Missouri Humanities

This episode of our Missouri Voices podcast is a special feature, a recording of the virtual keynote program from our 2025 Signature Series. This program, titled “From History to Action: Presidential Libraries and the Future of Civic Engagement,” highlights the vital role Presidential Libraries play in fostering democracy and civic engagement. The conversation, featuring insights from several Presidential Library leaders, examines how former Presidents have defined and exemplified citizenry throughout history.

Our conversation includes: Dr. Jay Barth, E.D. of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, AR; Alex Burden, E.D. of the Truman Library Institute in Kansas City, MO, which is the nonprofit arm of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum, and Christina Shutt, Executive Director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield Illinois. Leading our conversation is Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky. Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, VA.

What is Missouri Humanities ?

Welcome to Season 5: The Story of US! Throughout 250 years of United States history, the people and places of Missouri have played a vital role in shaping the nation’s story. At the crossroads of rivers, frontiers, and ideas, Missouri has been a stage for exploration, innovation, conflict, and change. From Indigenous peoples to French settlers and westward pioneers, Missouri’s story began before statehood and remains ingrained in the nation’s history. As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The Story of US invites Missourians to reflect on how Missouri’s people and communities have shaped defining chapters of our shared American journey. In this year-long series, we honor the enduring power of place and the voices, both celebrated and too often unheard, that reveal Missouri’s contributions to the complexity and promise of the American experience.

PAST SEASONS:
Season 1, "Eat, THINK, & Be Merry: Missouri's Foodways and Edible History"
Season 2, "Roots & Routes: The Movement and Settlement of Missourians"
Season 3, "Missouri Marvels: Humanities, Discovery, and Innovation"
Season 4, "Missouri Voices: Civics and Citizenry"

For more from Missouri Humanities, visit mohumanities.org