CHAUTAUQUA PROGRAMS
Chautauqua—the
word sounds strange, except perhaps to the oldest among us who may remember
the traveling tent shows of the original Chautauqua in Mississippi
in the early part of the century, or to those south of Jackson
who know the lovely Chautauqua Park
in Crystal Springs
but perhaps don’t know the origin of the name.
But for some thirty years, beginning in the 1890s, the
Chautauqua came to Mississippi,
bringing speakers ranging from William Jennings Bryan to Germaine the Wizard to
talk in tents to large crowds on a wide variety of subjects. Begun originally at Lake Chautauqua in
upstate New York as training for Sunday School teachers, the movement spread
across the United States providing what was called “entertaining adult education.”
The modern Chautauqua, on the other hand, has become a
tradition in Mississippi through
the Mississippi Humanities Council. In
1992 MHC sponsored the first Chautauqua, featuring Jefferson Davis, Abe
Lincoln, Ida B. Wells, and Eliza Jane Poitevent (“Pearl Rivers”). Since then the state has been revisited by
nearly twenty characters from the past, most recently in 2002-2003 by Richard
Wright and Tennessee Williams as the Mississippi Writers Chautauqua. The re-invented
Chautauqua that has become a hallmark of the Council shares with the historic
Chautauquas an interest in civic education and community life. In the modern version, scholars portray
historical figures, and the performances are grounded in historical accuracy as
well as the magic of theatre, providing both entertainment and education.
If
you are interested in hosting your own Chautauqua, please consult MHC’s
Speakers Bureau for a list of Chautauqua performers.
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