Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will speak on the history and role of the Federal Reserve in a four-part lecture series to college students. The talks will be at 12:45 p.m. EST on March 20, 22, 27, and 29 and broadcast via live webcast.

The series will begin with a lecture on the origins and missions of central banks, followed by one that will discuss the role and actions of the Federal Reserve in the period after World War II. In the final two talks, Bernanke will review some of the causes of, and policy responses to, the recent financial crisis, focusing specifically on actions the Federal Reserve has taken.

The lectures are being offered as part of an undergraduate course at the George Washington University School of Business, which will provide students the opportunity to engage with the chairman.

Visit the Federal Reserve's UStream site to view each lecture via video. Transcripts and video recordings will be made available following each lecture and archived on the Federal Reserve's UStream site.