Old State House Awarded Grant For Summertime Lecture Series

HARTFORD — Continuing its mission to inspire civic engagement and involvement in the Constitution State, Connecticut’s Old State House will host an election year-inspired lecture series throughout the summer. The lecture series is made possible by a $15,000 grant through the Heritage Revitalization Fund of The Connecticut Humanities Council.

The series, titled “Taking Sides: The Role of Partisanship in Politics and Policy,” will explore pivotal moments in our state’s electoral process. Throughout history, Connecticut has been on the forefront of change and impacts from its often tumultuous political process have been felt throughout the country. Lecture topics will include the elections of 1860 and 1863, Connecticut’s “crowbar” governor Morgan Bulkeley and the contested election of 1890, and partisanship in the 19th Century media.

This year’s series will include: June 16, “When Connecticut’s Vote Mattered,” by Dr Matthew Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University; July 14, “Contested Elections,” by Kevin Murphy, author of Governor Crowbar (to be released by Wesleyan University Press, early 2011); and September 15, “Partisan Print — Newspapers Taking Sides in the 19th Century,” by Paul Janensch, associate professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University.

This is the second lunchtime lecture series offered this year by the museum. The first, “And Justice for Some: Race and Controversy at Connecticut’s Old State House,” explored themes of equality and civil rights in public policy during the winter.

Educational and community programming for Connecticut’s Old State House is managed for the Connecticut General Assembly by the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, Inc., a nonprofit company founded to provide comprehensive and unbiased educational programming and outreach on state government, civics and citizenship. For more information, visit Connecticut’s Old State House at CTOldStateHouse.org.