Commemorating Darwin

Since Darwin’s death in 1882, commemorations organized in different parts of the world have celebrated various aspects of his scientific impact. Events, activities, and publications marking major anniversaries of Darwin’s birth and death, of the publication of On the Origin of Species (1859) and other works, and of the Beagle voyage, have repeatedly shaped narratives of the history of evolutionary science. Such commemorations have spurred new historical research, contributed to the public legitimation of contemporary scientific developments, and generated debate about relations between evolution and religious belief, as well as political questions of nation building and social development. This volume examines historical commemorations and memorializations of the life and work of Charles Darwin in global perspective. Expanding the geographic scope of existing scholarship, it includes chapters on Canada, Australia, Japan, China, and several Latin American countries, alongside reassessments of key moments in British and American scientific cultures. The volume analyzes Darwin celebrations from his death in 1882 to the sesquicentenary of The Descent of Man (1871) in 2021, connecting early memorials to later centenaries.