Adults

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Thursday, October 1, 1pm

Hasan Davis, Author, Living History Interpreter

*Hasan Davis joins us virtually. We'll meet in the library.

Enjoy a living history performance and short documentary created by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, featuring Hasan Davis, describing the heroic leadership and sacrifices made by York, an enslaved Kentuckian who was the only Black member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1803 to 1806. Hasan has presented to groups ranging from corporations, colleges, historical organizations, public libraries, schools, prisons, to churches in over 37 states. A G.E.D. recipient, Davis earned a Bachelor’s degree from Berea College and a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He lives in Berea, Kentucky with his wife Dreama Gentry and their children Malcolm and Christopher. Through his performances, Hasan invites audiences to see themselves in history, sparking reflection on the critical role that individual and collective actions play in shaping a more just future.

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This program is made possible by support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation.

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Monday, October 5, 1pm

Bill Volkert, Naturalist

Join us in learning about bird migration as part of our Bird City Mount Horeb celebrations!

In partnership with Village of Mount Horeb Sustainability Committee. 

One of the most fascinating aspects of the lives of birds is their ability to migrate thousands of miles as they follow the changing seasons.  This presentation will explore the annual migration of birds, their seasonal phenology, and explore recent studies that are revealing more information and instilling greater wonder over the phenomenon of bird migration.

Bill Volkert worked as the naturalist and wildlife educator for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at Horicon Marsh for 27 years, where he conducted more than 3,700 education programs for over 220,000 people. His broad audiences included professional training for 66 delegations of scientists from 43 countries. He has worked professionally in 5 foreign countries and throughout his career has presented well over 4,000 public programs.

Tuesday, October 6, 10am

History Matters, David McCullough

Everyone is welcome at our monthly book club. We meet the 1st Tuesday of most months (Not in November) from 10-11am. Light refreshments are provided. Pick up a copy of the month's title at the Circulation Desk. Large print is available.

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Tues, Oct 6, 6:30pm

Dr. Matthew Villeneuve, Turtle Mountain Chippewa Descent, Professor of US History and American Indian Studies, UW-Madison

The Corps of Discovery traveled through territories that were already home to dozens of Native nations with established governments, trade networks, cultures, and histories. From this perspective, the land was not unknown—it was well known to the people who lived there. Without the help of the Mandan, Hidatsa and other tribes, the expedition likely would not have succeeded. Dr. Villeneuve shares an Indigenous telling of the Corps of Discovery, highlighting a crucial part of US history.

Villeneuve's particular research focus is on the history of Native education. He earned his PhD in history from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he studied in the fields of U.S. History since 1865, American Indian history, and environmental history. He currently teaches courses on American Indian history, Native studies, and Indigenous education. Matthew's scholarship is informed by his Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa descent. Currently, he is pursuing research on a number of projects at the intersection of progressive education and federal Indian boarding schools.

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This program is made possible by support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation.

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Tuesday, October 13, 1pm

Professor Arend Flick

*Dr Flick joins us virtually. We'll meet in the library. 

Lewis and Clark historians and biographers understandably devote most of their attention to the period between 1803 and 1806, when the explorers were assembling the Corps of Discovery and journeying from St. Louis to the Pacific and back. Much of what has been written about their lives before that time is either superficial or inaccurate. In this talk, we’ll try to fill in this gap. We’ll be looking at the Virginia origins of Lewis and Clark—their childhood and young manhood, their families, the planter elite culture into which they were born—that shed considerable light on the men they eventually became. We’ll also save time for your questions related to any aspect of the Lewis and Clark story.

Arend Flick is a retired English and Humanities professor living in Southern California. He was born and grew up in Ohio (not far from where Lewis and Clark first met). A longtime member of the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance, he co-edits its quarterly newsletter The Orderly Report and has written a number of articles for its scholarly journal, We Proceeded On. His book Out of Albemarle: the Fathers of Lewis and Clark is forthcoming from Washington State University Press. Another book, School of Experience: The Court-Martial of Meriwether Lewis, is under review by Kent State University Press.

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Wednesday, October 14, 6:30pm

Tamie Klumpyan, Program Manager Inclusion@UW, UW-Madison

A skills-filled evening that focuses on:

Cultivating Curiosity

• Start with self: Increase awareness of your own thoughts, beliefs, emotions, assumptions, and biases.
• See the whole person: Move beyond labels and stereotypes to better understand each person's unique lived experiences, beliefs, and perspectives.

