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May 2012 Week of events scheduled for Free Land Chautauqua
Excitement is building as a dynamic week of events takes shape surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act and the May 20-25 visit of the Nebraska Chautauqua, “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America,” presented by the Nebraska Humanities Council in partnership with Homestead National Monument and the community of Beatrice.
Chautauqua events will be held each evening May 21-25 under the tent at Homestead National Monument. Presentations begin at 6:30 p.m. with local entertainment and continue with first-person interpretations of historical figures exploring the collective impact of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act and the Morrill Act. The featured scholars are Patrick McGinnis as Grenville Dodge, Paxton Williams as George Washington Carver, Taylor Keen as Standing Bear, Karen Vuranch as Laura Ingalls Wilder, Betty Jean Steinshouer as Willa Cather, and Warren Brown as Mark Twain. Each presentation allows the audience to hear a historical figure and to ask questions of that historical figure as well as the scholar who portrays him or her.
Chautauquans will conduct daytime workshops for adults at the Beatrice Public Library and for youth at Homestead National Monument. Ride Into History will present a Youth Chautauqua Camp throughout the week at the Beatrice Public Library, culminating with Young Chautauquans’ portrayals at 6 p.m. May 25 under the Chautauqua tent. All Chautauqua events are free and open to the public.
The “Free Land” Chautauqua encourages people to deliberate, explore, and discuss current issues through the historical lens of settlement, migration, and displacement on the Great Plains in the years after the passage of the 1862 legislation. The interrelated acts set into motion sweeping changes for the Great Plains and for millions of people in all sectors of the population—including war veterans, Easterners looking for new opportunities, immigrants, women, African-Americans, Native Americans, and others.
The Homestead Express is a pre-Chautauqua weekend May 19-20 in Lincoln. Participants will pick up a game board at one of the partner locations, complete the questions at each location during Chautauqua, and turn in their board at Homestead National Monument to receive a commemorative coin. Partners will host a range of activities during the weekend. They are Lincoln Children’s Museum, the Nebraska History Museum, Pioneers Park Nature Center, the Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln City Libraries, the Michael Forsberg Gallery, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, and the Lang Building-Main Street Beatrice.
The “Free Land” Chautauqua is funded in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the State of Nebraska, and the Friends of Homestead.
For more information on the "Free Land" Chautauqua, call the Nebraska Humanities Council at (402) 474-2131.
April 2012 Heineman recognizes Homestead Act and Chautauqua
In a joint proclamation, Gov. Dave Heineman recently recognized the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act and the upcoming Chautauqua, “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America,” which will be presented May 20-25 by the Nebraska Humanities Council in partnership with Homestead National Monument and the community of Beatrice.
Heineman declared May 20-25 “150th Commemoration of the Homestead Act Week” and “Chautauqua Days.” In conjunction with the 150th anniversary of its signing, the Homestead Act of 1862 will be on display at Homestead National Monument’s Heritage Center April 25 through May 28, courtesy of the National Archives. The Free Land Chautauquans will be among the many special guests at a national 150th anniversary event May 20.
“We are excited to debut the Free Land Chautauqua in Beatrice and the significance of the occasion will offer great opportunities for education, entertainment, and discussion,” said Kristi Hayek, NHC Chautauqua coordinator. “The people of Beatrice and surrounding areas have a wonderful opportunity to explore our collective history and follow the personal triumphs and hardships, as well as the overarching effects of these three monumental legislative acts on Nebraska.”
Free Land Chautauqua scholars will portray six historical characters who explore the collective impacts of the 1862 legislation both regionally and nationally. The characters are humorist Mark Twain, railroad builder and Civil War Gen. Grenville Dodge, inventor and homesteader George Washington Carver, author and homesteader Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ponca Chief Standing Bear, and author Willa Cather.
The Chautauqua experience provides such first-person historical portrayals and opportunities for audience members to question the scholars, both in character and as a scholar. Additional Chautauqua events include workshops for adults and youth, a Youth Chautauqua Camp, and the Homestead Express pre-Chautauqua weekend in Lincoln May 19-20.
The Free Land Chautauqua is funded, in part, by a major four-year grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and additional support from the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the Friends of Homestead, the State of Nebraska, and many other contributors and volunteers.
