New York City, September 9, 2003 -- Cuban politics and culture, the history of illustrated novels, and Nancy Drew creator author Mildred Benson are just a few of the topics that will be examined by the fifteen fellows recently appointed to The New York Public Library’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, for the academic year 2003-2004. The names of the fifth class of fellows were presented by Library President Paul LeClerc. Jean Strouse, author of Morgan, American Financier (1999) and Alice James, A Biography (1980), was recently named as the new Sue Ann and John Weinberg Director of the Center, following Peter Gay, the Cullman Center’s founding Director, who has retired. Ms. Strouse began her term on September 2, 2003.

The class will reside in the Center’s quarters on the second floor of the landmark Humanities and Social Sciences Library, at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers offers a nine-month fellowship that allows researchers and creative writers to work at the Library on projects involving use of its collections. Fellows receive a stipend and office space, and are encouraged to share ideas. The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center has become known as a lively hub of intellectual discourse, particularly through its public lecture series presented by fellows in the fall and spring. In addition, writings by fellows routinely appear in local and national publications during their tenure.

The appointees for the class of 2003-2004 include three Director’s Fellows, named by Professor Gay: Doron Ben-Atar, an Associate Professor of History at Fordham University; Helen DeWitt, author of the highly acclaimed novel The Last Samurai; and Elizabeth Wyckoff, a Print Specialist in The New York Public Library’s Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.

The other twelve fellows were chosen by a distinguished selection committee. A broad spectrum of interests and projects is reflected in the group, which was chosen from 316 applicants from 27 countries, from over 1300 requests for information that came into the Cullman Center. The twelve fellows selected are: Michael Henry Adams, independent scholar and writer, New York, N.Y.; Carol Armstrong, Professor of Art and Archaeology and Doris Stevens Professor of Women’s Studies, Princeton University; Maureen Howard, creative writer and Professor, Writing Division, School of Art, Columbia University; Patrick Keefe, independent scholar and writer, New York, N.Y.; Sheila Kohler, writer in residence, Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont; Herbert Leibowitz, Editor and Publisher, Parnassus: Poetry in Review, New York, N.Y.; Rachel Manley, creative writer, Toronto, Canada; Wyatt Mason, independent scholar, Hoboken, NJ; Philip Pauly, Professor, History, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; Melanie Rehak, independent scholar and writer, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Katherine Rich, independent scholar and writer, New York, N.Y.; Ned Sublette, independent scholar and writer, New York, N.Y.

More on the Fellows and their topics.

"This is an outstanding group of fellows," said Director Jean Strouse. “I have already met some of them, and am immensely looking forward to Monday, September 8th, when we will all start the new year together. To follow in the footsteps of Peter Gay is a great honor and responsibility - under his direction, the Center has become a highly- respected meeting ground for some of the best writers and scholars we have."

Paul LeClerc, President of The New York Public Library, said, "As we begin the fifth year of the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, it is apparent that Dorothy and Lewis’s dream has become a spectacular reality, and that bringing scholars into close daily contact with the Library's collections and giving them the time and support to concentrate on their projects, has resulted in a remarkable creative output each year.”

Four members of this year’s class, Helen DeWitt, Herbert Leibowitz, Rachel Maley, and Melanie Rehak have been chosen as Mel and Lois Tukman Fellows. A fifth fellow, Elizabeth Wyckoff, has been chosen as a Margaret and Herman Sokol fellow. All were chosen in recognition, respectively, of Mr. and Mrs. Tukman’s and Mr. And Mrs. Sokol’s gift to the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.

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Contact: Caroline Oyama, Raul Ramos 212.704.8600

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