Events at Member Institutions

The Skowhegan History House continues its Wabanaki Voices Speaker Series, featuring John Bear Mitchell on May 19, 2022 at 7:00pm.  A citizen of the Penobscot Nation from Indian Island in Maine, John Bear Mitchell is a Lecturer of Wabanaki Studies and Multicultural Studies at the University of Maine in Orono, where he also serves as the Native American Waiver and Educational Program Coordinator. He will speak about “Wabanaki Storytelling: History and Lessons.”

The talk takes place at Tewksbury Hall, located on Weston Avenue behind the Federated Church on the island in Skowhegan. Masks are required for in-person attendees.

This presentation will also be broadcast on Zoom. To register, visit: http://skowheganhistoryhouse.org/speaker-series/

The Skowhegan History House presents the second of the Wabanaki Voices Speaker Series at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, with Darren Ranco at Tewksbury Hall on Weston Avenue, behind the Federated Church on Island Avenue in Skowhegan.  Ranco, a Penobscot Tribal member, is an associate professor of anthropology and coordinator of Native American research at the University of Maine at Orono. He will discuss “Our Indian Distinction: Wabanaki Diplomacy, Treaties, and Colonial Legacies of the Maine Frontier.”

Masks are required for in-person attendees. 

Those who prefer to attend by Zoom can register online here:

https://msad54.maineadulted.org/course/wabanaki-voices-speaker-series/

After registering, a confirmation containing information about joining the meeting will be emailed.  

The Skowhegan History House presents the Wabanaki Voices Speaker Series, beginning with James Francis, Penobscot Tribal Historian.

Mr. Francis will talk about sense of place, the relationship between natural resources, place names, and the Wabanaki world view. 

The first talk will be held on April 21, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in Tewksbury Hall, which is located behind the Federated Church on the island in Skowhegan.  Masks are required for in-person attendees.

This presentation will also be broadcast on Zoom.  Register in advance for the Zoom call using the following link:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0sc--spjMqHtL-hnW4bT2nxHZ5ZuOpTsxq

Join the First Amendment Museum for a free, virtual event on Thursday, April 14th at 7 pm on Zoom as they host artist Linda Vallejo.

She will be describing her new exhibit “Brown Belongings”, which represents ten years of concentrated work on visualizing what it means to be a person of color in the United States. These works reflect what she calls her “brown intellectual property”—the experiences, knowledge, and feelings she has gathered over more than four decades of study in Chicano/a and American indigenous communities.

To register for Zoom - click here.

To learn more about this event - click here.

Jane's Walk Information Session

Tuesday, April 12 at 12pm

Learn more about this statewide festival of walking conversations, including instructions for how to submit and lead a walk. We look forward to seeing you there!

Register Here

What is Jane’s Walk? Jane’s Walk is a global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Jane’s Walks combine the simple act of exploring a place with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement. The annual Jane’s Walk festival takes place the first weekend in May, in more than 200 cities and towns around the globe. Jane's Walk ME will be held on Saturday, May 7.

Who was Jane Jacobs? 

Jane Jacobs was a community activist and writer who lived from 1916-2006. She is best known for galvanizing New Yorkers to stop a highway from being built in her neighborhood. She believed in the power of individuals to influence the places they live. Today, her principles represent the participatory planning approaches that have been embraced in communities around the world.

Who can lead a Jane’s Walk? 

You can! Anyone is welcome to lead a Jane’s Walk. Whether you are affiliated with an organization or an impassioned individual, Jane’s Walk is an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with your community.

Join the First Amendment Museum on Zoom on Wednesday March 16th at 7 pm as we screen the documentary film TRUTH TELLERS: Artist Robert Shetterly’s Journey to Uphold Our Founding Ideals.

A special virtual screening and conversation with Artist and Activist Robert Shetterly about the new documentary, TRUTH TELLERS, a film that delves into the lives of courageous Americans fighting for social, environmental and economic justice. Shetterly has painted 255 portraits of Americans, past and present, who had the moral courage to confront the pressing issues of their time. Shetterly’s art and activism is a history lesson in what it means to be a citizen of our democracy.

Register for this free, virtual event here.

Maine Preservation is excited to be collaborating with Friends of Congress Square Park, Greater Portland Landmarks, Maine Downtown Center, and Portland Downtown to bring Jane's Walk to communities across Maine on Saturday, May 7.

What is Jane’s Walk? 

Jane’s Walk is a global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Jane’s Walks combine the simple act of exploring a place with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement. The annual Jane’s Walk festival takes place the first weekend in May, in more than 200 cities and towns around the globe. 

Who was Jane Jacobs? 

Jane Jacobs was a community activist and writer who lived from 1916-2006. She is best known for galvanizing New Yorkers to stop a highway from being built in her neighborhood. She believed in the power of individuals to influence the places they live. Today, her principles represent the participatory planning approaches that have been embraced in communities around the world. 

Who can lead a Jane’s Walk? 

You can! Anyone is welcome to lead a Jane’s Walk. Whether you are affiliated with an organization or an impassioned individual, Jane’s Walk is an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with your community.

Click here to learn more about Jane's Walk ME!

Join our free, virtual Speaker Series event on Wednesday, March 2nd at 12:30 pm ET!

Free speech around the world today is in retreat. Authoritarian and nationalist figures from Narendra Modi in India to Viktor Orbán in Hungary are silencing dissenting voices in an effort to entrench power.

Even in democracies, where it is hailed as the “first freedom” and a bedrock democratic value, the free speech debate is weaponized by the political left and right, as different groups aim to curtail it on college campuses, in classrooms, and on digital platforms — undermining the very culture of tolerance and open-mindedness on which this freedom ultimately depends.

Join author Jacob Mchangama for a conversation on the global history of free speech, from the ancient world to today. Register at https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/event/free-speech-a-history-from-socrates-to-social-media/

Join the First Amendment Museum on Monday, February 28th at 7 pm for a free online presentation!

The First Amendment Speaker Series presents Dr. Ashley Robertson Preston, author of Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State.

Mary McLeod Bethune was often called the “First Lady of Negro America." Historian Ashley Robertson Preston explores the life, leadership, and amazing contributions of this dynamic activist.

For more information and to register, visit https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/event/mary-mcleod-bethune-and-the-necessity-of-black-womens-leadership/

Join us for this unique event as we celebrate the end of Black History Month and the beginning of Women's History Month!

The Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity is excited to announce that it will offer a three-part virtual lecture series this January, February, and March 2022. Join us one Wednesday a month as we explore the life, times, and legacy of Rufus Porter with guest lecturers from across the state and New England.

February 2022 Virtual Lecture

Rufus Porter's Clock

February 9th, 7 pm

Presented by Bob Frishman, horologist and previous owner of the clock, this lecture will focus on the history of the only known clock attributed to Rufus Porter. Through images and insights, Bob will tell the story of this remarkable device that the Museum is very grateful to have in its collection.

Free. Suggested donation: $10. Donations can be made at https://rufusportermuseum.square.site/donation

Registration is required. A Zoom link will be provided before the lecture.

https://www.rufusportermuseum.org/event-details/2022-virtual-lecture-series-rufus-porters-clock/form