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History Seminar Spring 2019 Schedule
May 29, 2019
Presented by Teri Balkenende
In 1900, archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans uncovered evidence of a remarkable civilization on the island of Crete. He called this civilization "Minoan," linking its history to the legendary King Minos and the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur.
Evans's interpretations of the Minoans and his claims to have provided factual evidence for ancient myth have become standard textbook material. But much recent scholarship suggests that his conclusions are built more from fabrications and
forgeries than fact. So what do we know about ancient Crete? This presentation will attempt to answer that question.
May 22, 2019
Presented by Karen Anderson
"The desegregation crisis in Little Rock is a landmark of American history: on September 4, 1957, after the Supreme Court struck down racial segregation in public schools, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called up the National Guard to
surround Little Rock Central High School, preventing black students from going in. On September 25, 1957, nine black students, escorted by federal troops, gained entrance."
(from Princeton University Press, https://press.princeton.edu/titles/9046.html)
How did that happen? Who, besides the students themselves, made the desegregation of Central High School possible? Join us as Karen Anderson, author of Little Rock: Race and Resistance at Central High School, explores some of the
"Lessons from Little Rock" that she gleaned from her research.
May 15, 2019
Presented by Kent Anderson
Featuring taped musical excerpts, this presentation will trace jazz music's origins in African-American culture around the turn of the 20th century near New Orleans and its migration north. We will also listen in as the traditional jazz of the
Roaring Twenties transitions to the swing jazz of the 1930s and early '40s.
May 8, 2019
Presented by Ann Korn
In 1925, Dr. Curtis Welch of Nome, Alaska, suspected he had several cases of diphtheria. Children had been coming down with sore throats, which Dr. Welch had
initially diagnosed as simple tonsillitis. Then, four children died because of what was clearly diphtheria. Dr. Welch panicked, as diphtheria is extremely
contagious. To make matters even more harrowing, the supply of diphtheria vaccine had not arrived on the last supply ship of the season.
Nome's only link to the outside world during winter was the Iditarod Trail, which ran 938 miles across several mountain ranges, rivers, and isolated areas.
To bring Nome the desperately needed serum, 20 mushers and 150 sled dogs traveled through horrendous conditions, over 674 miles in five and a half days.
It is a tale of unbelievable courage, endurance, and, yes, showmanship and opportunism.
(And despite movies and books about Balto, the much-celebrated lead sled dog for the last leg of the journey, it might not have been Balto at all.)
May 1, 2019
Presented by Tim Vagen
In this presentation, Tim will look at how fitness has developed throughout history. From the fight to survive, to preparing for war, to the battle of the
bulge, this talk will give you an interesting prospective on some of the origins of what we consider to be modern fitness trends.
April 24, 2019
Presented by James Peyton
Sound Transit's latest expansion of commuter rail, light rail, and buses is expected to cost at least $54 billion - and we voted for it! Urban mass transit
has become an integral part of our cities. This presentation will explore how we ended up with the transit system we have.
April 17, 2019
Presented by Diego Luna
From Pong to Call of Duty, from Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to Ninja Gaiden, the video game industry continues to walk that fine cultural line between niche and
mainstream. Once a small industry run on a string by a handful of tech geeks, video games are now a multibillion-dollar juggernaut that holds sway in sports, film, and even
politics. Come learn about the humble origins of the fastest-growing medium in modern consumer history.
April 10, 2019
Presented by Lonnie Somer
Machu Picchu is perhaps the most visited archaeological site in the Americas, but Peru has a wealth of additional ancient sites that are largely unknown to
the outside world and rarely visited. These include the oldest known ceremonial center in the Americas, enormous pyramids, fabulous tombs, dozens of unexcavated temples, a huge
maze-like complex of a culture that was conquered by the Inca, evidence of human sacrifices, and images of a god carrying severed human heads, all found within the Andean foothills
and desert of northwestern Peru. There will also be a side trip to a witches' market in which Dr. Somer attempted to acquire an amulet to ward off cell phone use in the classroom.
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