“The Cold War – The Early Years”
Chautauqua in the Park – Enid, Oklahoma
June 14-18, 2016
Evening Program 6:30 p.m.
Local entertainment and dinner for purchase each evening preceding the feature presentation.
Scholar’s Feature Presentation 7:30 p.m. followed by Q&A
Tuesday – Doug Mishler as Nikita Khrushchev
Wednesday – Dr. J. Holmes Armstead, Jr. as Dr. Ralph J. Bunche
Thursday – Ilene Evans as Eslanda Robeson
Friday – Dr. Kevin Radaker as Winston Churchill
Saturday – Randy Noojin as Pete Seeger
Enid Chautauqua 2016 Workshops
Workshops are held daily in the Humphrey Heritage Village Church at 10:30 a.m. and Noon.
Each of the five scholars will lead two workshops during the week.
Tuesday June 14, 10:30 a.m.
Dr. Kevin Radaker – Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech: Its Historical Context and Impact.
On March 5, 1946, at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill offered what
has become known as his “iron curtain” speech, which the Soviets came to view as the opening
volley of the Cold War. This workshop will consider the historical-political contexts as well as
the impact of this speech.
Tuesday June 14, Noon
Dr. J. Holmes Armstead, Jr. – The Cold War – At Home. The Cold War effects on the home front,
including the development of the military-industrial complex; maintaining a reorganized,
permanent large standing, forward-deployed, integrated military force; the general effects on
domestic politics including race relations, domestic spending, civil defense, immigration policy,
etc. in the US; and the promotion of a federally-supported advanced scientific research agenda,
including early space exploration.
Wednesday June 15, 10:30 a.m.
Randy Noojin - Pete Seeger – After the Blacklist. An overview of Pete Seeger’s life and music
from his activist work dealing with civil rights, the Vietnam War, Anti-Nuke and ecological work
with the sloop Clearwater, which helped clean up the Hudson River.
Wednesday June 15, Noon
Ilene Evans - The Family Man – Social Documentary through Photography. This workshop looks
at the photographic work of Edward Steichen and Lewis Hines and Milton Rogovin. Each in
their own way use photography as an instrument of global social reform to embrace race, class,
gender and cultural diversity.
Thursday June 16, 10:30 a.m.
Dr. Kevin Radaker - Winston Churchill and the Bomb during the First Decade of the Cold War.
From 1945, when the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to the end of the war, to 1955,
when he resigned from his second term as Prime Minister, Winston Churchill often pondered
this new and terrible weapon. This workshop will trace Churchill’s shifting views of the bomb
during the first decade of the Cold War.
Thursday, June 16, Noon
Randy Noojin - Hootenanny: Pete Seeger Sing-Along. Lyrics will be provided for this sing-along
to Pete Seeger’s favorite songs, including his songs for children, and the stories of their origins.
Friday June 17, 10:30 a.m.
Dr. J. Holmes Armstead, Jr. - The Cold War and U.S. Foreign Policy. The development by the
U.S. of our overarching and continuing foreign policy of “Containment” and how that effected
U.S. policies towards Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, and the creation of the various
strategic political and military alliances including NATO, CENTO and SEATO.
Friday June 17, Noon
Doug Mishler - Duck and Cover: The Cold War’s Spies, Lies, Myths and Mistakes - The Cold
War’s flamboyant lies, misunderstands, and outright foolishness caused Americans to fear
everything from sputnik to spies, to giant ants, and perhaps even the neighbors. Join us in the
bomb shelter to share rations, plywood, and relive those glorious days when everyone had to
as they say “stop worrying and start loving the bomb.” Perhaps this is the end after all!!
Saturday June 18, 10:30 a.m.
Ilene Evans - Children’s Literature from the Left: 1920 – 1980. How do we approach the
education of children in a free society? This workshop looks at the values we teach through the
stories we tell and the literature we share with our children about people of color, immigrants
and strangers. Presentation is suitable for children and adults.
Saturday June 18, Noon
Doug Mishler - Aliens, Red Scares, and Isis: America in times of fear - America’s ideals of liberty
and freedom are central to our cultural identity. Yet many events in our history have
challenged and even destroyed those ideals for some, for at least a while. We will explore how
fears over events from the British returning in 1799, through World and Cold Wars, to 9-11 and
terrorism today, have often caused Americans to set aside our ideals in the name of “security.”