2024 Schedule
February 20, 2024
Journalist, author, and professor emeritus of communications at Southern Methodist University Darwin Payne will share stories from his new book Behind the Scenes: Covering the JFK Assassination. On November 22, 1963, Payne was a young Dallas Times Herald reporter who sprinted from his newspaper desk to Dealey Plaza minutes after shots were fired at President John F. Kennedy, beginning his involvement in covering one shocking event after another on that history-making weekend.
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Senior Researcher and Historian at the Alamo Kolby Lanham will discuss “Revolutions and the Weapons that Won Them,” sharing insights into the history of the artillery used during the Texas Revolution and how artillery from the Alamo is used for public education. Alamo Researcher Thomas Ledesma will reveal the story behind the creation of Mission San Antonio de Valero, the mission the world would come to know as the Alamo.
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March 12, 2024
Mike Cox, former journalist and best-selling author of over 40 nonfiction books, will explore two centuries of Texas Rangers history. Elected to the Texas Institute of Letters in 1993 and recipient of the A.C Greene Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, Cox is the author of a widely acclaimed two-volume history of the Texas Rangers, Wearing the Cinco Peso and Time of the Rangers.
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March 21, 2024
Join the Dallas Historical Society as we welcome Dr. Erika Arredondo-Haskins for this FREE evening lecture. Arredondo-Haskins will discuss overlooked stories of women in 18th-century Texas and their enduring impact on the American Revolution. An 11th-generation Texan, Arredondo-Haskins earned her Ph.D. in Education at the University of the Incarnate Word. Her research background includes women and girls’ leadership in early Spanish Texas history.
April 11, 2024
Dr. Richard B. McCaslin will relate the life and career of Texas Ranger Captain William L. Wright. Dr. McCaslin is the Director of Publications for the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), retired as the TSHA Professor of Texas History at the University of North Texas, and is the author or editor of nineteen books, eight of which received awards. The University of North Texas Press published his biography of Wright in 2021.
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April 21, 2024
Don Baynham will describe how Dallas got two Carnegie Libraries and lost them. Baynham retired after a 45-year career with Dallas College. Long interested in history, he has served as Board Chairman of the Dallas Historical Society, Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park, and the Dallas County Historical Commission. He is a current trustee of Old City Park, a board member of Legacy Dallas: The Virtual Museum of Dallas County History, and a Life Trustee of the Dallas County Heritage Society.
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May 14, 2024
Dr. McCaslin will recount the life of sculptor Pompeo Coppini. During a career in the United States that spanned sixty years, Coppini created over 230 sculptures, including the six imposing statues in the Hall of Heroes at the Hall of State. Dr. McCaslin is the Director of Publications for the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), retired as the TSHA Professor of Texas History at the University of North Texas, and is the author or editor of nineteen books, eight of which received awards.
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An Evening With! Dr. Jody Edward Ginn
90th Anniversary of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush
Dr. Jody Edward Ginn will explore the careers of the notorious outlaw couple, emphasizing the impact of their crimes on the victims and families affected by their crime spree. Dr. Jody Edward Ginn is a former law enforcement investigator/administrator and U.S. Army veteran who has worked for over two decades as a public historian. He is the author of Palmito Ranch: From Civil War Battlefield to National Historic Landmark and East Texas Troubles: The Allred Rangers’ Cleanup of San Augustine.
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June 6, 2024
Dr. Furgerson will examine the aviation factory operated by the North American Aviation (NAA) company in Dallas. He will explore the factory’s construction and opening, operation, relations with the local community, and closure at the war’s end. Furgerson is a professor of history at Collin College, near Dallas, Texas. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas, with a concentration in American military history.
June 11, 2024
Writer-historian Rusty Williams will share more stories from his most recent book, Texas, Loud, Proud, and Brash. Williams is the author of five nonfiction books and numerous magazine and journal articles. A former newspaper person, Rusty has written for the Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and the Associated Press.
July 9, 2024
Retired Texas Ranger Lee Young will discuss his 29-year career as a Texas law enforcement officer and the history of the Absentee Seminole Tribe of Texas. A descendant of Seminoles who fled to Mexico in 1850 to protect their freedom. His Great-Great-Grandfather, Sgt. John Ward, a Seminole Indian Scout, was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1875. This heritage has allowed Lee to bring the history, life, and accomplishments of the Seminole Indian Scouts and Texas Rangers into classrooms, cultural centers, service organizations, and professional organizations.
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July 11, 2024
Photographer Ron St. Angelo will present a retrospective of his life and career. A lifelong Texan, St. Angelo has had photographs published in countless books and magazines during his thirty-year association with the Dallas Cowboys. A US Navy Veteran, St. Angelo served two tours of duty in Vietnam. In addition to his work for the Cowboys, he has worked for the Diocese of Dallas and won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.
Texas Liberty Forever: Building the Exhibit
Join the Dallas Historical Society Director of Exhibits Toby Hazelip and Director of Education David Lee for a guided tour of the Texas Liberty Forever! exhibit. Learn how Thomas Feely, Jr. created the massive diorama of the assault on the Alamo, how DHS staff installed the immersive exhibit, and an overview of the siege and battle that has inspired generations of Texans.
