Jane Goodall Delivers a Message of Hope

Few academics, let alone anthropologists, are as well-known today as Jane Goodall.

Perhaps only Margaret Mead surpasses her in the public conceptions of what anthropologists do. Introduced to America via National Geographic and Time Magazine, Goodall’s pioneering research turned long-standing assumptions about chimpanzees on their heads and propelled her onto the world stage.

Goodall spoke at Barnhill Arena Friday night (Oct. 5) as part of the 10th anniversary of the University of Arkansas’ Honors College. She joins a wide range of diverse speakers in the Distinguished Lecture Series including the Dalai Lama and former President George W. Bush.

She began her talk with a “distant call” that chimpanzees use to maintain social relations. Goodall seems to have an approach in all things of meeting people, or chimpanzees for that matter, where they are. She proceeded to visit intimately with the large crowd for 75 minutes without notes and without missing a beat, pulling the audience into her life story and mission. Click here to read the full story from our partners at TheCityWire.com.