Who is the keynote speaker for Commencement?

John Garrison Marks ’10

John Garrison Marks ’10 is a historian, writer, and nationally-recognized leader in the history and museum fields. His latest book, Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory, explores how Americans have thought, and fought, about slavery’s place in George Washington’s legacy for nearly 250 years. His writing about history, museums, and public memory has appeared in the Washington Post, TIME, Smithsonian Magazine, and elsewhere. John is also the Vice President of Research & Engagement at the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), the national professional association serving history museums. For the past nine years, John has led AASLH’s efforts to support museums and historic sites as they prepare for the nation’s 250th anniversary this summer. 

At Lynchburg, John double-majored in History and Spanish, minored in Museum Studies, and was a member of the Westover Honors Society. He graduated Cum Laude in 2010. After Lynchburg, John earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Rice University. John is a New Jersey native currently living outside Washington, D.C.