Events

Join for a weekly reading of a chapter of Delaware Humanities “History’s Mysteries”. Follow Denisha, Titus, and Angelo as they travel through Delaware and through time, solving mysteries and learning about the First State along the way.  Then ask the author, illustrators, and/or reader any questions you may have!

Miss a week?  We will post the chapter text and video after each reading weekly.  We will also do a quick recap at the start of each session.

All events take place Wednesdays at noon. Use the link to register for one event or all seven.

February 10: Prologue by David Teague, read by the author

February 17: Chapter 1 “WWII Watchtowers” by John Micklos, read by the author; also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

February 24: Chapter 2 “On the Nanticoke River” by Mary Pauer, read by Beth Wasden (Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator)

March 3: Chapter 3 “Annie Jump Cannon” by Kari Ann Ebert, read by author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore

March 10: Chapter 4 “Private Horace Dickens” by Heather Janas, read by author; also meet illustrator Samantha Gibbs

March 17: Chapter 5 “The Amstel House” by Mark Lowther, read by Karen Janus (New Castle Historical Society Public Programs Manager); also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

March 24: Chapter 6 “The Secret of the Helmet” by Billie Travalini, read by the author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore; “Conclusion” by David Teague, read by author

Dr. Brian Klaas is an Associate Professor in Global Politics at University College London and a columnist for The Washington Post. Klaas is also a frequent television commentator and political consultant.  He is also the host of the Power Corrupts podcast.  In his lecture, he will discuss topics such as executive power, individual rights, the electoral process, and civic mobilization within the context of the pandemic.

Dr. Klaas is an expert on democracy, authoritarianism, US foreign policy, American politics more generally, political violence, and elections. He is the author of three books: “The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Drumpf’s Attack on Democracy”, “The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding & Abetting the Decline of Democracy,” and “How to Rig an Election” co-authored with Professor Nic Cheeseman.  His next book “Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us” will be released in Fall 2021.

Dr. Klaas has extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and United States politics.  He has conducted field research, interviewing prime ministers, presidents, ministers, rebels, coup plotters, dissidents, and torture victims in an array of countries, including Madagascar, Thailand, Tunisia, Belarus, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, and Latvia.

His writing and research has also recently been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, the Times Literary Supplement, Financial Times, Newsweek, The Telegraph, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Foreign Policy, and many other publications.

Delaware Humanities will be hosting a discussion of Klaas and Cheeseman’s book “How to Rig an Election” on Thursday, March 18 at 5:30 PM.

See below for program information.  Registration is required.

Join for a weekly reading of a chapter of Delaware Humanities “History’s Mysteries”. Follow Denisha, Titus, and Angelo as they travel through Delaware and through time, solving mysteries and learning about the First State along the way.  Then ask the author, illustrators, and/or reader any questions you may have!

Miss a week?  We will post the chapter text and video after each reading weekly.  We will also do a quick recap at the start of each session.

All events take place Wednesdays at noon. Use the link to register for one event or all seven.

February 10: Prologue by David Teague, read by the author

February 17: Chapter 1 “WWII Watchtowers” by John Micklos, read by the author; also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

February 24: Chapter 2 “On the Nanticoke River” by Mary Pauer, read by Beth Wasden (Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator)

March 3: Chapter 3 “Annie Jump Cannon” by Kari Ann Ebert, read by author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore

March 10: Chapter 4 “Private Horace Dickens” by Heather Janas, read by author; also meet illustrator Samantha Gibbs

March 17: Chapter 5 “The Amstel House” by Mark Lowther, read by Karen Janus (New Castle Historical Society Public Programs Manager); also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

March 24: Chapter 6 “The Secret of the Helmet” by Billie Travalini, read by the author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore; “Conclusion” by David Teague, read by author

“The Lady was a Spy”:

Throughout World War II, a group of fearless and committed patriots risked their lives to achieve victory. They were the women of Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the United States’ Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Women such as Virginia Hall, considered America’s greatest female spy, and Christine Granville, Churchill’s favorite spy, were crucial to the war effort. “The Lady was a Spy” focuses on the lives and experiences of these brave women, many of whom died in completing their missions, to highlight their unconventional contributions to victory in World War II.

Join for a weekly reading of a chapter of Delaware Humanities “History’s Mysteries”. Follow Denisha, Titus, and Angelo as they travel through Delaware and through time, solving mysteries and learning about the First State along the way.  Then ask the author, illustrators, and/or reader any questions you may have!

Miss a week?  We will post the chapter text and video after each reading weekly.  We will also do a quick recap at the start of each session.

All events take place Wednesdays at noon. Use the link to register for one event or all seven.

February 10: Prologue by David Teague, read by the author

February 17: Chapter 1 “WWII Watchtowers” by John Micklos, read by the author; also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

February 24: Chapter 2 “On the Nanticoke River” by Mary Pauer, read by Beth Wasden (Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator)

March 3: Chapter 3 “Annie Jump Cannon” by Kari Ann Ebert, read by author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore

March 10: Chapter 4 “Private Horace Dickens” by Heather Janas, read by author; also meet illustrator Samantha Gibbs

March 17: Chapter 5 “The Amstel House” by Mark Lowther, read by Karen Janus (New Castle Historical Society Public Programs Manager); also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

March 24: Chapter 6 “The Secret of the Helmet” by Billie Travalini, read by the author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore; “Conclusion” by David Teague, read by author

There are more elections than ever before, and yet the world is becoming less democratic. This is the primary paradox presented by the authors of How to Rig an Election. Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas, two political scientists and preeminent experts on democracy and elections, examine how authoritarian leaders can gain and maintain political power by taking advantage of weaknesses in electoral systems. Using data collected from more than 500 interviews in 11 countries as well as a global data set of every elections held over the past 60 years, the authors lay out how gerrymandering, vote buying, repression, hacking, and ballot box stuffing are used by autocrats to ‘rig elections’ and what can be done to protect democracies.

This book discussion focuses primarily on the book and on the global state of democracy more generally. Leading the discussion is Justin Collier, PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware. His research includes public diplomacy, nationalism, national identity, and ethnic conflict. The first 20 registrants in the state of Delaware will receive a free copy of the book.

A lecture with Dr. Brian Klaas will take place on Monday, March 8 at 5:30 PM.

Join for a weekly reading of a chapter of Delaware Humanities “History’s Mysteries”. Follow Denisha, Titus, and Angelo as they travel through Delaware and through time, solving mysteries and learning about the First State along the way.  Then ask the author, illustrators, and/or reader any questions you may have!

Miss a week?  We will post the chapter text and video after each reading weekly.  We will also do a quick recap at the start of each session.

All events take place Wednesdays at noon. Use the link to register for one event or all seven.

February 10: Prologue by David Teague, read by the author

February 17: Chapter 1 “WWII Watchtowers” by John Micklos, read by the author; also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

February 24: Chapter 2 “On the Nanticoke River” by Mary Pauer, read by Beth Wasden (Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator)

March 3: Chapter 3 “Annie Jump Cannon” by Kari Ann Ebert, read by author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore

March 10: Chapter 4 “Private Horace Dickens” by Heather Janas, read by author; also meet illustrator Samantha Gibbs

March 17: Chapter 5 “The Amstel House” by Mark Lowther, read by Karen Janus (New Castle Historical Society Public Programs Manager); also meet illustrator Ara Atkinson-Skinner

March 24: Chapter 6 “The Secret of the Helmet” by Billie Travalini, read by the author; also meet illustrator Sidney Rae Moore; “Conclusion” by David Teague, read by author