Oklahoma Chautauqua
A Time for Every Purpose: America in the 1960s

June 16 - 21, 2008
Lawton, Oklahoma

The Modern Chautauqua movement began in 1976 as a type of “tent revival” for the humanities, to evoke discussion about history. The idea of Chautauqua also answered the dilemma many humanities organizations faced: how to make it possible for scholars to interact with the public in an open and accessible forum.

Recalling the entertaining tent shows that traveled across the plains a century ago, audiences gather each summer under tents for a wonderful variety of music, workshops, and informal discussions. The 2008 Oklahoma Chautauqua will examine the turbulent decade of the 1960s in America and will address such issues as civil rights, environmental awareness, and the women’s rights movement. Characters include: Malcolm X (1925-1965), an internationally revered, though controversial, spokesman for the cause of universal human rights; George Wallace (1919-1998), Governor of Alabama known for his segregationist stance; Barry Goldwater (1909-1998), U. S. Senator from Arizona credited for reigniting the conservative base of the Republican Party; Betty Friedan (1912-2006), author of the Feminine Mystique; Rachel Carson (1907-1964), environmentalist and author of Silent Spring; and Julia Child (1912-2004), American cook, author, and TV personality.

The Lawton Public Library is pleased to announce that the 2008 Oklahoma Chautauqua will be in Lawton on June 17- June 21 in the Library Plaza. This unique program illuminates important, and often controversial, people in history. Characters are portrayed by national and local scholars discussing the ideas that will challenge Oklahomans to think about the world, both past and present, in a new way. Presentations include evening performances, daytime workshops, and local entertainment.

In its 17th continuous year, the Oklahoma Chautaugua is a program of the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa. Funding is provided in part by a grant from the Oklahoma Humanities Council. Major support provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Lawton Arts & Humanities Council, Friends of the Library, Arts for All, Cameron University Library, International Group, Museum of the Great Plains, Nye Library, Lawton Public Schools, Success by Six, and the City of Lawton.