No Code Website BuilderSpeakers are listed alphabetically. Their topics or program titles are listed in the first column and their bios are in the middle. The right column includes important information for hosting venues, including their AV needs, speaker fee, travel limits, and if they are able to give their presentations virtually. Use the "Contact" button at the bottom of each entry to email the speaker and the "Website" button to visit their website.
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Double Trouble Village
Pinelands Industries
Lost Towns of the Pine Barrens
Andrew Anderson is the historian at Double Trouble Village State Historic Site at Double Trouble State Park. He is available to speak to your Adult, College, and High School groups most weeks Tuesday through Saturday mornings and early afternoons. Additional days and times may be arranged based on availability.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: $50
TRAVEL: 25 miles of Bayville, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
New Jersey Methodists, camp meeting revivalism, religious resorts on the Jersey Shore, immigrant colonies in the Pine Barrens, historical Bayshore resorts.
Samuel Avery-Quinn is a University College Senior Lecturer at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. He is the author of Cities of Zion: The Holiness Movement and Methodist Camp Meeting Towns in America and multiple articles on American religious history and historical landscapes. Having grown up in Vineland, his New Jersey research has included work in Methodist camp meeting communities, speculative towns in the Pine Barrens, early 20th-century immigrant settlements, and the resort histories of Bayshore communities.
NEED: None, table for laptop
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Throughout NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
The Delaware and Raritan Canal
Celebrate New Jersey
New Jersey: The Invention State
Alice Paul and the Fight for Suffrage
New Jersey Originals
A lifelong resident of the Garden State, Linda Barth has been a fan of New Jersey for a long time. As a fourth-grade teacher, she tried to focus students' attention on the positive aspects of our state. Linda has written two books on the D&R Canal and three children's picture books: "Bridgetenders Boy," "Hidden New Jersey," and "Alice Paul: Champion of Women’s Suffrage." She has also written "A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone" and "New Jersey Originals."
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet, Table for displaying books and table for the projector/computer
BOOKS: The Delaware and Raritan Canal ($20); Hidden New Jersey (paperback $10; hard cover $19); A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Edison to the Ice Cream Cone ($20); Bridgetender's Boy (paperback, $12; hard cover $20); New Jersey Originals: Technological Marvels, Odd Inventions, Trailblazing Characters & More (History Press, 2018); Alice Paul ($15)
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 100 miles of Somerville, NJ
VIRTUAL: No
Keynote speaker for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Vietnam Veterans Day, or any military recognition program
How to publish and promote a nonfiction book
Personal perspectives on the Vietnam war after 50+ Years
Humorous stories from the Vietnam war
Honor Flights, PeaceTrees Vietnam, GoldStar Mothers
Leadership and the military; What it's like to lead young men in combat
Robin Bartlett grew up in a military family. His grandfather, father, and brother all attended West Point, but after thirteen elementary and middle schools and four high schools, he decided he’d had enough of the military. But in college, as the Vietnam war escalated and eighteen-year-olds were drafted daily, Bartlett joined his college’s ROTC program and fell back into a familiar routine. Upon graduation as a Distinguished Military Graduate he volunteered for Infantry, Airborne, and Ranger training, and was assigned to the famed 82d Airborne Division. He got everything he asked for…and more. He was ordered to Vietnam and spent seven months leading 30 men as a combat infantry platoon leader in I Corps along the DMZ on search and destroy missions with the 1st Cavalry Division. His subsequent staff assignment was as the Division Historian. The unit's motto was: "You fight it, we write it."
Bartlett has spent most of his civilian career in the publishing field, marketing and selling textbooks, online journals, and medical databases. He worked for Prentice-Hall Publishers as a salesman and Marketing Director and for various publishers in sales, marketing, and editorial positions. He is a long-standing member of the Independent Book Publishing Association (IBPA) and was the Director of Education for the organization.
Bartlett holds a MA in Media from Pace University in NYC and a BA degree in Comparative Literature from Claremont McKenna College in California. He has written numerous business publications and a previous professional book published by Dun & Bradstreet.
He is the President of the NY/NJ Chapter of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, and a proud member of the 82d Airborne Division Association. He and his wife live in Norwood, New Jersey and have three sons none of whom have pursued military careers.