Practicing Compassion

• Listen deeply: Engage with care, empathy, and openness to foster trust, psychological safety and reduce defensiveness or escalation.
• Practice perspective-taking and perspective-getting: Seek to understand the experiences and beliefs that shape others' viewpoints while remaining grounded in your own values and experiences.

Building Connection

• Identify shared goals and purpose: Shift from an adversarial mindset to a collaborative "third space" where common interests can emerge.

• Find a path forward: Recognize areas of agreement, mutual understanding, or shared commitment to a healthy, respectful relationship.

   

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This program is made possible by support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation.

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Saturday, October 17

With The Barley Brothers

Featuring Brian O'Donnell and Colin Bazsali

It was common to hear fiddle tunes coming from the camps on the trail of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Some of the explorers brought their instruments and spending an evening dancing to music was a popular pasttime. This free morning concert is your chance to enjoy tunes from the 1800s. Great for all ages! 

Brian O'Donnell is a highly sought-after fiddler and multi-instrumentalst from Madison. He has mastered numerous styles, including Old Time, Bluegrass and Cajun. A founding member of the Cajun Strangers Band, Brian can be heard fiddlin' in various bands in the area. 

Colin Bazsali has been playing music most of his life. Originally a jazz drummer, he set aside percussion for the folk guitar, harmonica, and banjo and began exploring traditional American musical forms, especially old-time banjo. This led circuitously to Cajun and back to the drums, which he has played with the Cajun Strangers since early 2005. He is the drummer for the Madison honky-tonk band The Dirty Shirts, and currently plays banjo, mandolin, fiddle and guitar with Brian in the Barley Brothers.

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Monday, October 19, 6:30pm

Craig Fehrman, With New York Times Best Selling Author of This Vast Enterprise, our 2026 Big Read Book 

• "This Vast Enterprise is a page-turner and a fantastic achievement.” New York Times
• “Immensely engaging.” Wall Street Journal 
• "An innovative new history." New Yorker 
• "This is vivid, character-based history. . . . A ripping good read.” Boston Globe

Craig Fehrman is a journalist, historian, and New York Times bestselling author of This Vast Enterprise. He has written for the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and has been interviewed on PBS NewsHour and NPR.

This Vast Enterprise is a major revisionist history of the Lewis and Clark expedition, offering a fresh and more accurate account of one of the most important episodes in American history. Craig Fehrman spent five years visiting more than thirty archives, interviewing more than a hundred sources, and collecting oral history passed down over centuries. With each chapter moving to a different person’s point of view, including Thomas Jefferson, York (the Black man Clark enslaved), and Sacajawea, Craig Fehrman humanizes these influential figures and shatters long-held myths. He shows us that the captains are men who needed help on their expedition and this thrilling account reminds us that even the most familiar moments in history can still surprise us.

Fehrman has published two other works of history, The Best Presidential Writing (edited by him), and Author in Chief (written by him). The Best Presidential Writing is a collection of essential speeches from the early years of our nation’s history to the present day. The collection encompasses notable favorites alongside lesser-known texts to reflect how words have shaped our nation. Author in Chief opens a window into the untold story of the books presidents wrote. Craig Fehrman explains these important works and casts a fresh light on the private drives and self-doubts that fueled our nation’s leaders.

Craig Fehrman grew up near Dillsboro, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Southern Indiana. He lives in Indiana with his wife and children. 

Saturday, November 7, 10am
 

Shancey Ali Quartet
 

Great for all ages!

​​Featuring Nicholas Vanhaute (mandolin), Hans Holzen (acoustic and electric guitar), and David Havas (upright bass), the Shauncey Ali Quartet challenges listeners with an experience that is virtuosic yet accessible, rooted in tradition yet unbound by convention.​

Shauncey Ali has won the RockyGrass fiddle competition, performed with Peter Gabriel, composed and recorded theme music for an Ambie-nominated podcast and created MadFiddle, a reimagined model for youth music education - work that has taken him across the U.S., Canada, Italy, Spain and Scotland.

His newest project, the Shauncey Ali Quartet, captivates audiences with original music that is melody-driven, arrangement-focused, and interspersed with solos, soundscapes and musical storytelling. 

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This program is made possible by support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation.

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Monday, November 9

Time and Place TBA
Registration Required. Opens October 5

More Information Coming Soon!

Part of our Disagree Better Series.