The Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the State Tourism Office, and the National Park Service are preparing to celebrate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. To plan cultural tourism and educational initiatives commemorating Maryland’s contribution to the defense and heritage of the nation, the agencies presented the “Head of the Bay Star-Spangled 200 Conference…
Day After Thanksgiving is the National Day of Listening
The Story Corp, a national organization that has helped over 50,000 people share life stories with family and friends, has designated the day after Thanksgiving as the “national listening day.” On this special day, when the holiday shopping season gets underway, people are encouraged to set aside time to record a conservation with someone important…
Chestertown’s 1st Book Festival
Chestertown sponsored its first annual book festival, a celebration of authors, books and literary traditions of the Eastern Shore, last weekend. The inaugural event took place with author visits in shops, restaurants, and other gathering spots throughout town. I was asked to do a presentation at the library for the festival and was pleased to…
Chautauqua Presentation: Maryland in the Era of Woody Guthrie
The Maryland Humanities Council examined some memorable social reformers during the July Chautauqua. Offered each summer throughout the state, the series utilizes scholars to interpret important characters from our past. This year there were performances about Woody Guthrie, Jackie Robinson, and Eleanor Roosevelt. For each living history interpretation an additional scholar opens with an associated…