Stacey R. Johnson Humanities Speakers Series
Event Details
What: Stacey R. Johnson Humanities Speakers Series featuring Dr. Char Miller
When: Thursday, March 26
Times: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Where: Palmetto Center for the Arts, Northwest Vista College
Cost: Free and open to the public
“Where Might the Next ‘Big One’ Hit?”
Environmental Historian Char Miller to Speak at Northwest Vista College
SAN ANTONIO - A devastating flood hit San Antonio in September 1921 and sparked one of the nation’s first environmental justice movements. This catastrophic storm overwhelmed San Antonio’s West Side, killing over 80 people and destroying the homes of the city’s most vulnerable residents. In light of recent flooding in the Hill Country, some scientists are asking the question, “Where might the next 'big one’ hit?”
On Thursday, March 26, Northwest Vista College (NVC) will host acclaimed author and environmental historian Dr. Char Miller for the Stacey R. Johnson Humanities Speakers Series. Dr. Miller will present two sessions at the Palmetto Center for the Arts at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to discuss the history and lingering questions raised in his book, “West Side Rising: How San Antonio’s 1921 Flood Devastated a City and Sparked a Latino Environmental Justice Movement.”
Guest speaker Dr. Miller will explore how this 1921 disaster became a catalyst for political upheaval. While the city prioritized flood protection for the downtown business district at that time, the neglected West Side neighborhoods rose up to demand equity—a struggle that Dr. Miller describes as laying the groundwork for modern environmental justice.
About the Speaker
Dr. Char Miller is the W.M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College and a former longtime professor at Trinity University. His research focuses on the complex intersection of environmental policy, urban growth, and social justice.
Award-Winning Scholar: Named a Wig Distinguished Professor for teaching excellence and a Fellow of the Texas State Historical Association.
Public Historian: Served as a consulting historian for over a dozen documentaries and partnered with museums in San Antonio and Los Angeles.
Author: In addition to “West Side Rising,” Miller has written extensively on water rights, wildland fire management, and the dilemmas of sustainability in the American West.
For questions regarding events on this page, please contact:
Craig Coroneos at CCoroneos@alamo.edu
About Stacey R. Johnson
Dr. Stacey R. Johnson has dedicated more than 40 years to higher education to empower students for success. She has served as interim vice president for Academic Success at Northwest Vista College and helped launch NVC’s first baccalaureate degree. Prior to NVC, she was a president at Valencia College in Florida. She has deep roots in San Antonio and worked at Palo Alto College in many leadership roles. An Olympian in fencing, she founded “Dreams for Youth” of the San Antonio Sports Foundation and was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame and the Institute for International Sport.