Park Ranger Speaker Series

The Interior Library is proud to present a series of programs on the background and history of sites of interest in the Washington, D.C. region and around the country, as well as subjects highlighting the history of the United States. The one hour programs, presented by National Park Service Rangers, are presented virtually via webinar.

To register for a future Park Ranger Speaker Series program, please use our Park Ranger Speaker Series registration form. If the registration form does not work at your location, you may use the Library's contact form. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Interior Library by e-mail at library@ios.doi.gov or by phone at (202) 208-5815.

Webinar recordings of recently completed Park Ranger Speaker Series programs are available upon request. Please contact the Interior Library by phone at (202) 208-5815, e-mail at library@ios.doi.gov or via the Library's comment form for more information.


Upcoming Programs

The Clara Barton National Historic Site
Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET

Join us as we commemorate the life and work of Clara Barton, heroine of the Civil War and founder of the American Red Cross, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Clara Barton National Historic Site. Clara Barton broke through barriers that so often confined women of the nineteenth century to the domestic sphere, enjoying a long career of public service that touched people all over the world. She was an advocate for the expansion of rights for African Americans and women, a pioneer of public education, and a promoter of the first aid kit. She was also one of the first women to work for the federal government (working for the Department of the Interior!). This illustrated talk by Clara Barton National Historic Site Park Ranger Kevin Patti will use photographs from Clara Barton’s life and times to describe her service and the struggles she overcame along the way.

Please note: This program is only being offered as a simultaneous online webinar. Please contact the Library to obtain webinar information for this program.
 


The Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Tuesday, April 16, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET

For 174 years, the Springfield (MA) Armory was the epicenter of United States small arms research, development, and production until its closure in 1968. Employees worked to provide our military with the best infantry weapons necessary to safeguard the nation and its interests. The Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates the critical role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world's largest historic military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings and landscape. We invite you to join Park Ranger Susan Ashman for a walk through nearly two centuries of Armory history, revealing what it was like to be a "Soldier of Production" on the home front.

Please note: This program is only being offered as a simultaneous online webinar. Please contact the Library to obtain webinar information for this program.
 


Fort Sumter: What Defines Us
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET

During the middle of the 19th century, as South Carolina blazed a path towards secession, construction on a new fort atop an artificial island in Charleston harbor proceeded. Confederate forces would fire on the U.S. garrison at the still unfinished Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the first shots of the Civil War. However, aside from the facts and synopses that help us understand the beginning of the war, there is more to the story of Ft. Sumter. The behind-the-scenes accounts paint a broader picture as well as breathe life into the dry bones. Please join Park Ranger Christopher Reid as he shares the stories that give depth to Fort Sumter and the people that shaped its history.

Please note: This program is only being offered as a simultaneous online webinar. Please contact the Library to obtain webinar information for this program.

 

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