SHSMO has a selection of on demand programs that are freely available to worldwide audiences.
Videos On Demand
August 10, 2021, marked the two hundredth anniversary of Missouri’s entry as the 24th state to enter the United States. A state with many different regional cultures, geographies, and industries, we celebrate the accomplishments and diversity of all these regions while seeking to create a better understanding of our one Missouri and the ties that bind us together.
Presented from the front steps of the Missouri State Capitol, this formal ceremony marks the two hundredth anniversary of Missouri statehood.
August 10, 2021, marked the two hundredth anniversary of Missouri’s entry as the 24th state to enter the United States. A state with many different regional cultures, geographies, and industries, we celebrate the accomplishments and diversity of all these regions while seeking to create a better understanding of our one Missouri and the ties that bind us together.
Presented from inside the Missouri State Capitol, immigrants to the United States took the Oath of Allegiance to complete a lengthy process for this final step to becoming a U.S. citizen.
Watch as Missouri Humanities Council Native Heritage speaker Galen Gritts of St. Louis talks about land acknowledgment of Indigenous people in Missouri and their history long before statehood. Gritts, who is a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation, relates the story of the historic tribes in Missouri and their forced removal from their home by the U.S. government. Gritts also speaks about what it’s like to be a Native person in Missouri and the continued presence and importance of Indigenous people to the future of Missouri history, life, and culture.
Voices of Arrow Rock is a theatrical production bringing to life voices of early Arrow Rock citizens whose experiences help us understand what life was like during the early to mid-19th century on the Missouri frontier. These voices transcend time and geography and help give a platform for underrepresented voices of the past.
In commemoration of the Missouri Bicentennial, juried Best of Missouri Hands artists Aaron Horrell and Barb Bailey assisted thousands of Missourians across the state in painting a large composite aluminum panel mural featuring Missouri state symbols, including the state capitol building, state flag, and the St. Louis Gateway Arch among others. Hear about the process of making this project a reality and the status of the final painting.
Grupo Atlántico is an ensemble of folk dancers whose purpose is to share the rich tri-ethnic heritage (African, Indian and Spanish roots) of the Caribbean and coastal regions of Colombia, South America. Filmed live from the Missouri Theatre as part of Together for '21 Fest, experience Grupo Atlántico performing traditional dances from Colombia.
In collaboration with Special Olympics Missouri, the University of Missouri and Missouri 2021 hosted a softball demonstration game in honor of the Missouri Bicentennial. “The Friends” from Kansas City played the “Jets Unified” from St. Louis. Filmed live at Together for '21 Fest.
Missouri Humanities Council and KCUR introduced Hungry For MO at Together for '21 Fest in Columbia. Co-hosted by Jenny Vergara, foodie and freelance writer, and Natasha Bailey, a chef, cheesemaker, and home gardener, the show celebrates how local cuisine connects us as a community and shapes our region’s identity.
A Spoonful of History: A Culinary Tour of Missouri and our Governor's Mansion is a cookbook released in commemoration of the Missouri Bicentennial and the 150th anniversary of the Missouri Governor’s Mansion. Watch as Rebecca Gordon, executive director for Friends of the Missouri Governor’s Mansion, explores beloved recipes from the book and the history that made them.
Becoming Missouri's official state American folk dance in 1992, the square dance is a partnered dance with lively music and cues directed by a caller. Thus spirited square dance exhibition was filmed live from the Missouri Theatre during Together for '21 Fest.
Shirley Winans and Fred Goucher from the Missouri State Federation of Square and Round Dance Club organized the demo with Merle Hall calling.
SHSMO trustee and Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mary R. Russell presents on the history of Missouri’s judiciary and milestone events and cases shaping it.
Filmed live during Together for '21 Fest, filmmaker and literary critic Prof. Juanamaría Cordones-Cook presents her documentary Nancy Morejón: Famous Landscapes, filmed in Havana in 2013. In it, she offers an intimate view of the inner world, intellectual journey, and life experiences of Nancy Morejón, one of the most notable poets of contemporary Afro-Cuban Renaissance. Following the documentary, Cordones-Cook shares her views in conversation with sociologist María Rodríguez-Alcalá about the diverse racial and cultural identities of the Latinx communities in Missouri.
MU engineering faculty members and the Associate Curator of European and American Art from the Museum of Art and Archaeology discuss the process of developing the Missouri – Heart of the Nation: A Virtual Reality Exhibit.
Music has always been an important part of Missouri culture from early folk musicians to the explosion of jazz, blues, and Ozark bluegrass. Filmed live during Together for '21 Fest, An Evening of Missouri Music features three different types of Missouri musical traditions and reflect how artists have put their own “spin” on the traditional music of the state.
MU engineering faculty members and the Associate Curator of European and American Art from the Museum of Art and Archaeology discuss the process of developing the Missouri – Heart of the Nation: A Virtual Reality Exhibit.
Co-editors, Drs. Pasley and Hammond, present on their recent publication, A Fire Bell in the Past: The Missouri Crisis at 200 (Vol. 1) Western Slavery, National Impasse.
Watch as Bill Eddleman discusses the different types of courts and the records that can be of genealogical interest, including details on where to locate court records, where to find laws regulating these courts, and the basis for the legal systems.
In this final episode of Missouri 2021 Presents, we take a look at the festivals and events surrounding Missouri Statehood Day in August 2021.
In this virtual program from the State Historical Society of Missouri, Steven Brawley, founder of the St. Louis LGBT History Project and SHSMO trustee, leads a discussion on utilizing the LGBTQIA+ collections at SHSMO and the use of one particular collection–the Helen Stephens Collection (C3552)–for research in an upcoming documentary film.
Explore bicentennial musical events that speak to and about Missouri!
Records involving land transfers after the original title holder often require a deeper level of understanding to be used effectively. Watch as Bill Eddleman provides an overview on locating available information in land records and other sources.
Learn about places and events to explore this summer that will connect you to the bicentennial! Discover the history and culture in unique Missouri locales, whether they are only a short drive away or take you to the far corners of the Show-Me state.
Our panel shares their insights on the art and culture of quilt-making and talks about the special quilts created by Missourians for the bicentennial.
Watch as Missouri Civil War historian and retired SHSMO associate director John Bradbury leads a conversation with Jeremy Neely, assistant professor of history at Missouri State University, and recent MSU graduate Trevor Martin. Neely and Martin discuss their article from the January 2021 Missouri Historical Review about the correspondence between Henry Fike, a quartermaster in the Union army, and his wife, Cimbaline, who wrote from the home front in Mascoutah, Illinois, southeast of St. Louis.
Bill Eddleman discusses the basics of land grants, federal land sales, military bounty land, and numerous other ways to study records on first title.