists Jake and Juliana Zadik. Approximately 1 mile. $10/person; limited to 40 participants.
11:30 to Noon: Catered lunch by Magnolia’s Cafe. Included in $30/person registration.
Noon to 1 p.m.: Presentation by Edda L. Fields-Black, professor of history and director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University, author of “Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War.” Included in $30/person registration.
1 to 1:30 p.m.: Book signing break with NeverMore Books.
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Conversation with Kimberly Brock: novelist, past Georgia Author of the Year, and author of “The Fabled Earth,” a finalist for the Townsend Prize for Fiction — interviewed by Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and Banned Books Week Honorary Youth Chair Julia Garnett. Included in $30/person registration.
2:30-3 p.m.: Book signing break with NeverMore Books.
3 p.m.: Closing remarks
