Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow to host Chautauqua event Sept. 9
Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow to host Chautauqua event Sept. 9
Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow will host a Chautauqua event with a performance, workshop and academic seminar on its campus.
Presented by NSU-Broken Arrow, the NSU College of Education and the Oklahoma Humanities Council, professional Chautauquan Charles Everett Pace will perform as Dr. W.E.B. DuBois.
Dr. DuBois was a significant figure in the history of American higher education, said Educational Foundations & Leadership Assistant Professor Dr. Jocelyn Lee Payne, organizer of the event. He was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. He was a scholar, historian and educator throughout his life and was pivotal in the founding of the NAACP.
The event is Sept. 9, with registration starting at 4 p.m. The program starts at 4:30 with Paces portrayal of Dr. DuBois, the workshop and a meet-the-artist reception. The academic program with Pace begins at 7:30. Admission to the entire event is FREE and open to the public.
The Chautauqua methodan instructor playing the role of an historical figurebegan in the U.S. in the late 19th Century.
The expectations of the Chautauqua model are not only that the students learn biographical information about an individual, but also that they learn about the context of that persons achievements, said Payne. And part of the model is also to explore how that persons history can inform us about the world we see around us today. Many people find it more engaging than the stereotypical history approach of memorizing a chronology of events and a few names within that chronology.
Chautauquans must exhaustively research the persons portrayed and their cultural environments. Paces workshop looks at historical conditions during Dr. Dubois life. The evening seminar focuses on the research and presentation aspects of the Chautauqua process.
There are some who say Chautauqua was the predecessor to the community college, said Payne. It is an accessible way of looking into historical ideas or events. This is a way of learning most students don't get to see. I was inspired this summer to try to bring this experience to our campuses and surrounding communities. Mr. Pace was gracious enough to be interested and to come.
For more information, contact Dr. Payne at payne@nsuok.edu or 918-449-6586.
About the Oklahoma Humanities Council
The Oklahoma Humanities Council is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide meaningful public engagement in the humanitiesdisciplines such as history, literature, archaeology and philosophy. As the state partner for the National Endowment for the Humanities, OHC provides vital resources and cultural opportunities for Oklahomans of all ages. Through statewide projects that focus on K-12 education and community building, and through grants for public programming and humanities research, OHC strives to stimulate discussion, inform new perspectives and actively engage people in community life.
9/2/2009
Published: 2009-09-02 00:00:00