For details on on this year’s Chautauqua, contact Kristi Hayek at (402) 474-2131 ext. 108 or kristi@ nebraskahumanities.org.
March 2012 Council receives NEH grant for Free Land Chautauqua
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded the Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) a $136,400 grant with an additional federal match of $80,000 to support its new Chautauqua program, “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America.” The Free Land Chautauqua debuts May 20-25 in partnership with Homestead National Monument of America and the community of Beatrice. In addition to the May event, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act, the Chautauqua will tour six communities in Nebraska from 2013-2015.
Continuing the NHC’s tradition of more than 25 years of sponsoring educational and entertaining Chautauqua programs statewide, the Free Land Chautauqua addresses the collective impact of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act, and the Morrill Act on Nebraska, the Great Plains and the nation. The influences of these three pieces of legislation, all passed within six weeks of each other in 1862, will be explored through scholar portrayals of six prominent historical figures: Union general and railroad builder Grenville Dodge, author Willa Cather, Ponca chief Standing Bear, author and homesteader Laura Ingalls Wilder, homesteader and inventor George Washington Carver, and humorist Mark Twain as moderator.
“We are thrilled to partner with Homestead National Monument and Beatrice to have the Free Land Chautauqua play such an integral role in the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act,” said Kristi Hayek, NHC Chautauqua coordinator. “We are very honored to begin to explore the influences of these three pieces of legislation in Beatrice and then, thanks to the support of the NEH grant, continue that exploration and discussion in other Nebraska communities over the next few years.”
Each host community will experience nearly a week of educational programming during Chautauqua, including five presentations under the big tent by scholars portraying the historical figures; workshops for adults and children offered by the Chautauqua scholars on topics related to the impacts of the 1862 legislation; a Youth Chautauqua Camp for middle-school students to uncover their local history; a reading and film series that would take place in advance of Chautauqua; a traveling exhibit; and many other activities.
“Chautauqua is a program with a great deal of tradition in Nebraska, and with the Free Land Chautauqua we are preserving an outstanding humanities program while also allowing for innovation and modernization to make it appeal to a broader audience,” said NHC Executive Director Chris Sommerich. “This NEH grant was awarded in a very competitive environment, and it is a real vote of confidence in the excellence of the program.”
For more information about the Free Land Chautauqua and a full schedule of 2012 events in Beatrice please visit www.nebraskachautauqua.org.
If your community is interested in hosting the Free Land Chautauqua, contact Kristi Hayek at (402) 474-2131 ext. 108 or at kristi@nebraskahumanities.org for an application. Applications are due June 15.
February 2012 Chautauqua scholars to explore impact of legislation
Scholars will portray six prominent historical figures and explore the impact of three important pieces of legislation passed within six weeks of each other in 1862 when the “Free Land” Chautauqua comes to Beatrice May 20-25.
In their discussion of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act, and the Morrill Act and their influences on Nebraska, the Great Plains and the nation, scholars will portray Grenville Dodge, Willa Cather, Standing Bear, Laura Ingalls Wilder, George Washington Carver, and Mark Twain, who will also serve as moderator.
The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) presents the 2012 Nebraska Chautauqua, “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America” in partnership with Homestead National Monument of America and the community of Beatrice. The Chautauqua coincides with the start of a year of events Homestead Monument has planned to observe the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act.
Scholars will be in character costume to attend a May 20 event featuring entertainment and speeches commemorating the signing of the Homestead Act. The actual document will be on loan from National Archives April 25-May 28 at Homestead Monument.
“The significance of the occasion offers a great opportunity for the public to examine the intertwined impacts of these three pieces of 1862 legislation, not only from a historical perspective, but also looking at the continued influences today,” said Kristi Hayek, NHC Chautauqua coordinator. “We feel that it is important for the many stories surrounding these 1862 acts to be told—those who benefited, those who took advantage of the potential, and those who suffered as a result. We are very excited to have Chautauqua play an important role in the 150th anniversary plans at Homestead National Monument and in Beatrice and look forward to a great week of exploration and community interaction through Chautauqua.”
