Princeton Today: Private Wealth and the Public Interest

Katz
Katz

Stanley Katz, an expert in American constitutional history, philanthropy, and non-profit institutions, will discuss whether it is just for today’s enormous philanthropic foundations to use their wealth to determine public policies in arenas such as K-12 education. There are now nearly 40 philanthropic foundations in the United States with net assets of more than $1 billion.

Katz, a professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama in 2011. He is president emeritus of the American Council of Learned Societies, the author and editor of numerous books and articles, and a member of various boards of trustees and scholarly organizations. He received his doctorate in British and American history from Harvard University. His talk is part of the Princeton Public Library’s “Spotlight on the Humanities: Justice, Ethics and Public Life” series.

The talk will take place at noon in the Princeton Public Library’s community room. The event is co-sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

WEATHER

Partly sunny with a high of 39. There is no ice skating in Princeton today due to the higher temperatures.

COMMUTE

Readers report as of 8:15 a.m. traffic moving slowly in Kingston along Route 27. Police manually controlling traffic lights.

There is also an accident on Route 1 near the intersection of Washington Road, and another accident near Promenade Blvd. in South Brunswick.

Witherspoon Street between Birch Avenue and Franklin Avenue is open again today, but will shut down again Wednesday for at least four days.

Amwell Road is closed at the Millstone Causeway in Franklin Township. The closure is causing widespread delays. Blackwells Mill and the Griggstown Causeway are also still closed due to flooding.

Route 518 between Canal Road and Carroll Place is closed until the end of January for construction work.

EVENTS TODAY

Day and Night Creatures of the Abbot Marshlands – Lecture presented by Kelly Rypkema, director of the Tulpehaking Nature Center. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. D&R Greenway Land Trust, Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton. Free.

Keith Franklin Jazz Quartet – Enjoy live jazz at the Witherspoon Grill from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. 57 Witherspoon Street, Princeton.

International Folk Dance – Join Princeton Folk Dance at the Kristina Johnson Pop-Up Studio at the Princeton Shopping for ethnic dances from many countries. Beginners welcome. Lesson followed by dance. No partner needed. 7:30 p.m.  Admission $5.

Sizwe Banzi is Dead – Creative collaboration from South African artists Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona. To stay above the water, Sizwe Banzi might just have to put himself below the ground. John Kani won the Tony Award for Best Actor for his astonishing performance in a historic collaboration with South Africa’s greatest playwright, Athol Fugard (Master Harold and the Boys, Valley Song). As relevant now as it was then, “Sizwe Banzi Is Dead” is an exquisite demonstration of the political power of storytelling. A striking tale of heroism and perseverance, this powerful drama is filled with surprising humor and uplifting faith in the human spirit. McCarter Theater, Berlind, 91 University Place, Princeton. 7:30 p.m., Tickets $25 and up.