Toby Hazelip is the Director of Facilities and Director of Exhibits for the Dallas Historical Society. Toby was instrumental in helping create some of the Historical Society’s most popular exhibits, including Big Texas Music, Texas in the First World War, and Texas Cinema.
David Lee was born in Dallas but grew up in the small town of Scurry, Texas. He has a bachelor’s in Historical Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas and a master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas at Dallas. He has served as a teacher, professional development trainer, and social studies assessment coordinator and is committed to providing accurate and engaging educational experiences to Texans of all ages. This event is part of Dallas Historical Society’s Texas Independence Day Celebration
An Empire on Parade
The Texas Centennial Exposition at Fair Park
An Lecture by David Bush & Jim Parsons
Fair Park is one of the country’s finest collections of Art Deco architecture, but it is so much more: the embodiment of Texan swagger; it is a testament to the Texanic task of creating a dazzling spectacle in the darkest days of the Depression. This illustrated lecture by David Bush and Jim Parsons, authors and photographers of Fair Park Deco, tells the story of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition and how dozens and local and national architects and artists transformed the state fairgrounds into an Art Deco wonderland. During their talk, Bush and Parsons will discuss the design and construction of the “Magic City” using historic and current photos and archival newsreel footage. They’ll also introduce some of the fair’s most colorful stories and people, including Mademoiselle Corrine, the “Apple Dancer,” whose performances were the talk of Dallas.
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Our Stories: Black Families in Early Dallas
An Lecture by Judith Segura
Judith Garret Segura will discuss Our Stories: Black Families in Early Dallas, the book she co-edited with the late Dr. George Keaton, Jr. Our Stories expands upon two works published over 30 years ago by Dr. Mamie McKnight’s organization, Black Dallas Remembered. The book reveals the little-known history of some of Dallas’s earliest Black families and the communities they created. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
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Metro Music: Celebrating a Century of the Trinity River Groove
A lecture by Gene Fowler
Author and musician Gene Fowler will discuss the history of music in North Texas from the late 1800s to the 1960s. While often overshadowed by other American cities, Dallas and the surrounding area has a solid musical legacy dating back to the earliest settlers. Fowler will share stories of the artists, venues, and diverse personalities contributing to North Texas musical history.
Gene Fowler is a writer and performer. His work has been published in Oxford American, San Francisco Chronicle, True West, Journal of Texas Music History, and more. In addition to co-authoring Metro Music: Celebrating a Century of the Trinity River Groove with William Williams, Fowler has published Border Radio (with Bill Crawford), Crazy Water: The Story of Mineral Wells and Other Texas Health Resorts, and Mavericks: A Gallery of Texas Characters.
Running With Bonnie & Clyde
A lecture by John Neal Phillips
John Neal Phillips will outline some of the known Dallas County activities of Bonnie and Clyde, including the County Avenue gunfight of January 6, 1933, and the November 22, 1933, attempt to ambush the outlaws. Contemporary photographs will be used to support the talk.
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The Beauty of South Dallas
A lecture by photographer Nitashia Johnson
Photographer Nitashia Johnson will discuss her project, The Beauty of South Dallas. Both the people and the land of South Dallas are beautiful. Many of the older buildings represent the struggles some people have faced growing up here, and, to me, that defines strength. Many areas within South Dallas are being developed, and I fear gentrification. My goal was to capture the current South Dallas before the future arrives because the people and places of today’s South Dallas are quite beautiful and unique indeed.
A Look at Little Mexico
A lecture by Sol Villasana
Uptown Dallas was once a thriving community known as “Little Mexico”. At the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution, Mexican immigrants came to Dallas for jobs in such fields as factories, agriculture, and the railroads. By the end of the 20th century, Little Mexico had all but disappeared amidst the high rises, hotels, and office towers of Uptown. Sol Villasana will host a discussion about the neighborhood’s growth, renaissance, demise, and transition.
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The Underground Railroad in Texas
By Kyle Ainsworth
Texas is rarely mentioned in the stories recounted of how liberation was pursued by African Americans. Our state’s landscape is bare of monuments to resistance and flight, of the names or narratives of enslaved people who liberated themselves or died trying. When Texans think of emancipation, Juneteenth is likely what comes to mind—the holiday commemorating the 1865 date when Union soldiers landed in Galveston and announced emancipation. However, post emancipation, once in Mexico, the formerly enslaved continued to face many challenges and experienced freedom that was very conditional. The story of liberty in our state is much larger than Juneteenth and it started long before June 19, 1865. Join DHS for a fascinating program about these unknown settlements.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LECTURE
Running With Bonnie & Clyde
Becoming Texans
Pictorial narratives from a 4th generation Texan
A discussion with Texas photographer Byrd Williams and oral historian Dr. Betsy Brody. Byrd Williams IV is not only a 4th generation Texan, he is a 4th generation photographer. Dr. Betsy Brody is a professor, Fulbright Scholar, and current ACLS/Mellon Fellow researching Asian foodways in Texas. “Becoming Texans, Becoming Americans Oral History Collection” is the first collaboration for the pair. The project explores the lived experiences of Vietnamese immigrants and their families as they wove their cultural threads into the fabric of Dallas’ neighborhoods, schools, churches, temples, and jobs.