NEED: Lectern, Electric Outlet, Table
BOOKS: "Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History" Will have discounted autographed copies available for sale
FEE: None within the tri-state area: NY, NJ, CT
TRAVEL: No fee within the tri-state area: NY, NJ, CT
VIRTUAL: Yes (Zoom and Teams)
New Jersey's Civil War Experience, including books by the NJ Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, as well as others, including a history of NJ's African-American Civil War soldiers and the recently published "350 Years of New Jersey History: From Stuyvesant to Sandy"
Joseph G. Bilby received his BA and MA degrees in history from Seton Hall University and served as a lieutenant in the First Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1966-1967. Mr. Bilby is retired from the New Jersey Department of Labor and currently part time Assistant Curator of the New Jersey National Guard and Militia Museum in Sea Girt, New Jersey and a free lance writer and historical consultant. He is the author, editor or co-author of seventeen books and over 400 articles on New Jersey history and folklore, military history and Outdoor subjects in both Internet and print venues, has lectured widely on those subjects and is a columnist for The Civil War News and New Jersey Sportsmen News. He is publications editor for the New Jersey Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee and editor of and contributor to the award-winning New Jersey Goes to War, a book on 150 of the state’s Civil War era personalities and New Jersey’s Civil War Odyssey, an anthology of New Jersey Civil War essays covering the period between the 1850sand the 1961 centennial. Both books were published by the official New Jersey Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee. He is also co-author of “Hidden History of New Jersey,” “350 Years of New Jersey History: From Stuyvesant to Sandy” and, most recently “Hidden History of New Jersey at War.”
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: "New Jersey Goes to War" and "New Jersey's Civil War Odyssey" NJ Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee $20 each; "Freedom to All: New Jersey's African-American Civil War Soldiers"; Longstreeet House $20; "350 Years of New Jersey History: From Stuyvesant to Sandy” $20 Hidden History of New Jersey at War” $20; "A History of Submarine Warfare Along the Jersey Shore" $21.99
FEE: $150-$300
TRAVEL: 25 miles of Wall Twp., NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
Wicked Woodbridge & Crazy Carteret: Vice in New Jersey’s Oldest Township”
“The Wreck of The Broker” (1951 Woodbridge train wreck)
To Cast a Freedman’s Vote: How a handyman from Perth Amboy made Civil Rights history." (Thomas Mundy Peterson)
Made By My Own Hand: Exploring New Jersey's folk grave marker tradition" (with Stephanie M. Hoagland),
“Pinpointing Parker’s Print Shop” (James Parker)
Gordon Bond is an independent historian, author, and lecturer. He is the founder of www.GardenStateLegacy.com. He also runs his own freelance graphic designs business, Gordon Bond Designs.
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet, Table
BOOKS: ";To Cast a Freedman's Vote': Thomas Mundy Peterson at the Intersection of Suffrage, Citizenship, and Civil Rights" $20, "Man Failure: The Story of New Jersey's Deadliest Train Wreck" $30, "Hidden History of North Jersey," Hidden History of South Jersey," "Wicked Woodbridge & Crazy Carteret," $20, "James Parker: A Printer on the Eve of Revolution" $30
FEE: $300
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Newark, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
"Burlington County: Rooted in Agriculture"
"Cambell's Soup Company: More Than Just Soup"
"Robert Mill, architect"
"Ellis Parker and the Lindbergh Kidnapping"
"Burlington County and the American Revolution"
"Margaret Morris: Diary of 1776-1777"
"Samuel Leeds Allen: Inventor"
"The Jersey Devil"
"Victorian Holiday Traditions"
Marisa Bozarth has a B.A. in history from Lebanon Valley College, PA. She is the museum curator of history for Burlington County and her topics focus mainly on Burlington County, although many appeal to a wider New Jersey audience.
