Brown 2026 Reads at the JCB: Karin Wulf

About this event

Join us on November 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. for a discussion of Karin Wulf's Lineage:Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America (Oxford University Press, July 2025). This event is part of Brown 2026 Reads, and is one of four such events to be held during the fall 2026 semester.About Brown 2026 Reads With support from the College, Brown 2026 Reads facilitates student reading opportunities and supplies books, with author discussions to follow. While undergraduates are the primary audience for this series, book talks are open to other members of the Brown community, as well as readers from the surrounding community. Registration will open for fall in August 2026, through the Dean of the College Office. After they register, students will hear from Dean of the College Office about how to receive their books for free from the Brown Bookstore. Please visit https://brown2026democracy.brown.edu/research-teaching/brown-2026-reads (https://brown2026democracy.brown.edu/research-teaching/brown-2026-reads) for more information about the series.About the book In eighteenth-century America, genealogy was more than a simple record of family ties-it was a powerful force that shaped society. Lineage delves into an era where individuals, families, and institutions meticulously documented their connections. Whether driven by personal passion or mandated by churches, local governments, and courts, these records a ppeared in diverse forms-from handwritten notes and account books to intricate silk threads and enduring stone carvings. Family connections wielded significant influence across governmental, legal, religious, cultur al, and social spheres. In the American context, these ties also defined the boundaries of slavery and freedom, with a child's status often determined by their mother, despite the prevailing patriarchy. This book reveals the profound importance of genealogy that was chronicled by family records, cultural artifacts, and court documents. These materials, cre ated by both enslaved individuals seeking freedom and founding fathers seeking status, demonstrate the culturally and historically specific nature of genealogical interest. Even as the American Revolution transformed society, the significance of genealogy endured. The legacy of lineage from the colonial period continued to shape the early United States, underscoring the enduring importance of family connections. Lineage offers a deep understanding of genealogy as a foundational element of American history, illuminating its vital role from the colonial era through the birth of the nation. More at https://global.oup.com/academic/product/lineage-9780197553220?cc=usandlang=enand# (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/lineage-9780197553220?cc=usandlang=enand#). for a discussion of Karin Wulf's

Lineage:

Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America

(Oxford University P ress, July 2025). This event is part of Brown 2026 Reads, and is one of four such events to be held during the fall 2026 semester.

About Brown 2026 Reads

With support from the College, Brown 2026 Reads facilitates student reading opportunities and supplies books, with author discussions to follow.

While undergraduates are the primary audience for this series, book talks are open to other members of the Brown community, as well as readers from the surrounding community.

Registration will open for fall in August 2026, through the Dean of the College Office. After they register, students will hear from Dean of the College Office about how to receive their books for free from the Brown Bookstore.

Please visit

for more information about the series.

About the book

In eighteenth-century America, genealogy was more than a simple record of family ties-it was a powerful force that shaped society. Lineage delves into an era where individuals, families, and institutions meticulously documented their connections. Whether driven by personal passion or mandated by churches, local governments, and courts, these records appeared in diver se forms-from handwritten notes and account books to intricate silk threads and enduring stone carvings.

Family connections wielded significant influence across governmental, legal, religious, cultural, and social spheres. In the American context, these ties also defined the boundaries of slavery and freedom, with a child's status often determined by their mother, despite the prevailing patriarchy. This book reveals the profound importance of genealogy that was chronicled by family records, cultural artifacts, and court documents. These materials, created by both enslaved individuals seeking freedom and founding fathers seeking status, demonstrate the culturally and historically specific nature of genealogical interest.

Even as the American Revolution transformed society, the significance of genealogy endured. The legacy of lineage from the colonial period continued to shape the early United States, underscoring the enduring importance of family connections. Lineage offers a deep understanding of genealogy as a foundational element of American history, illuminating its vital role from the colonial era through the birth of the nation.

More at

.