The Chicago Humanities Festival has announced some new boldfaced names for its fall slate, which bears the theme of "Citizens." Among the new additions:
The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates, one of the country's best writers on race relations, talking about his book-length essay Between the World and Me;
Roxane Gay, author of the novel An Untamed State and essay collection Bad Feminist;
Evan Wolfson, newly triumphant marriage equality advocate and founder of Freedom to Marry;
Sarah Vowell, humorist, author and owner of a Master's from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, talking about her forthcoming book Lafayette in the Somewhat United States;
Jon Ronson, author of the New York Times bestseller So You've Been Publicly Shamed;
Laura Eason, Lookingglass Theatre Company ensemble member and playwright as well as story editor for House of Cards.
The Humanities Festival also said that previously announced presenter Anna Deaveare Smith won't be able to attend due to a scheduling conflict; organizers hope to reschedule her for a future date. A detailed schedule for the fall fest, which will run October 24–November 8, will be released next month, with event tickets going on sale September 8 for CHF members and September 14 for the general public.