Patrick E. McGinnis will portray Grenville Dodge, U.S. Army general and chief engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad. McGinnis holds a Ph.D. from Tulane University and is emeritus professor of history at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Paxton Williams will portray George Washington Carver, noted inventor and botanist. Williams is the former executive director of the George Washington Carver Birthplace Association in Diamond, Mo.
Taylor Keen will portray Standing Bear, Ponca chief who was involved in a court case in 1879 that was the first step in establishing basic civil rights for Native Americans. Keen serves as director of the Native American Center and lecturer at Creighton University.
Karen Vuranch will portray Laura Ingalls Wilder, homesteader and author of the beloved “Little House” books. Vuranch is an instructor at Concord University in West Virginia and has participated in living-history presentations portraying 10 different characters.
Betty Jean Steinshouer will portray Willa Cather, Pulitzer Prize-winning author from Nebraska. Steinshouer has portrayed Cather in 44 states and in Canada and portrays a number of other female authors in the Chautauqua-style for the Florida Humanities Council.
Warren Brown will portray Mark Twain, humorist and author who wrote on American culture and politics. As moderator, he will provide context and offer a national perspective to the observations and experiences of the other characters. Brown has portrayed Mark Twain in more than 1,000 performances nationwide.
The Chautauqua runs Monday through Friday, with a different scholar portraying his or her character each evening. Adults and youth will explore related topics at daytime workshops led by Chautauquans and other experts, and a Youth Chautauqua Camp will be conducted by Drs. Ann Birney and Joyce Thierer of Ride Into History. A pre-Chautauqua Homestead Express is planned for May 19-20 in Lincoln.
For details about Chautauqua visit www.nebraskachautauqua.org or contact the Nebraska Humanities Council at (402) 474-2131. For more on events surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act, visit Homestead National Monument’s website at www.nps.gov/home.
Chautauqua is made possible through funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Friends of Homestead National Monument and the state of Nebraska.
September 2011 “Free Land” Chautauqua comes to Beatrice in 2012
The community of Beatrice and Homestead National Monument will host the “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America” Chautauqua the week of May 20-25, in conjunction with the kick-off of a year of events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act.
Continuing the Nebraska
Humanities Council’s tradition of more
than 25 years of sponsoring educational and entertaining Chautauquas
throughout the state,
Nebraska audiences will have an opportunity to examine five themes that were set in motion by the catalyst of the 1862 legislation and that remain relevant: The unfolding of the “free soil, free labor” ideal for America held by Republican policy-makers of the time; the rapid economic development of the West and the nation, especially through the building of railroads; the accelerated displacement of Native Americans; a broader access to public education that resulted in more opportunities for people of the West; and an increasingly landed and educated populace—both emigrants and immigrants—who had more potential for social mobility in a developing American West.
Homestead National Monument will observe the actual 150th anniversary of the signing of the Homestead Act on May 20, with an evening program featuring a variety of special guests, including the historical figures of the Chautauqua. The Chautauqua events will then continue Monday through Friday (May 21-25) with a different scholar portraying his or her character each evening under the Chautauqua tent. Each will give a 40-minute, first-person presentation as the historical character, then answer questions. Workshops for children and adults along with other activities will be held during the day throughout Chautauqua week.
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![The 2012 Chautauqua scholars are (clockwise from upper left) Warren Brown as Mark Twain, Taylor Keen as Standing Bear, Patrick E. McGinniss as Grenville Dodge, Paxton Williams as George Washington Carver, Betty Jean Steinshouer as Willa Cather and Karen Vuranch as Laura Ingalls Wilder. [File Photo]](images/2012Chautauquans.jpg)
the “Free Land” Chautauqua will address the
collective impact of the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act, and
the Morrill Act on Nebraska, the Great Plains and the nation. The
influences of these three pieces of legislation, all passed within
six weeks of each other in 1862, will be explored through scholar
portrayals of six prominent historical figures: Union general and
railroad builder Grenville Dodge, author Willa Cather, Ponca chief
Standing Bear, author and homesteader Laura Ingalls Wilder,
homesteader and inventor George Washington Carver, and humorist Mark
Twain as moderator.Phone 402-474-2131 or e-mail nhc@nebraskahumanities.org. |
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