Jerome-Too Stubborn to Die-How the Town Survived Numerous “Near-Death” Experiences with Jay Mark

Apache Junction Library 1177 N. Idaho Rd., Apache Junction, AZ, United States

  Numerous fires, landslides, floods, labor strikes, polluted air, epidemics, Depression, recessions, financial collapse, one adversity after another. Any one of these might spell the end of a lesser community. But, in Arizona, one town survived these “near-death” experiences, and more; yet managed to survive. Some might even say, “thrive.” This presentation looks at the […]

FREE

Water in the Southwest: Where Have We Been, and Where Are We Going? with Jennifer Richter

Pima County Public Library- Eckstrom-Columbus Branch 4350 E. 22nd St., Tucson, AZ, United States

Dr. Jennifer Richter is an assistant professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and School of Social Transformation. Her research interests are at the intersections of science and society, especially how federal policies are enacted locally. By examining how science and technology policies collide with local expectations and understanding of their […]

FREE

The Evolution of an Icon — The History of Arizona Highways Magazine with Win Holden

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

The first issue of Arizona Highways magazine was published in April, 1925. In this presentation, former publisher Win Holden will share the fascinating story of how a brochure produced by the Arizona Highway Department evolved into one of the most respected and revered publications in the world. With annual economic impact of over $65 million, […]

FREE

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

Casa Grande Public Library 449 N. Dry Lake St., Casa Grande, 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

The Underground and Overground Railroad with Dr. Tamika Sanders

Tempe Public Library 3500 S Rural Rd., Tempe, AZ, United States

Using storytelling, historical artifacts and songs, this presentation will depict the ingenuity and resiliency used by those involved in the Underground Railroad to help over 100,000 enslaved people escape to freedom between 1810 and 1850. We’ll then fast forward to the Jim Crow era and explore the Overground Railroad created by the Green Book which […]

FREE

Metalsmith Matriarchs: Makers, Memory, and Reciprocity with Nanibaa Beck

Apache Junction Library 1177 N. Idaho Rd., Apache Junction, AZ, United States

Nanibaa Beck addresses the ways Native women metal smith integrate indigenous knowledge, practice and tradition into their craft. She focuses on four to five metal smiths with a rotation in place, person, and style. This presentation and Nanibaa’s work demonstrate the connection of Native artists to Arizona and beyond as a place and identity. This […]

FREE

Learning to Live Together: Martin Luther King Jr. and His Philosophy of the Beloved Community with Jim McWilliams

Virtual AZ, United States

One of the most important concepts in Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings is the idea of “the beloved community,” the possibility of a society in which people from diverse backgrounds and economic circumstances learn to live together. Conflict in any society, he taught, is inevitable, but it can be resolved through non-violence and a commitment […]

FREE

Chiles & Chocolate: Sweet and Spicy Foods in the American West with Chris Glenn and Sandy Sunseri

Pima County Public Library - Salazar-Ajo Branch 15 W Plaza ST #179, Ajo, AZ, United States

Come have a taste of the rich and savory history of these food favorites, explore how early peoples used them, and how they have evolved and spread to all corners of the world. Food is a portal into culture and can convey a range of cultural meaning including occasion, social status, ethnicity, and wealth depending […]

FREE

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

Fountain Hills Community Center 13001 N La Montana Dr, Fountain Hills, 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

Along the California Trail: Our State’s Pioneers with Jay Cravath

Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church 6502 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ, United States

An ancient set of Indigenous paths and the natural flow of the Gila River created a major artery for travel through pioneer Arizona. The Gila provided a ready route for the earliest traders, including Toltecs of Mexico, who traded with the Mogollon, Anasazi and Hohokam. The intrepid Padre Francisco Garces, performed missionary work during six […]

FREE

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