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CSUN Speaker Series to Launch with a Pirate Adventure

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Aug. 10, 2007) — Award-winning historian and author Marcus Rediker will inaugurate Cal State Northridge’s Center for the Study of Atlantic History’s speaker series with an examination of what life was like for the real pirates of the Caribbean on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at the university.

His presentation, "Pirates in the Atlantic World: The Real Pirates of the Caribbean," will begin at 7 p.m. in the Whitsett Room on the fourth floor of Sierra Hall, located on the west side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"All those interested in the history of pirates will learn something about the authentic history of pirates as opposed to Hollywood fiction," said CSUN assistant professor of history Christopher Magra. "The true history of pirates is that these were real men and women with their own agendas, not simply robbers, murderers and villains. Oftentimes, these people were fighting for what they believed was a just cause; righting some injustice they felt had occurred."

Rediker is a professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of five books and numerous articles on topics related to maritime and labor history. He has lectured on those subjects throughout the United States and abroad, including in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Moscow, Sydney and Tokyo. His writings have been translated in French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.

Rediker explored the "golden age" of piracy in his book, "Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age," which focuses on the authentic, as opposed to Hollywood, history of the men and women who became pirates during the 18th century.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, call CSUN’s Department of History at (818) 677-3566.

The Center for the Study of Atlantic History is committed to bringing to Cal State Northridge internationally recognized scholars who specialize in various aspects of Atlantic history.

The event is being sponsored by CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of History.