In this collection of oral history and photography, a Civil War era camera and the processing technique of “swift-toning” were used to produce companion photographs for each oral history. Together, the archived interview and photographs provide a lasting record of this piece of Texas history. Brody and Williams will share stories about the undertaking of this project as well as personal reflections from Williams detailing what it’s like to continue his legacy of the art of photography in Texas.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LECTURE
History of Dallas in Film Industry
With Bart Weiss, founder of Dallas VideoFest
Bart Weiss is an award-winning independent film and video producer, director, editor, and educator who has lived in Dallas since 1981. He is mostly known as the director and founder of the Dallas VideoFest. He produces the TV show “Frame of Mind” on KERA TV in Dallas and is the Artistic Director of 3 Stars Cinema. He has traveled to Nigeria, Pakistan, and China to show American Documentaries for the US State Department. He has taught film and video at Texas A&M’s Visualization Lab, Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Austin, and West Virginia State College. He is currently an Associate Professor at UT Arlington.
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Two Women of Grace who changed Dallas
Kathlyn J. Gilliam & Juanita Craft
A webinar by Constance Harris & G. Chandler Vaughan
Kathlyn Joy Christian Gilliam, civil rights activist and the first African American woman to serve on the Dallas Independent School District’s (DISD) board of trustees. Gilliam played an active role in the fight for civil rights in Dallas, especially in the realm of education . The city of Dallas designated the Gilliam’s House as a historical landmark in 2015, and it was turned into a museum and resource center later that same year. The museum is a historical landmark that serves as a center to train children in Southern Dallas to become future leaders by providing computer literacy courses, reading camps and a debate center. Since her passing in 2011, Gilliam’s vision to improve the lives of African Americans throughout the city through productive dialogue and educational opportunities lives on.
Upon her passing in 1985, Juanita Jewel Craft was perhaps Dallas’ most beloved public figure. Broadly recognized locally for her local activism, grace and fair-mindedness, she was a long-time NAACP organizer and Youth Council advisor, Goals for Dallas participant, Linz Award winner, State Democrat committeewoman and national delegate, preservationist, Dallas city councilwoman and community-based humanitarian. She had a profound record of sustained acts of kindness in both the South Dallas and greater communities.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LECTURE
The Underground Railroad in Texas
By Kyle Ainsworth
Texas is rarely mentioned in the stories recounted of how liberation was pursued by African Americans. Our state’s landscape is bare of monuments to resistance and flight, of the names or narratives of enslaved people who liberated themselves or died trying. When Texans think of emancipation, Juneteenth is likely what comes to mind—the holiday commemorating the 1865 date when Union soldiers landed in Galveston and announced emancipation. However, post emancipation, once in Mexico, the formerly enslaved continued to face many challenges and experienced freedom that was very conditional. The story of liberty in our state is much larger than Juneteenth and it started long before June 19, 1865. Join DHS for a fascinating program about these unknown settlements.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LECTURE
Running With Bonnie & Clyde
Becoming Texans
Pictorial narratives from a 4th generation Texan
A discussion with Texas photographer Byrd Williams and oral historian Dr. Betsy Brody. Byrd Williams IV is not only a 4th generation Texan, he is a 4th generation photographer. Dr. Betsy Brody is a professor, Fulbright Scholar, and current ACLS/Mellon Fellow researching Asian foodways in Texas. “Becoming Texans, Becoming Americans Oral History Collection” is the first collaboration for the pair. The project explores the lived experiences of Vietnamese immigrants and their families as they wove their cultural threads into the fabric of Dallas’ neighborhoods, schools, churches, temples, and jobs.
In this collection of oral history and photography, a Civil War era camera and the processing technique of “swift-toning” were used to produce companion photographs for each oral history. Together, the archived interview and photographs provide a lasting record of this piece of Texas history. Brody and Williams will share stories about the undertaking of this project as well as personal reflections from Williams detailing what it’s like to continue his legacy of the art of photography in Texas.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LECTURE
History of Dallas in Film Industry
With Bart Weiss, founder of Dallas VideoFest
Bart Weiss is an award-winning independent film and video producer, director, editor, and educator who has lived in Dallas since 1981. He is mostly known as the director and founder of the Dallas VideoFest. He produces the TV show “Frame of Mind” on KERA TV in Dallas and is the Artistic Director of 3 Stars Cinema. He has traveled to Nigeria, Pakistan, and China to show American Documentaries for the US State Department. He has taught film and video at Texas A&M’s Visualization Lab, Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Austin, and West Virginia State College. He is currently an Associate Professor at UT Arlington.