At its best, storytelling is an expression of authenticity, but in a culture reliant on layers of inequity, authenticity can be difficult to understand or even define. Samuel James explores these ideas and more during Jesup Memorial Library’s 2024 Ashley Bryan Honorary Lecture.

Samuel James is a musician, journalist and storyteller. As a storyteller, James has been featured on This American Life and The Moth Radio Hour. His other work with The Moth includes Mainstage storyteller, interviewer, Radio Hour host, and contributor to the NYT Bestselling books How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth and The Moth Presents: A Point of Beauty.
As a musician, James has been touring internationally for more than fifteen years, performing in the Black American Folk Tradition. He has released seven albums, scored film soundtracks and museum exhibits. James' award-winning songwriting has been compared to Leonard Cohen's and his guitar virtuosity to that of Jimi Hendrix.
James’ monthly column Racisms can be currently found in The Bollard and his weekly newsletter Banned Histories of Race in America can be found on Substack. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast 99 Years, exploring the deliberate creation of the whitest state in the nation.

The Annual Ashley Bryan Lecture is named in honor of the late printmaker, author, puppet maker, painter, story teller and illustrator Ashley Bryan, who devoted his life to bringing people together through art. This yearly lecture brings a distinguished artist or critic of color whose work reflects similarly this deep interest in racial equity to discuss that work with the Downeast Maine community.

To find out more about the Ashley Bryan Lecture as well as how to support this event in years to come visit jesuplibrary.org/ashleybryan.