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An American Martyr in Persia: Reza Aslan
General Admission Pass required for entry
Reza Aslan shares the story of Howard Baskerville, whose story is widely known in Iran but mostly unknown in the United States. Aslan will be interviewed by Andrew Proctor, executive director of Literary Arts.
The #1 New York Times best-selling author of Zealot recounts the spellbinding tale of an unrecognized American martyr for democracy.
As a student of Woodrow Wilson at Princeton, Howard Baskerville was aflame not only with the gospel of Jesus, but with the Wilsonian gospel that constitutional democracy is the birthright of all nations. Rather than become a small-town minister like his father in South Dakota, he volunteered for missionary service in Persia.
Tabriz in 1907 was a hotbed of democratic revolution. Brilliant young firebrands were among Baskerville’s students at the Presbyterian school―and became his devoted friends. He lectured on freedom; they dedicated their lives to it. Soon he would join them on the battlefield.
Was Howard Baskerville the “American Lafayette” of Iran, or a naive “white savior” stumbling into Persian affairs? Baskerville’s story, like his life, is at the center of a whirlwind, in which Americans must ask themselves, how seriously do we take our ideals of constitutional democracy and whose freedom do we support?
Portland Book Festival General Admission Passes are required for entry into all events. Passes are $15 in advance and $25 day of Festival. Youth 17 & under, or with a valid high school ID get in FREE. All full-priced General Admission Passes include a $5 book fair voucher and entry into Portland Art Museum. Passes admit attendees to the Festival; individual events are first-come, first-served. More info here.
