Category: Programs

Two New Programs Offered In Connection With Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit

A new Smithsonian Museum traveling exhibit, “Between Fences,” is being brought to the state by the Maryland Humanities Council. By evoking the many meanings of these everyday barriers, the “Museum on Main Street” program helps audiences discover how tightly fences are intertwined fence 2with history, politics, industry and daily life. Maryland has many stories connected to the exhibit theme as a border state between north and south, steward of the Chesapeake, a place that saw the arrival of the country’s first immigrants and much more.

To help audiences find new ways to think about boundaries in our lives, the Humanities Council has selected 17 scholars to engage audiences and create conversations that inspire community members to come together across borders and backyard fences. Nonprofits are encouraged to invite speakers to their towns. Topics such as the making of the Chesapeake, Maryland’s role in the Civil War, the Mason-Dixon Line, technology and fragmentation, liberty and security in America, immigration and lots more are addressed by the scholars.

I am pleased to be selected to serve as one of the presenting scholars. One of my topics, the Mason-Dixon Line: The Stories of a Geographic Boundary, examines the history of this legal and symbolic dividing line. The other, Uncovering the Boundaries in our Communities, helps people understand how to do research in their community.

Click here to go the list of programs available from the Maryland Humanities Council

Presentation for MD War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission: Constructing Interpretive Stories From Primary Documents

The Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the State Tourism Office, and the National Park Service are preparing to celebrate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.  To plan cultural tourism and educational initiatives commemorating Maryland’s contribution to the defense and heritage of the nation, the agencies presented the “Head of the Bay Star-Spangled 200 Conference in Havre de Grace on Dec. 10.

I did a presentation introducing lesser-known interpretive resources for the event.  Drawing on seldom used primary documents, I talked about eyewitnesses, such as Hettie Boulden and Judge Sample.  Hattie, a slave on a plantation, was forced to accompany the British on one incursion, since she knew the territory.  Judge Sample, a Congressman from Indiana, grew up on the Eastern Shore and was a young boy here when the war occurred.  A few years before his death, he writes letters back to Maryland, recalling those dangerous days.   There were others sources, such as surviving letters from a militiaman and diaries.  It was great to see the interest these sources created for stakeholders attending the conference.

Chestertown’s 1st Book Festival

Chestertown sponsored its first annual book festival, a celebration of authors, books and literary traditions of the Eastern Shore, last weekend.  The inaugural event took place with author visits in shops, restaurants, and other gathering spots throughout town.  I was asked to do a presentation at the library for the festival and was pleased to be able to join an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 1,000 people for other events throughout the county seat.

 

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New Delaware Humanities Program: Becoming A History Detective

Adventures in Research or Becoming a History Detective is the title of a new program I offer through the Delaware Humanities Forum. Designed for either the classroom or a public lecture, the program examines how someone solves mysteries from long ago.  It blends actual tales of intriguing historical discovery with basic insights on conducting investigations. For anyone with a curiosity about the past, the program will be worthwhile as audiences learn about the nature of understanding our past, while accompanying me through a series of inquiries.

Depending on the groups interest, a stronger emphasis may be placed on a cluster of fascinating investigations, which helps develop an awareness and appreciation of the discipline that puts us in touch with the past. Or it may place more weight on the how-to-approach by focusing on practical suggestions for researching your own mystery in your backyard, community or family.