Writers of the Purple Sage with Jim Turner

Mohave County Library Lake Havasu Branch 1770 McCulloch Blvd N., Lake Havasu City, AZ, United States

This presentation covers five Arizona novelists: Zane Grey spent his honeymoon at the Grand Canyon and went on to be one of the first and most famous Western writers of all time; Harold Bell Wright came to Tucson with lung problems and became a bestseller from 1900 to 1930. University of Arizona writing professor Richard […]

FREE

Set in Stone but Not in Meaning: Southwestern Rock Art with Allen Dart

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Visitor Center Theater 1100 W Ruins Drive, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Ancient American Indian petroglyphs (symbols carved or pecked on rocks) and pictographs (rock paintings) are claimed by some to be forms of writing for which meanings are known. But are such claims supported by archaeology or by Native Americans? Archaeologist Allen Dart illustrates how petroglyph and pictograph styles changed through time and over different parts […]

FREE

From “Chief” to Code Talker: Four Profiles of the Navajo Code Talkers with Dr. Laura Tohe

Buckeye Valley Museum 116 E Hwy 85, Buckeye, AZ, United States

During WWII a group of young Navajo men enlisted in the Marines without knowing that they would be called on to develop a secret code against the Japanese military. This select group of Code Talkers devised a Navajo language code that was accurate, quick, never broken, and saved many American lives. This talk profiles four […]

FREE

Representation Matters: LGBTQ+ Representation in Pop Culture & Politics: Q&A with David Boyles

Arizona Humanities 1242 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, United States

From music artists like Lil Nas X to TV dramas like Euphoria, the LGBTQ+ community, and their stories and experiences, are more visible now in popular culture than ever before. In many ways the rise in LGBTQ+ representation parallels the movement for LGBTQ+ representation in the 1970’s. What was happening to culture and politics during the […]

FREE

Paper Sons and the Road to Citizenship, 1882-1965 with Dr. Li Yang

Casa Grande Public Library 449 N. Dry Lake St., Casa Grande, AZ, United States

  A “paper son” is a term used for young Chinese immigrants coming to the United States prior to 1943 who claimed to be a son of a citizen but were, in fact, sons on paper only. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to curb Chinese immigration to the U.S. The passage of […]

FREE

Southwest Rock Calendars and Ancient Time Pieces with Allen Dart

Phippen Museum 4701 N Hwy 89, Prescott, AZ, United States

Native Americans in the U.S. Southwest developed sophisticated skills in astronomy and predicting the seasons, centuries before non-Indian peoples entered the region. In this presentation archaeologist Allen Dart discusses the petroglyphs at Picture Rocks, the architecture of the “Great House” at Arizona’s Casa Grande Ruins, and other archaeological evidence of ancient southwestern astronomy and calendrical […]

FREE

A Free Press: Cornerstone of Democracy with Gail Rhodes

AZ, United States

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business […]

FREE

More than Pocahontas and Squaws: Indigenous Women Coming into Visibility with Dr. Laura Tohe

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Visitor Center Theater 1100 W Ruins Drive, Coolidge, AZ, United States

This visual presentation shows how Indigenous American women have contributed service to Arizona and the US, yet were stereotyped in films and remain invisible in the media. Nevertheless, they have been honored in all areas of public service—law, medicine, literature, military and activism with awards such as, the Presidential Freedom, the McArthur (genius award), the […]

FREE

Specters of the Past-Ghost Towns That Built Arizona with Jay Mark

Dorothy Powell Senior Center 405 E 6th St, Casa Grande, AZ, United States

In addition to an entertaining, visual display of the communities, towns and settlements that contributed to the early growth of the state, this presentation also focuses on respect for these diminishing historic resources. Most of the photographs represent a comprehensive exploration of Arizona ghost towns made by Mr. Mark in the 1960’s and 1970’s. This […]

FREE

Plants of the Mojave Desert and the Traditional Tribal Uses with Carrie Cannon

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Visitor Center Theater 1100 W Ruins Drive, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Although the desert may seem like a desolate landscape devoid of life, it is actually home to hundreds of unique species. Some are only visible or appear alive for a short time, others grow for hundreds of years, and many are not found anywhere else on earth. Participants will learn about the many traditional Tribal […]

FREE

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