Take a step back in time and enjoy a brief tour, guided by some of Washington University in St. Louis’ most significant visitors.

Since 1953, the series has presented more than one thousand people representing some of the most important voices of our time. Over the decades they were our leaders and visionaries, pioneering scientists and genre breaking artists, public intellectuals and performers, Nobel Laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners, Supreme Court justices and entrepreneurs. They came to campus to share their insights and messages, and to interact with us. While the series no longer enjoys a set schedule, the tradition of speakers interacting with our students, faculty, staff, friends, and visitors lives on in the receptions, booksignings, classroom visits, informal discussions, and dining experiences that happen while they are on campus.

Here you can find a partial list of past programs by semester. This list will continue to be updated. For specific information that isn’t available here, please contact the University Archives for assistance at 314-935-5495 or at its website.

As the website continues to be updated, past speakers’ lists will be searchable by general topic of their talk.