Octavia Estelle Butler signing a copy of Fledgling after speaking and answering questions from the audience. The event was part of a promotional tour for the book in October, 2005. [Nikolas Coukouma]
The March 26 event will explore Butler’s themes of climate disaster and community resilience through a discussion featuring local scholars and community leaders.
“Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower,’ published in 1993, begins in a dystopian Southern California in 2024, following teenager Lauren Oya Olamina as she and her companions navigate a world of violence, earthquakes, fires, climate disasters, and scarcity,” said Karen R. Lawrence, President of The Huntington.
The timing gives particular weight to the celebration, as Butler’s fictional apocalyptic setting coincides with current climate challenges facing California and broader social upheavals. Her archive at The Huntington has become the institution’s most frequently accessed collection for nine consecutive years.
The panel discussion, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Rothenberg Hall, will be followed by a post-program conversation in Haaga Hall until 8:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the event, which represents the evolution of Founders’ Day beyond simply commemorating Henry E. Huntington’s birthday.
“Our panel will feature Nikki High, owner of Octavia’s Bookshelf; Tamisha A. Tyler, a Butler scholar, artist, and theologian; and John Williams, executive director of the Center for Restorative Justice,” Lawrence said. The diverse panel connects Butler’s literary legacy to contemporary Pasadena and broader societal issues.
The event reflects The Huntington’s recent shift to pluralize “Founders’ Day,” acknowledging both Henry and Arabella Huntington’s contributions to the institution. This change aligns with broader efforts to reassess historical narratives and elevate marginalized voices within the institution’s collections.
“Henry and Arabella Huntington envisioned an institution dedicated to advancing the arts and humanities while serving the public good. That vision remains at the heart of everything we do,” said Lawrence, addressing how the institution balances tradition with contemporary relevance.
The Huntington has emphasized accessibility through various initiatives, including free admission on the first Thursday of every month and discounted passes for undergraduate students. “Our goal is to ensure that more people can experience The Huntington’s incredible collections, gardens, and exhibitions,” Lawrence noted.
The institution’s “One Huntington” approach integrates the library, art museum, and botanical gardens, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to exhibitions and programming. This integration manifests in the choice of Butler, whose work crosses boundaries between literature, social commentary, and environmental awareness.
“We’re taking a new look at our past, recognizing both Henry’s and Arabella’s contributions, and the ways their distinct passions – his for rare books, hers for fine art – created the multidimensional institution we steward today,” Lawrence said.
The 2025 celebration coincides with several complementary exhibitions addressing ecological themes, including Betye Saar’s “Drifting Toward Twilight” and Ugo Rondinone’s “Burn Shine Flow.”
Together with the Butler panel, these programs position The Huntington as a hub for dialogue between academia, art, and public discourse on urgent societal challenges.
For more about The Huntington’s Founders’ Day event, visit https://huntington.org/
