Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy’s Legacy Lecture Series to Feature Historian on Forthcoming Rudolph Fisher Biography

Acclaimed historian and author Kevin McGruder, will join in conversation with historian Eric K. Washington, author of Boss of the Grips.

BRONX, NY, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2026 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ – The Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy is proud to present the third installment of its Legacy Lecture Series, featuring acclaimed historian and author Kevin McGruder, Associate Professor of History at Antioch College, in conversation with historian Eric K. Washington, author of Boss of the Grips. The discussion will focus on McGruder’s upcoming biography of Rudolph Fisher, the celebrated physician, radiologist, novelist, and key literary voice of the Harlem Renaissance. The event will take place on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM inside the Woolworth Chapel at The Woodlawn Cemetery.

“Author of two well-received novels, and more than a dozen short stories, all written while building a career as a radiologist, Rudolph Fisher (1897-1934) was a prolific Harlem Renaissance writer who is more than deserving of a book length biography,” said McGruder.

“Rudolph Fisher’s story is an important part of both Harlem’s history and America’s cultural history,” said Christopher Jeannopoulos, President & CEO of The Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy. “We are honored to welcome Kevin McGruder to Woodlawn for what promises to be a fascinating and insightful conversation.”

In addition to his academic work, McGruder has spent decades involved in community development and cultural preservation efforts in Cleveland, Newark, and Harlem. He previously served as Program Officer with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and Director of Real Estate Development at the Abyssinian Development Corporation. For five years, he served as Executive Director of Gay Men of African Descent.

McGruder is the author of Race and Real Estate: Conflict and Cooperation in Harlem, 1890-1920 and Philip Payton: The Father of Black Harlem, and editor of Home at Last: The Collected Writings of AIDS Journalist LeRoy Whitfield. He holds degrees from Harvard University, Columbia University, and the City University of New York.

The Legacy Lecture Series is part of The Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy’s ongoing mission to preserve, celebrate, and share the stories of the influential figures connected to Woodlawn. For more information, visit www.woodlawn.org.

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