OTM will present our 2020 Winter History Highlight online through the Virtual AZ Speaks program from Arizona Humanities. We will host The Ballad of Arizona – a blend of music, video, and lecture similar to A Prairie Home Companion, but with an Arizona twist – online on Saturday, December 5, at 2 pm. To register for the virtual program, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZbSfXiknS9msGYPvINkFnQ.
Arizona Humanities has temporarily transitioned their popular speaker presentations online so that statewide audiences can still enjoy high-quality cultural programming in these challenging times. In The Ballad of Arizona, scholars Jay Craváth and Dan Shilling will present important but often little-known chapters of the state’s unique cultural and natural history, including the Buffalo Soldiers, dude ranches, the Code Talkers, forester Aldo Leopold, Japanese-American Internment, famous cattle drives, and the assassination of reporter Don Bolles.
Dr. Craváth is a composer, writer, and scholar in the field of music and Indigenous studies. He creates programs and interactive discussions that include stories, musical performances, illustrations, and photography. His latest book is Iretaba: Mohave Chief and American Diplomat, and his latest album is Songs for Ancient Days.
Former executive director of Arizona Humanities, Dr. Shilling has since coordinated institutes on environmental ethics, presented extensively on place-based economic development, and authored or edited publications including Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Learning from Indigenous Methods for Environmental Sustainability. He has served on dozens of boards and commissions and is the recipient of ASU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
OTM’s 2020 Fall History Highlight is made possible by Arizona Humanities. Because our in-person programs have been cancelled for the remainder of 2020, OTM is grateful to Arizona Humanities for giving us the opportunity to offer the program — originally scheduled as our Fall History Highlight at the Winslow Arts Trust Museum — in a safe and engaging way.
