The June issue of Maryland Life has a piece I did about an old, previously unknown diary penned during the Civil War. As the troubled year of 1864 passed slowly by the manager of the C & D canal faithfully recorded his fears, hopes, and worries on those browning pages. Day-by-day, the canalkeeper confided many…
National Humanities Magazine Mentions Talks I Do for Maryland Humanities
The March/April 2011 edition of Humanities, the magazine of the National Endowment of the Humanities, included a poster/photo of me that was produced by the library system for a reading promotion a few years ago. The magazine used it to mention the talks I do for the Maryland Humanities Council. The poster was for a reading promotions initiative sponsored by the American Library Association and…
Participating in Summit of Local and Regional Historical Societies, Taking Stock & Planning for the Future
I participated in the Summit of Local and Regional Historical Societies in Baltimore, a couple of weeks ago (May 16). Attended by representatives from historical societies, heritage groups and museums throughout Maryland, we began to take stock of the challenges, strengths, and weakness of museums and special collections libraries and started outlining an agenda for subsequent discussions about…
Helping Open Smithsonian Exhibit in Garrett County With Talk on Mason Dixon Line
For the arrival of the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street exhibit at the Spruce Forest Artisan Village in Garrett County, I was invited to do the opening lecture on the Mason-Dixon Line: The Stories Behind a Geographic Boundary. Managed in Maryland by the state Humanities Council, the project brings rural America prestigious, professionally curated Smithsonian…