Enid Chautauqua
Historical tourism at its finest!
It’s your chance to “time travel” to meet some of history’s most illustrious characters.
Summer Chautauqua: “250 Years: The Spirit of America” June 9-13, 2026 at NWOSU-Enid!
2026 DAILY SCHEDULE
6:15 pm: Pre-show entertainment: TBA
10 am Workshop, by Rebecca Marks Jimerson (Sojourner Truth):
Visions of Freedom: The American Experience Through Poetry:
Celebrating American literature in the form of poetry, this workshop will explore the multi-dimensional aspects of the American experience through the interpretive analysis of Freedom poetry from the works of Walt Whitman to Langston Hughes. Celebrating the spirit of independence, self-determination, and unbridled joy. Handouts and audiovisuals.
12 pm Workshop, by Leslie Goddard (Lucille Ball):
Television in the 1950s:
Television came of age in the 1950s. As the number of sets nationwide skyrocketed, studios scrambled to figure out what American viewers wanted to see. Join historian Leslie Goddard to review the shows that captivated viewers in this decade, including situational comedies, game shows, soap operas, and westerns. We’ll explore how these shows both reflected and helped shape the societal landscape in this pivotal era.
6:15 pm: Pre-show entertainment: TBA
10 am Workshop, by John Anderson (Washington Irving):
Washington Irving and American Politics:
This workshop examines Irving’s complex relationship with America’s political parties as they evolved from the early 1800s onward. Irving attended the treason trial of Aaron Burr, was a friend of Dolley Madison, and a diplomat in the administrations of Jackson (serving with Martin Van Buren in London) and Tyler (who appointed him Minister to Spain). His early writing satirized the Jefferson administration, and his final work was a five-volume biography of his namesake George Washington.
12 pm Workshop, by Doug Mishler (William Clark):
How the Founding Fathers’ Definition of the American Experiment Collided with Jacksonian American Individualism:
We will take a critical look at Clark’s time after the expedition, when, as territorial governor, he had to juggle protecting Native peoples and securing concessions and peace, while facing the full chaotic power of Jacksonian democracy, which attempted to subvert much of the American individualism that had animated the expedition. The expedition had been driven by a form of individualism that entailed a complete rejection of any authority that constrained individual desires — in a way, a lesson for today, when the welfare of the group became secondary to the individual’s desires. It will turn Clark’s later years, which had made him a hero in Missouri territory, into a villain, labeled an “Indian lover.”
7 pm: Evening performance: Washington Irving by John Anderson
6:15 pm: Pre-show entertainment: TBA
10 am Workshop, by Leslie Goddard (Lucille Ball):
Growing Up in the Fabulous 50s and the Decade that Changed Us:
Did you grow up at a time when cars had tailfins, dads wore hats, and moms washed clothes in washing machines with hand wringers? In this nostalgic interactive workshop, we’ll look back at what life was like for kids in the ’50s, from the hairstyles to TV dinners. Try out some 1950s toys, such as paper dolls and Slinkys. Listen to hit songs from Rosemary Clooney and Elvis Presley and revisit favorite dances. However, with the fun, American society underwent dramatic changes in the years following World War II. We will explore some of the most significant developments of this era, including suburbanization, the Baby Boom, and the emergence of teen culture; learn why this era saw the emergence of fast-food restaurants, roadside motels, television, drive-in movies, and rock and roll music, and see how African Americans, especially war veterans, launched the earliest fights for freedom at home.
12 pm Workshop, by Susan Marie Frontczak (Eleanor Roosevelt):
Hammering Out Human Rights:
Eleanor Roosevelt continually looked to the future, to encourage us toward becoming “a more perfect union.” She considered her most significant contribution to be shepherding the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) while serving as a delegate to the United Nations. Mrs. Roosevelt makes a strong case that securing the rights enshrined in the UDHR for people in the U.S. is more important to America’s role in international relations than economic or military superiority, because the only way to encourage other democracies is to lead by example. In this workshop, participants are invited to develop their own list of rights they believe belong to every person. The rights the participants define will be mapped to and/or compared to the rights in the UDHR. There may be time for discussion to surface different perspectives and highlight the challenges of resolving them.
7 pm: Evening performance: Eleanor Roosevelt, by Susan Marie Frontczak
6:15 pm: Pre-show entertainment: TBA
10 am Workshop, by Doug Mishler (William Clark):
The Triumphs and Travails of the Core of Discovery as an Exploration of the American Spirit:
We will explore the minute details of the expedition and the incredible journey and how the good fortune that seemed to follow the American spirit and keep all safe from “grizzled” bears, endless boat catastrophes (even though only three of them could even swim), and of course the many encounters with the Native’s – some friendly, some dangerous, some too friendly. That no one died (save one from natural causes) is remarkable–and also a lot of fun with near-death encounters.
12 pm Workshop, by John Anderson (Washington Irving):
Retracing Irving’s Tour on the Prairies:
This workshop examines the Irving party’s journey through Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in 1832, comparing accounts from the journals of party members, including Commissioner of Indian Affairs Henry Ellsworth, Charles J. Latrobe, and Comte Albert de Pourtales, each of whom published their own versions of the adventure. The juxtaposition of multiple accounts creates a Rashomon-like effect, adding dimension to Irving’s polished narrative, A Tour on the Prairies.
7 pm: Evening performance: Lucille Ball, by Leslie Goddard
6:15 pm: Pre-show entertainment: TBA
10 am Workshop, by Susan Marie Frontczak (Eleanor Roosevelt):
Who Influenced Eleanor Roosevelt?:
How did this daughter of high society, immersed through her youth in class and racial prejudices, become a staunch, relentless, and compassionate voice for the poor, the underprivileged, the segregated, the forgotten? Meet several key players who influenced Eleanor Roosevelt’s consciousness and development, including her teacher at finishing school, Mlle. Souvestre; activist Mary Harriman Rumsey; FDR political advisor Louis Howe; groundbreaking educator Mary McCleod Bethune; lawyer, priest, poet Pauli Murray; and three colleagues on the UN’s Human Rights Commission, Renee Cassin, Peng-Chun Chang, and Charles Malik. Broaden your appreciation of many voices that helped move our world toward broader equality.
12 pm Workshop, by Rebecca Marks Jimerson (Sojourner Truth):
Gathering of Stories: America’s Collective Oral History:
The historic and modern stories of Oklahomans serve as an inspiration to others. Whether your stories manifest as fiction, memoir, letters, or journal entries, participants will tap into and express stories lived, imagined, and remembered, discovering the role of oral history through our ancestors. Handouts and audio visuals, Common Ground: How the Negro League changed baseball — and America. Participants will explore the history of the Negro League Baseball. Handouts and audiovisuals.
