Darwin Correspondence Project Celebration Event

On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, ACLS and the editors of the Darwin Correspondence Project hosted a celebration of the completion of the edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin.

Nearly 75 guests from around the United States and Cambridge, UK, gathered at the New York Public Library to share memories and toast the monumental project that began in 1974 as a vision by and under the direction of Frederick Burkhardt, then Chairman of the Board of Trustees of New York Public Library, and recently retired President of ACLS.

ACLS President Joy Connolly welcomed guests to the event and briefly related its special place in ACLS history. Former ACLS Vice President Steve Wheatley then spoke about keeping the decades-long initiative going, and the shared efforts of the Burkhardt family, Cambridge University Library, and ACLS in making that happen. Project director Jim Secord added on his experience working on the project and Jonathan Burkhardt reflected on the lasting impact his grandfather’s work has had on him and his entire family.

Guests were also invited to tour the exhibition Charles Darwin: A Life in Letters, curated by the Darwin Correspondence Project editors in collaboration with Cambridge University Library and the New York Public Library. The exhibition is on display until August 5, 2023.

To view photo collection, hover over bottom left corner to advance slides.

Photos by Jacquelyne Pierson.