Theodore Roosevelt Slept Here

Oro Valley Public Library 1305 W. Naranja Drive, Oro Valley, AZ, United States

Theodore Roosevelt exhibited a greater influence on Arizona than perhaps any other president. He was the first sitting president to visit Arizona, employed an executive order to preserve the Grand Canyon, established a variety of wildlife refuges and reclamation projects, and enjoyed outdoor recreation in the area. This program will share Roosevelt’s widespread influence in […]

From “Chief” to Code Talker: Four Profiles of Navajo Code Talkers

Pueble Room, Monte Vista Village 8865 E. Baseline Road, Mesa, 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 4 […]

Arizona: a History of Snake Oil Salesmen, Scams, and Hoaxes

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

Since the earliest days, Arizonans have been visited by entrepreneurs offering all kinds of get rich quick schemes. Benefitting from tales of abundant resources in the territory, limited law enforcement and communication, a scoundrel could create enticing promise of riches and success without much external oversight. Newspapers often fanned the hysteria only to later denounce […]

Through My Eyes – The Impact of Implicit Bias

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

We come from different places and backgrounds. Our life experiences and backgrounds can affect the way we see the world and each other, for better or worse. What is implicit bias, and how does it shape our attitudes and actions towards others? How do stereotypes affect our understanding, actions, and decisions? “Implicit bias” can cause […]

China Mary: History and Legend

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

A 1960 episode of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, the first Western television series, immortalized China Mary as a strong, powerful and ruthless Asian female figure in American popular imagination. The legend of her as an infamous Dragon Lady who ruled Tombstone’s Chinatown with an iron fist cannot be substantiated by historical research. […]

The Gila: River of History

Pueblo Grande Museum 4619 East Washington St., Phoenix, AZ, United States

Six hundred miles long from its source in the mountains of southwestern New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River above Yuma, the Gila has been an important avenue for the movement of birds, animals, plants, and peoples across the desert for millennia. Many cultures have sprung up on its banks, and millions of […]

Arizona: a History of Snake Oil Salesmen, Scams, and Hoaxes

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

Since the earliest days, Arizonans have been visited by entrepreneurs offering all kinds of get rich quick schemes. Benefitting from tales of abundant resources in the territory, limited law enforcement and communication, a scoundrel could create enticing promise of riches and success without much external oversight. Newspapers often fanned the hysteria only to later denounce […]

The Gila: River of History

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

Six hundred miles long from its source in the mountains of southwestern New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River above Yuma, the Gila has been an important avenue for the movement of birds, animals, plants, and peoples across the desert for millennia. Many cultures have sprung up on its banks, and millions of […]

Arizona for Newcomers

Superstition Mountain Museum 4087 N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ, United States

What is it that makes Arizona unique, that gives it a different flavor from neighboring New Mexico, California, Utah, Colorado, Sonora, and Chihuahua? In part the answer lies in Arizona’s longstanding habit of absorbing influences from its neighbors in matters such as architecture, music, and cuisine, incorporating them into an already vibrant tradition made up […]

Arizona: A History of Snake Oil Salesmen, Scams and Hoaxes

Arizona Western College / Parker Learning Center 1109 Geronimo Avenue, Parker, AZ, United States

Since the earliest days, Arizonans have been visited by entrepreneurs offering all kinds of get rich quick schemes. Benefitting from tales of abundant resources in the territory, limited law enforcement and communication, a scoundrel could create enticing promise of riches and success without much external oversight. Newspapers often fanned the hysteria only to later denounce […]

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