Thomas Jefferson to visit CSU-Pueblo in Feb. for 2005 Hirsch Lecture Series

Pueblo –One of the nation’s Founding Fathers will discuss the fundamental components of democracy on Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Hoag Hall on the Colorado State University – Pueblo campus as the 2006 Hirsch Lecture. The Hirsch Lecture is supported by a gift from the family of the late Audra Hirsch in 1989 to promote the appearance of prominent speakers on topics of interest to the campus and the community.

The Hirsch Lecture will be part of a Spring series on “The Democratic Experience” by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the League of Women’s Voters. Also in February, the University will host two additional talks on the democratic experience in other nations: Romanian editor and journalist Mariana Cernicova will speak on the Romanian Revolution on Feb. 1, and Premek Macha, a Fulbright Fellow at the University of New Mexico and anthropology professor at Ostrava University in the Czech Republic, will speak Feb. 15 on the democratization of indigenous Mexican communities.

Thomas Jefferson will be portrayed by Clay Jenkinson, host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Thomas Jefferson Hour, who has become a national model for scholars interpreting historical figures in the Chautauqua format. Jenkinson appeared as Thomas Jefferson in the White House for President Bill Clinton and distinguished guests on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the third president's birth in April, 1994, the first such humanities program featured in a White House event. While best known for his award-winning portrayals of President Thomas Jefferson and Captain Meriwether Lewis, Clay Jenkinson is a lecturer, humorist, essayist, and social commentator.

Jenkinson’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in Hoag Hall on the CSU-Pueblo campus. A reception and book signing will follow his performance. Approximately 625 seats are available for this free event, but tickets are required. Reservations may be made by calling 719-549-2810.
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday morning (Feb. 8), Jenkinson also is scheduled to hold a workshop at the Robert Hoag Rawlings Library, 100 E. Abriendo Ave.

In addition to Jefferson and Lewis, Jenkinson portrays Teddy Roosevelt, J. Robert Oppenheimer, John Wesley Powell, Sir Francis Bacon, and William Shirer. Jenkinson presents Jefferson first in character and then visits with audiences as a public scholar of Jefferson’s ideas and views.
Jenkinson first donned the wig and breeches in 1976 at a Chautauqua in his home state of North
Dakota in which the performers sought historical accuracy in addition to theatrical performance. During his performance, he presents a scripted monologue in character and joins in an unscripted dialogue with the audience in character, then breaks character to answer questions as a scholar.
Jenkinson has appeared on the Today Show, Politically Incorrect, CNN and a range of other national and regional broadcasts. He was the principal on-air commentator for Ken Burns’ PBS documentary on Thomas Jefferson. Currently, he is a scholar in residence at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore.

He began doing a first-person characterization of Meriwether Lewis in the early 1980s as a Chautauquan for the North Dakota Humanities Council. Since then, he has presented historical figures in a format that has become among the most successful in the nation and that brings the humanities and history to citizens of all ages.

In 1988, he was recognized for his groundbreaking work in the format with one of the first five National Endowment for the Humanities Awards for Excellence by President George H. W. Bush. Jenkinson is the author of several books, including the 2005 release Becoming Jefferson’s People: Re-inventing the American Republic in the 21st Century.

Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.