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Conversations at BSC features national parks and Theodore Roosevelt

Published: Apr 26 2015
The Conversations at BSC series at Bismarck State College winds down Sunday, May 3, with discussion and film imagery of the national parks and particular focus on Theodore Roosevelt.

America's 26th president doubled the number of national parks between 1901 and 1909. One of them was in North Dakota, where Roosevelt spent time raising cattle, hunting and honing his "rough rider" character in the mid-1880s.

The conversation between former BSC President Larry C. Skogen and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson begins at 3 p.m. in the Bavendick Stateroom of the National Energy Center of Excellence. Their program includes clips from Ken Burns' documentary series on the national parks. Questions and comments from the audience will complete the conversation.

Roosevelt is credited with saving the national parks as democratic "people's parks," rather than playgrounds for the rich and privileged. He would have created more if congress had been willing. Jenkinson and Skogen will discuss the story of the national parks, emphasizing the foundation, history and future of North Dakota's park.

In preparation, audience members are encouraged to reference "National Parks: The American Experience" by Alfred Runte, "Mountains without Handrails: Reflections on the National Parks" by Joseph L. Sax, and "Museums, Monuments, and National Parks: Toward a New Genealogy of Public History" by Denise Meringolo.

Programs are unrehearsed and emphasize the 360-degree perspective of the humanities lens. Live video/audio streaming is available at http://www.bismarckstate.edu/community/humanities/conversations/
. Audio alone is available on The Myx at bscmyx.com. Funding is provided by Bismarck State College and the BSC Foundation.
 

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Bismarck State College, an innovative community college in Bismarck, N.D., offers high quality education, workforce training, and enrichment programs reaching local and global communities.