NEED: Screen, Electrical Outlet
FEE: None
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Mount Holly, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
Celebrating the Jersey Shore
New Jersey Shipwrecks
Great Storms of the Jersey Shore
"Josephine" (Photographs and reading from "Josephine: from Washington Working Girl to Fisherman's Wife. A Memoir 1917-1959)
Margaret Thomas Buchholz published The Beachcomber Newspaper on Long Beach Island for 35 years, then sold it to Jersey Shore Newsmagazines and continued as editor. This allowed her time to write. She is co-author of "Great Storms of the Jersey Shore" (1993 & 2019), which The New York Times called "one of the best documented compendiums ever published of what it meant to be there." She edited "Shore Chronicles: Diaries and Travelers' Tales from the Jersey Shore 1764-1955" (1999), "a real eye-opener," as described by Booklist. She is the author of "New Jersey Shipwrecks: 350 Years in the Graveyard of the Atlantic" (2004), which won the Foundation for Coast Guard History award, "a brilliantly researched chronicle of shipwrecks," Island Album: Photographs and Memories of Long Beach Island" (2006), "Josephine: From Washington Working Girl to Fisherman's Wife" (2012), "a luminous biography of a spirited woman and her journey through the first half of the 20th century.” She also edited the anthologies "Long Beach Island Reader” (2015) and "Long Beach Island Chronicles” (2018), (all Down The Shore Publishing). Her essays about the Jersey Shore have also been included in the anthologies "Four Seasons at the Shore" and "Shore Stories."
NEED: Projector, Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: See biography
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Throughout NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes. “Great Storms of the Jersey Shore” available together with Scott Mazzella, who updated book in 2019.
The German American Bund and the Nazi Spy from NJ – While researching his thesis topic, the German American Bund, he came across documents regarding a resident of Glen Rock in Bergen County NJ named Carl Schiphorst who lived there during the 1930s. He was a leader of the Bergen County Unit of the Bund as well as the target of a 145 page FBI investigation suspecting Schiphorst of being a Nazi agent. A thrilling story about the German American Bund, the FBI investigation, internment, and ultimate repatriation to Germany, a story which illustrates the plight of thousands of German families during WWII. Includes Nazi espionage activities in NJ.
The Hindenburg Disaster – An examination of the history of airships, the Hindenburg Disaster, the investigations and theories. Rare historical photos and an in depth look at a topic everyone has heard of but rarely have explored the details.
The Charles Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping – An examination of the crime, investigation, trial and execution including theories and conspiracies from a unique law enforcement perspective. Go beyond the headlines.
German Espionage and Sabotage During WWI – An examination of German activities during WWI in the greater NJ and NY areas including the Kingsland Explosion in Lyndhurst and the Black Tom Explosion at Jersey City. A thrilling spy tale.
German Espionage and Sabotage During WWII – An in depth examination of German espionage in the NJ and NY areas during WW2 including suspected sabotage at the Hercules Powder Plant in Roxbury, Operation Pastorius where 8 saboteurs were dropped off the US coast by Nazi Submarines and other spy stories that are sure to entertain.
When American Invaded Russia – An exciting examination of the American Expeditionary Forces in North Russia, also known as The Polar Bear Expedition, and the AEF in Siberia. Towards the end of WWI, American troops entered Russia as part of the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War. AEF troops were sent to Siberia and northern Russia and saw action against Bolshevik forces. Explore this fascinating yet little known story of direct conflict between the two world superpowers.
Genealogy and Historic Investigations – This is a multi-part class on genealogy and family history research from an investigative perspective. Learn outside the box thinking and approaches to genealogy from a historian with over 25 years of investigative experience. This class can be modified to cover the very basics of using Ancestry and starting a family tree to more experienced topics such as tackling brick walls and deep dives into getting the most out of historical and genealogical records.
James Calaski completed his undergraduate studies at William Paterson University of New Jersey in 1998. He served with the Glen Rock New Jersey Police Department for over twenty years, receiving numerous awards and citations. He continued his studies and received a Master of Arts degree in History at William Paterson University of New Jersey in May 2013.
While researching his thesis topic, the German American Bund, he came across documents regarding a resident of Glen Rock named Carl Schiphorst who lived there during the 1930s. He was a leader of the Bergen County Unit of the Bund as well as the target of a 145 page FBI investigation suspecting Schiphorst of being a Nazi agent. D/Sgt. Calaski has been researching Carl Schiphorst, his investigation, internment, and ultimate repatriation to Germany, a story which illustrates the plight of thousands of German families during WWII.
D/Sgt. Calaski first presented his findings to the public in conjunction with the Glen Rock Historical & Preservation Society in April 2015 and has been presenting to Historical Societies, libraries, civic organizations and other groups ever since with very positive reviews. His lecture is always in demand and in 2020 he began presenting virtually due to the pandemic. He is available in person or virtually for groups and sometimes lectures through the Ridgewood Community School, where individuals can register for his class at an individual rate.
