The president of the University of Richmond will speak on the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and emancipation of slaves at an upper school assembly Oct. 30 in Taper Gymnasium. The speech is part of University of Richmond President and professor Edward Ayers’s national tour on the subject.

Before becoming president of the University of Richmond, Ayers taught history and wrote 10 books on American history. Some of his titles include “America’s War: Talking about the Civil War and Emancipation on their 150th Anniversaries” and “The Oxford Book of the American South.”

In addition, Ayers created a digital archive project about the Civil War and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his Civil War history books.

Ayers also co-hosts a radio show titled “BackStory” that relates history to modern current events and political issues.

Upper school dean Tamar Adegbile said she heard Ayers speak twice, and when Harvard-Westlake was approached by the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Admission at Richmond about the opportunity to be a stop on Ayers’ tour, she pushed for him to come.

The new assembly committee, created by Director of Student Affairs Jordan Church and Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas, reviewed and accepted the proposal to have Ayers visit and speak.