As part of its mission to generate interest and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of the state and its people, the Society hosts a wide range of engaging and educational events for scholars and community members of all ages.
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Gary Scharnhorst, author of The Life of Mark Twain in 3 volumes, will discuss Twain as a social satirist throughout his career, from the short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” to his indictment of imperialism at the turn into the twentieth century. Scharnhorst’s epic and authoritative biography of Samuel Clemens not only offers new insights but also corrects a number of myths about America’s greatest writer.
In 1974, concert goers flocked to Sedalia for the Ozark Music Festival held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Often called Missouri’s own Woodstock, the festival drew a crowd estimated as large as 350,000 people, comparing it to the crowd that gathered at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in Bethel, New York in 1969. The Ozark Music Festival featured more than thirty musicians, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger, the Eagles, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and more. A Missouri State Senate report called the three-day festival a disaster.
Plans are underway for the 100th anniversary of the “Mother Road” in 2026. Many organizations and individuals in multiple states, are involved in planning efforts for the 100th anniversary. Katie Seale, coordinator of the SHSMO Rolla and Springfield research centers, will talk about the collections initiative and how Missourians can be involved in this historic celebration.
George Washington Carver had a genius for agriculture, a genius that allowed him to challenge prevailing norms and take a fresh look at topics that others considered settled. From peanut butter to soil rotation techniques, modern agriculture owes much to Carver's work.
What were George Washington Carver's contributions to modern agricultural science? What challenges did he face, and how did he overcome them?
Join the National Association of Scholars on June 13th for "American Innovation: George Washington Carver and Agricultural Innovation."
Join us online, via Zoom, on Thursday, June 15, at 1 p.m. for a conversation with Gregg Andrews, author of the January 2022 Missouri Historical Review article “River Roustabouts of St. Louis.” Ken Winn, historian, author, and former Missouri State Archivist, will interview Andrews about his recent work. A native of Ralls County, Missouri, Andrews is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in History at Texas State University and the author of numerous articles and books, including Shantyboats and Roustabouts: The River Poor of St. Louis, 1875-1930.
Join us for coffee and pastries and check out the NEW “Broadcasting the Ozarks” exhibit!
Red Cross Blood Drive
Please join us for a blood drive at The State Historical Society of Missouri. Use the QR code to sign up or visit RedCrossBlood.org to schedule an appointment.
SHSMO has a selection of on demand programs that are freely available to worldwide audiences.
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Founded in May 1898 by the Missouri Press Association and established as a trustee of the state a year later, the State Historical Society of Missouri is the premiere organization that collects, preserves, and shares Missouri history. As part of the 125th anniversary, a special History on Elm program featured Missouri author, journalist, and SHSMO trustee Bob Priddy in conversation with Gary Kremer, SHSMO executive director. They spoke at a public program at the Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia on May 9, 2023, about the Society's legacy and future.
Bill Eddleman, coordinator of the State Historical Society of Missouri Cape Girardeau Research Center, presents the next installment in his genealogy series, focused on getting the most from cemetery research. Family historians often want to locate the burial sites of their ancestors, but it is not as easy as it might seem.
A.J. Medlock, coordinator of the State Historical Society of Missouri St. Louis Research Center, presents a brief history of science fiction fandom in Missouri. Learn about the evolution of this unique Missouri sub-culture, chronicling the formation of the Ozark Science Fiction Association in St. Louis to the Archon, one of the longest-running science fiction and fantasy conventions in Missouri. Featured collections include the Walt Stumper Papers, the USS Discovery Records, and the Amy Newell Verseman Papers.
State Historical Society of Missouri art curator Joan Stack presents visual examples and discusses the importance of such works as George Caleb Bingham's "Order No. 11" and the influence of artist Rose O'Neill who lived in the Missouri Ozarks for parts of her adult life and was active in the suffragist movement. Stack's live presentation on Zoom April 5, 2023, was followed by a Q&A from attendees of the virtual talk.
In this episode, Cape Girardeau Research Center Bill Eddleman focusses on using tax lists in genealogy research. Tax lists are used by few family historians but can provide far more information than most suspect. These lists traditionally have been more difficult to locate than other records, but this is changing as digitized versions appear.