In 2023, he expanded his lecture topics to include The Hindenburg Disaster and an examination of the Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping, investigation and trial. As a historian with over 25 years of law enforcement and investigative experience, James Calaski brings a unique and entertaining perspective to historic lectures and examinations of a range of topics that include military, espionage, crimes and genealogy. New presentations are in development and should be available in 2024.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: $250 plus travel expenses
TRAVEL: Travel fees over 10 miles from Wyckoff, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
Kate Macy Ladd, Natirar, The Kate Macy Ladd Convalescent Home, Far Hills, NJ
Meryl Carmel is a writer, historian, and nature lover. She was wholly unprepared for the perfect storm that developed when her three lifelong interests collided in 2007, never anticipating that her visit to the Somerset County Park called “Natirar” would lead to ten years of research in pursuit of the little-known story of New Jersey philanthropist Kate Macy Ladd.
The author’s work literally involved finding Kate’s living descendants as well as the descendants of some of her most devoted employees, a quest which took her to many far flung locations. Her travels made it possible to gain access to an array of family photographs, letters, diaries, and memorabilia; she also discovered her own unlikely link to Kate.
An enthusiastic gardener and explorer, Carmel is a former teacher, curriculum specialist, and museum director with degrees from Beloit and Edgewood Colleges in Wisconsin and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her graduate studies emphasized the role of women in our nation’s past.
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: "Finding Kate, the Unlikely Journey of 20th Century Healthcare Advocate Kate Macy Ladd"
FEE: $150-$200
TRAVEL: Consider most locations; travel expenses commensurate with distance
VIRTUAL:
Dining in the 19th Century
Achieving Artifical Light: Technological change
Lighting Devices and the Civil War
Reexamining the Irish Famines of 1845-51
The Great Road, Bloomfield Avenue and Early Capitalism in New Jersey
Dr. David A. Cowell is the former Curator, Zenas Crane homestead, West Caldwell, President, Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association, past-President Advocates for New Jersey History, Historic Preservation Action Committee, Professor of Political Science Emeritus, Drew University, Director, Drew Univ. Semester in London, International Seminars in Ireland, Egypt, Summit Antiques Center, Hamburg Antiques Center, President, Assoc. Antiques Dealers of New Jersey.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet, two 6 or 8 foot tables for the illustrated lectures
FEE: $150 plus travel
TRAVEL: Throughout New Jersey
VIRTUAL: Yes
History of Athletics (All Sports)
History of Education (Colleges/Universities)
Catholic New Jersey
Irish New Jersey
French New Jersey
Radio History, etc.
Alan Delozier currently works as University Archivist and Special Collections Education Coordinator - Seton Hall University; Executive Director - New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission; State Historian - New Jersey Ancient Order of Hibernians, and Vice President of the South Orange Historical Preservation Society.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: Seton Hall Pirates - A Basketball History (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2002) and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2011)
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Open
VIRTUAL: Yes
In Flew Enza: The 1918 Flu Epidemic in Philadelphia and New Jersey
When There Were Witches: An Exploration of the Salem Witch Trials (can include audience participation in a witch examination)
Mickey DiCamillo, president of the Historical Society of Moorestown, is a research librarian and archivist who has served in some of the region's most renown institutions including The Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania's Lippincott Library. He has published reviews in the Journal of Film and History, has written for the Encyclopedia of Philadelphia, and has delivered lectures for audiences large and small. He keeps audiences engaged with a flair for story telling and a focus on the artifacts that help us understand how history is created.
NEED: None
FEE: $150-$250
TRAVEL: 60 miles of Moorestown, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
Offers a series of lectures focusing on the founding of our country. Among the most popular are:
GEORGE WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY, AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
The Man…The State…The War...A Revolutionary Trifecta! General Washington orders you to book this lecture!
AFTER THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
From 1783 through the French Revolution to The War of 1812. We rebelled…we fought…we won…now what?
REMEMBER THE LADIES-WOMEN DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Part one: BEING A WOMAN
Part two: LIFE AND DEATH - Health and medicine in Colonial America
Part three: OUR COUNTRY’S FIRST LADIES (and First Mother)
Part four: THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU
REMEMBERING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Mark Twain once said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” In this lecture we look at iconic events and people from the American Revolution to see if our memory is reality or just a real good story!
