Scholarly Series on Gilded Age begins January 18

For the eighth time, the Wilton Historical Society and Wilton Library are partnering on an informative scholarly series about an important era in America’s history, the end of the 19th century known as the Gilded Age. This series, “The Gilded Age: Culture and Conflict at the End of the 19th Century,” examines a changing nation at a critical juncture. Many of today’s issues were beginning to take form such as change vs. status quo, federal vs. state involvement, regulation vs. laissez-faire, and more. The five-part Sunday series begins January 18 with the last installment on March 22; each lecture is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The series is sponsored by an anonymous donor with individual sponsors for each lecture. Louise Herot and Greg Chann will host the series with the lecture locations alternating between Wilton Library and Wilton Historical Society. Steve Hudspeth and Max Gabrielson will be returning as moderators and will share those duties. Informal receptions will follow each of the talks.

The five lectures and speakers are as follows:

• Sunday, January 18, 2015 at Wilton Library: The Gilded Age: A Familiar but Ambiguous Label for a Period of Rapid Change; Speaker—Ann Greene It is common to hear current times described as the New Gilded Age, but what was it about the first Gilded Age that has people saying this? Are the ideas about the first Gilded Age even accurate? Is ‘Gilded Age’ a useful description of the late nineteenth century in the United States or does this designation raise more questions than it answers? Ann Greene is a faculty member and administrator at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of History and Sociology of Science. She has written a book on the energy history of 19th century America, called Horses at Work: Harnessing Power in Industrial America and specializes in Gilded Age environmental, technological and political history. She is a returning speaker for the scholarly series. The lecture sponsor is Lee Wilson, Wilson Properties. Max Gabrielson is the moderator.
• Sunday, February 8 at Wilton Historical Society: A Gilded Life: Mark Twain; Speaker – Brent Colley Mark Twain’s life is perceived by many as a ‘charmed life’ but the reality is the rags to riches story of the most widely recognized author/humorist the world has ever known is not as ‘charmed’ as one might think. Speaker Brent Colley presents Mark Twain’s life and the challenges he faced and overcame throughout the course of his lifetime. Mr. Colley is a native of Redding and a Resident Scholar of Redding’s Mark Twain Library. Now living in Sharon, he is president of the Sharon Historical Society and Sharon’s First Selectman. He is an authority on Mark Twain and a popular speaker on Twain and on the history of this area of Connecticut. The lecture sponsors are Lila and Buck Griswold with Steve Hudspeth moderating.
• Sunday, February 22 at Wilton Library: Race Relations and Politics in the Gilded Age; Speaker – James Goodman Although race relations dominate the study of antebellum America, the Civil War, and Reconstruction through 1877, it tends to disappear in the Gilded Age, especially in the popular versions of the Gilded Age history. Professor James Goodman will examine why the topic of race relations should be discussed and how it informs today’s thinking. James Goodman is a professor of History and Creative Writing at Rutgers University, Newark. He is the author of short stories, essays, book reviews, and three books, Stories of Scottsboro, Blackout, and But Where is the Lamb? Lecture sponsors are Chris and Dan Delmar. The moderator is Max Gabrielson.
• Sunday, March 8 at Wilton Library: How the Other Half Lives; Speaker—Bonnie Yochelson Dr. Yochelson delves into a visual discussion of Jacob A. Riis’ contribution to social reform and photographic history of the Gilded Age. Bonnie Yochelson was formerly Curator of Prints and Photographs at the Museum of the City of New York, which holds the Jacob A. Riis Collection of Photographs. Among her books are Alfred Stieglitz New York (2010) and Berenice Abbott: Changing New York, The Complete WPA Project (1997). She is currently preparing a complete catalogue of the Jacob A. Riis Collection of Photographs and is organizing an accompanying exhibition with the Library of Congress, which holds the Jacob A. Riis Papers. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from New York University and is on the faculty of the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Elaine Tai-Lauria and Phil Lauria are the sponsors of this lecture with Steve Hudspeth moderating.
• Sunday, March 22 at Wilton Historical Society: From Civil War to Revolution: The Rapid Industrialization of America and the Challenges We Still Face; Speaker – Matthew Warshauer In this final lecture, Matthew Warshauer, Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University, will explore the remarkable and fast-paced changes to American life in the aftermath of the Civil War. Dr. Warshauer received his B.A. in history from Central Connecticut State University and completed his M.A. and Ph.D. in American Studies at Saint Louis University. He served as editor of Connecticut History from 2003 to 2011. In 2007, Dr. Warshauer won the Connecticut State University Trustees Research Award, and in 2012 the Association for the Study of Connecticut History Bruce Fraser Award in Public History and the New England History Teacher’s Association’s prestigious Kidger Award for distinguished research and innovative teaching. His publications include: Connecticut in the American Civil War, Andrew Jackson in Context, and Inside Connecticut and the Civil War: Essays on One State’s Struggles. He is a returning speaker for the scholarly series.

Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. The Wilton Historical Society is at 224 Danbury Road in Wilton. Registration is highly recommended for this very popular series. The lectures are free of charge although donations are always welcomed. To register, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org and click on Events or the Gilded Age icon on the homepage, or call the library at 203-762-3950, ext. 213.

(Pictured: Professor Matt Warshauer)

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