Mutiny, murder and cannibalism: Cole to present free public lecture

Submitted by Jenn Wagaman
Phone: 907-474-5082
03/18/08

University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Terrence Cole will give a free public presentation, "Mutiny, Murder and Cannibalism: The Tragic Tale of A.W. Greely, the Man Who Connected Nome to the Outside World," Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room.

Cole, director of UAF’s Office of Public History, will tell the story of the tragic hero of the Arctic who failed as an explorer, but ultimately built a telegraph that helped to keep Nome alive. His illustrated slide show presentation is part of the International Polar Year lecture series.

A.W. Greely was the leader of an 1881-1884 arctic expedition during the first IPY. The expedition was later considered the most disastrous chapter in the history of American exploration of the Far North. Nineteen of the 25 men in Greely’s crew died of starvation. The six who survived, including Greely, would be haunted forever by charges of cowardice, cannibalism and murder. Despite all of this, Greely managed to become an esteemed military man, a major general and head of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, which linked Nome to the outside world via telegraph.

CONTACT: Cherie Solie, UA IPY outreach manager, at 907-474-6264 or via e-mail at c.solie@uaf.edu. Jenn Wagaman, research outreach coordinator, at 907-474-5082 or via e-mail at jenn@alaska.edu.

About IPY
The polar regions have profound significance for the Earth’s climate and environments, ecosystems and human society. IPY is an interdisciplinary and internationally coordinated research campaign, ushering in a new era of polar science. For more information on IPY, visit www.ipy.alaska.edu