PAINTING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION -THE POWER OF THE “FINE ARTS”
The founding of our country as seen through the eyes of the artist. With an over 100 photo feast for the eyes, an information feat for the brain, and even a little singing feast for the ears—even if you can’t carry a tune!
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE - THE WHOLE STORY FROM CONCEPTION TO CELEBRATION
Encompasses the Magna Carta, The French and Indian War, declaring independence, the Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, Napoleon, and the War of 1812
THE PILGRIMS AND THE MAYFLOWER-FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
We celebrate Thanksgiving every November, but do you really know why? This lecture will answer all of your questions including: Who were the Pilgrims and why did they sail on the Mayflower? What’s the real story behind Thanksgiving? What does Henry VIII (yes, the one with all the wives) have to do with any of this? And…what’s with the turkey?
Full a full description on any of the above lectures, contact Joel using the "Contact" button below or call
973-454-3832
CLICK ON THE “WEBSITE” LINK BELOW FOR A LIST OF MORE LECTURES
Joel Farkas is a graduate of The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) He is a retired business owner and was an officer in The United States Army. He currently is a volunteer docent for The National Park Service at Washington’s Headquarters in Morristown. As a hobby, Joel collects autographs and has original paper, documents, etc., signed by many of our country’s founders.
WHY BOOK MY LECTURES
My Mission
To motivate you to learn more about the founding of our country, the people and events that impacted and shaped the world we live in today. I want to prove to you that history does matter.
My Method
Interesting, enjoyable, inspiring, thought provoking, entertaining, “fun” lectures
What Audiences Have Said
“That was really interesting”
“You mean that’s not true?”
“I never knew that”
“Now I understand”
“So that’s what that was all about”
“Aha! I get it!”
“Fascinating”
“Tell me more”
THE TAKEAWAY
We can effect a better future by knowing and understanding our past.
REMEMBER:
“The past is NOT dead! In fact, it’s not even past.” —William Faulkner
NEED: Electrical outlet-if in person or Hybrid; Zoom invite - if virtual or hybrid
FEE: In Person - starting at $150.00
Virtual - $135.00
Hybrid - starting at $175.00
TRAVEL: Yes
VIRTUAL: Yes and Hybrid
Lost Amusement Parks of the Jersey Shore
Hidden History of Monmouth County, NJ
Quakers & Slavery in NJ
NJ’s Submarine Inventors: Simon Lake & John Holland
The Morris Family, NJ Founding Family
Slavery Stories from New Jersey
Historians of Monmouth County
Rick Geffken is an author and historian retired from careers in teaching and the computer industry. He has written numerous articles on various aspects of New Jersey history for local newspapers, magazines, historical societies, and newsletters. Rick has presented historical papers at the New Jersey History & Historic Preservation in 2014 and 2015. He has participated in Symposia for groups such as the Navesink Maritime Historical Association, and he has appeared on the New Jersey Cable TV show, Family Historian.
Rick has spoken about New Jersey historical topics – Lost Amusement Parks; Quakers & Slavery in NJ; NJ’s Submarine Inventors: Simon Lake & John Holland; The Morris Family of NJ, Slavery in New Jersey - at dozens of historical societies and libraries. He has been a featured speaker at the Trent House Museum, the Quaker Meeting of Shrewsbury, the Battleground Historical Society, and other organizations. He is a Trustee of the Shrewsbury Historical Society; Past-president and a Trustee of the Jersey Coast Heritage Museum at Sandlass House; and a member of the Monmouth County Historical Association.
Rick is currently heading up a project called the New Jersey Slavery Records Index under the auspices of Monmouth University of West Long Branch, NJ.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: The Story of Shrewsbury Revisited, 1965-2015; Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore; Highland Beach, Gateway to the Jersey Shore, 1888-1962; Hidden History of Monmouth County; To Preserve & Protect, profiles of people who recorded the history and heritage of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Stories of Slavery in New Jersey.
FEE: $200 (includes signed books)
TRAVEL: within NJ (post-pandemic)
VIRTUAL: Yes; Zoom, WebEx, etc.
NEW JERSEY in the CIVIL WAR: Fiction versus Fact. Did New Jersey back the Confederates?
NEW JERSEY'S MODERN GOVERNORS: The Track Record since 1945. Were the governors a bunch of nonenities?
THE AMERICAN COWBOY: Myth versus Reality. Was the cowboy a superman?
