Who invented an e-reader in 1948? Who was the first Black woman VP candidate? Mr. Rogers’ mentor? Mr. First? The Chinese “Joan of Arc?” Bollywood’s “Marilyn Monroe?” Who were Myers and Briggs? No obituary for any of these people appeared in the NY Times when they died. Now, Overlooked No More is a fascinating NYT feature that publishes obituaries of people whose noteworthy and ofttimes remarkable accomplishments have gone unsung. Not surprisingly, many of the overlooked were women and people of color. Since 2018, Overlooked has presented “better-late-than-never” obituaries to try to rectify the previous omissions. Some of the subjects’ achievements were important, some fascinating, some quirky; all are interesting.

Format: Each class member will lead a discussion of one or more persons of their choice. Discussion leaders are encouraged to look at their subjects’ lives through the lens of the times in which they lived and the larger societal issues that are raised. A lively discussion of why these formerly unsung individuals deserve to be analyzed and celebrated will surely follow.

Resources/Expenses: Overlooked No More is available on the New York Times website which requires a membership which is currently available for $1.00 per week with cancellation at any time. Class members are also welcome to use other sources that have collected the obituaries of interesting but obscure people.