What is Chautauqua?

A retreat in upstate New York which began in the 1870s, the name "Chautauqua" was given
to the tent shows of famous orators, politicians, and thinkers who traveled the American
midwest in the 1800s and early 1900s. In 1976, the North Dakota Humanities Council revived
the Chautauqua idea: Humanities scholars assumed the costume and character of historical
figures and travel to a community in order to engage people in public dialogue about ideas.

While the Humanities Council will not be holding a large Chautauqua event as we have in
the past, you can bring the spirit of Chautauqua to your community through our Humanities To Go!
Programs. Your organization can host Abraham Lincoln at a summer picnic or talk with Eleanor Roosevelt
at your next meeting. See our complete list of Chautauqua performers available to start planning your own event with one
performer, or rent a tent and have your own Chautauqua festival! See our Humanities To Go! page
for more information on hosting a program and how non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses can apply.

See our most recent Calendar publication or view our on-line calendar for a list of events around
the state, including Chautauqua performances. Humanities Council-funded programs are free and
open to the public.

NOTE: the historical characterizations presented in a Chautauqua are not scripted performances.
Each humanities scholar has immersed him or herself in the writings and life of their character.
They are prepared to carry on a dialogue with the audience on their character as well as on
the period of time in which their character lived. Finally, their perspective as scholars of history
is as important to the discussion as their in-character comments.

List of Chautauqua Performances in Humanities To Go Catalog 2006

Barbara Miles

Meet Ruth Law, Aviator
On December 2, 1916, Ruth Law, the Granite State’s first female aviator, flew out of the darkness.
Wing tips ablaze with magnesium flares and a neon sign reading “ LIBERTY” trailing from her aero
plane, she circled the Statue of Liberty as its floodlights were lit for the first time.

Dick Hesse

A Conversation with Chief Justice John Marshall
A Revolutionary War veteran and a prominent moderate in an era of radical political parties,
Marshall is recognized as the greatest chief justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court
for developing the constitutional doctrine and the role of the court in the federal system.
He served on the Court for 34 years, and for all but four of those years, anti-federalist forces,
including his arch-enemy Thomas Jefferson, led the White House. This is a story of his life and
times from his own lips.

Elena Dodd

Meet Eleanor Roosevelt
Any of four themes guide the former First Lady’s remarks: Her childhood and adolescence
during the turn of the century (1884 – 1905); her life as a mother, wife, and First Lady up
through World War II; her experiences as a private citizen and first lady of the world, up to
the early 1960s; and her work as an advocate for universal human rights.

Sally Mummey

Meet Mary Todd Lincoln
As men marched off to fight in the Civil War, women sowed their own seeds of rebellion and
independence. The First Lady was no exception – using little more than her wit she battled
diplomats and generals to a standstill.

Steve Woods

A Visit with Abraham Lincoln
As President Lincoln reminisces about his own life, he remembers his early years in Illinois,
his debates with rival Stephen Douglas, his run for the presidency, and, of course, the Civil War
that brought us to the brink of national suicide. Along the way, he challenges the audience to
weigh the importance of preserving the Union against the costs of war and the abolition of slavery.

Joan Gatturna

Petticoat Patriot
In 1778, sixty dollars a year in gold was a tempting offer to army recruits. Deborah Samson Gannett
thought so. She disguised herself as a man to join the Continental Army. What was she thinking,
and how did she get away with it?

Lew & Ginny Gage

Civilians of Gettysburg
Ever wondered what life was like for the townspeople of Gettysburg during the great Battle?
Sarah Broadhead and Charlie McCurdy can tell you. Despite thousands of dying and dead soldiers,
precious few provisions, and the grizzly aftermath of war, they managed to survive and even find
some moments of humor.

Sharon Wood

A Soldier's Mother Tells Her Story
You won’t read about Betsy Phelps in history books. She’s no one important, just a mother of a
Civil War soldier who takes letters from the battlefield and memories from the home front to
weave a dramatic story of life in the 1860s.

A Tribute to Sarah Josepha Hale
Sarah Josepha Hale was an upstart teacher, writer, editor, and champion of a woman’s right to
education. Born in Newport, N.H. Hale edited Ladies’ Magazine, authored Mary Had a Little Lamb,
and led the effort to decree Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Paul Manning

Sir Tom of Warwick – The last man knighted by King Arthur – 1280
Travel back in time to the chivalric "Dark Ages" when knights performed great feats of
heroism and courtly love was all the rage. Meet Sir Tom in person - the last person knighted
by the legendary King Arthur himself.  Hear the legend of King Arthur and learn of medieval
times thru word and song.  In this interactive show children can become squires; a lucky
King or Queen will draw the sword "Excalibur" from the stone.  Have a go at the sword,
try on parts of a full suit of armor, the coat of mail, and handle weapons used by knights.  

Leonardo DaVinci – 1452-1519
Quite conceivably the most gifted genius of all time, DaVinci comes to life through his art –
The Mona Lisa, the Vitruvian Man, The Last Supper - and through an examination of his
inventions from hydraulics to flight.  With Leonardo, travel back to the Renaissance and
catch something of the genius and creativity that created a brave new world practically from scratch.

Galileo Galilei – 1564-1642
Listen as Galileo presents his life, discoveries, and experiments, his engagement with
mathematics, physics, astronomy and the church.  You will take part in helping prove
some of his theories in a colorful presentation suited for all ages.  This is a fun filled,
fast paced, presentation of "The Father of the Scientific Method" and "Astronomy."

Space Shuttle Pilot – 1960
The core of the presentation, "From Sputnik to the Moon – the History of Manned
Space Flight" recalls us to the space race and how man got to the moon.  The program
also can be tailored to emphasize the solar system, the moon, rocketry or space travel.
Examine authentic memorabilia: rockets from Mercury to Apollo, space food, space mission
patches, space toys and more.  A demonstration of our exploration of Mars and the outer
planets leads to intriguing questions about what we can achieve in the near future.