St. Mary’s College of Maryland begins its school-year tribute to Mark Twain with lectures, films, and a gallery exhibition to celebrate the author’s 175th birthday, the 125th year anniversary of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’s publication, and the 100th year anniversary of his death. All the following events are free and open to the public.

• Professor of English Ben Click will discuss how and why Huckleberry Finn has been a source of controversy since its publication, including being banned from the Concord Public Library in Massachusetts in 1885 and the Brooklyn Public Library in 1905. “Hushing Huck: The Banning of Huckleberry Finn” takes place at 4:45 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29, on the 2nd floor of the college library.
• Throughout October, the Upper Commons of Montgomery Hall will be home to “Mark Twain: From Caricature to Icon,” a gallery exhibition developed by Alex Effgen of the Editorial Institute at Boston University. The exhibit will show how the portrayal of Twain through visual images evolved throughout his career as a writer. It will feature many cartoons or caricatures published during Twain’s lifetime, along with corresponding text.
• Complementing Click’s lecture on the banning of Huck Finn, there will be a showing of William Desmond Taylor’s silent film, “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (1920), the first film version of Mark Twain’s novel. The film was recently restored by the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. In addition to the screening, Anthony L’Abbate, preservation officer for the Eastman House, will discuss the film’s history and answer questions from the audience. This event will take place at 8:15 p.m., Monday, Oct. 4, in Cole Cinema in the Campus Center.

St. Mary's College of Maryland, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. More than 2,000 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary's River in Southern Maryland.