The Marcus W. Orr Center for the Humanities promotes interdisciplinary research and teaching in the humanities at The University of Memphis. Its various programs including several lecture series and the sponsorship of visiting scholars, faculty seminars, and symposia are designed to encourage scholarly collaboration across departmental and college boundaries. It also seeks to promote the University's scholarly resources in the Memphis community, by offering a variety of public programs. The Center was founded in 1987 and renamed in 1991 in memory of former history professor Dr. Marcus W. Orr.