VIOLENCE on the FRONTIER: Reputation versus Reality. Was the frontier West torn by violence?
Bill Gillette graduated from Georgetown; received his M.A. from Columbia; and earned a Ph.D. from Princeton. His first book, The Right To Vote: Politics and the Passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, explored the effort of the Republican Congress to grant voting rights to African Americans in the border states and northern states. The second book, Retreat from Reconstruction, 1869-1879, traced how the federal government under presidents Ulysses Grant and Rutherford Hayes and most northerners gave up on the northern effort to reform the South. The third book, Jersey Blue: Civil War Politics in New Jersey, 1854-1865, examined the role of New Jerseyans in coping with the challenges of civil war. Gillette received several prizes for various publications. In addition, Gillette was a Fulbright exchange professor in Austria, Japan, and Russia. He served in the United States Army in South Korea. He taught at Rutgers for forty-eight years and is now retired. His courses included Civil War and Reconstruction, New Jersey History, and the American Frontier West.
NEED: None
BOOKS: None
FEE: $150-250
TRAVEL: N.J.; + mileage
VIRTUAL: No
Progressive era education, esp manual training programs, Bordentown Manual Training and Industrial School, John Dewey and W.E.B. Du Bois: Icons of Education, NJ historian Marion Thompson Wright, Grimkes in New Jersey (under development)
Connie Goddard., Ph.D., is a journalist and historian of education with a particular interest in progressive era reforms. She has taught in colleges, schools, and prisons in Chicago, New Jersey, and Romania. Currently, she is writing about three distinctive manual training schools circa 1900 in Chicago, New Jersey, and North Dakota.
NEED: Projector, Screen
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50 - 60 miles depending
VIRTUAL: Yes
Owning New Jersey - The role of land and land ownership in the development of the Colony & State
Good Deeds and Bad Deeds - Using land records in Genealogical Research
Georgia of the North - African American Land Ownership in the Antebellum Period
Public Burials on Private Grounds - Ancient cemeteries and burial rights
Housing Discrimination in New Jersey, If these Walls Could Talk - Researching House Histories
Land Records Clinic - How to Use the County Clerk's Records
The Cartographer's Apprentice - Maps and Mapping in New Jersey
Individualized Custom Program focused on local land record history
Joe Grabas is a Professional Educator, Speaker, Land Title Expert, Historian and Author of the award winning book, Owning New Jersey. Having spent almost 4 decades researching real property records, he brings a unique perspective to historical discourse. He is recognized locally and nationally as a Certified Title Professional and Forensic Expert in matters relating to real estate. Mr. Grabas serves on the NJ Tidelands Resource Council and as an Historical Commissioner for the County of Monmouth.
NEED: Electric Outlet
BOOKS: Owning New Jersey: Historic Tales of War, Property Disputes & the Pursuit of Happiness. The History Press $20.00
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Everywhere; Expenses Negotiable
VIRTUAL:
Long Branch, New Jersey in the Golden Age when presidents, entertainers, business tycoons and vacationers visited this beautiful city by the sea. Mary Todd Lincoln visited in 1861, President Ulysses Grant owned a summer cottage and President Garfield came here to recuperate from bullet wounds inflicted by an assassin. He died in the Eleron section of the city as death knolls rang from the nearby St. James Chapel, now called the Church of the Presidents.
Sharon Hazard is a New Jersey-based author/researcher specializing in historical topic. She is a member of the Author's Guild and the American Society of Professiona Journalists and Authors.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Lectern
BOOKS: Long Branch in the Golden Age, Tales of Famous and Fascinating People; The City Beyond the Bluff, the Life and Times of Long Branch; Historic Photos of Newark.
FEE: $300
TRAVEL: anywhere in New Jersey or New York
VIRTUAL: Yes
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Across New Jersey, The Railroad Navy of New York Harbor
In 2009, Ralph A. Heiss wrote the book, "The Lehigh Valley Railroad Across New Jersey", published by Arcadia under their "Images of America" series. Ralph frequently gives presentations at various Prototype Railroad Modeling conventions across the Northeast, and is currently working on a second book about the Lehigh Valley Railroad in New Jersey.
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: The Lehigh Valley Railroad Across New Jersey, Arcadia Publishing, 2009
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 30 miles of South Plainfield, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike
Evelyn M. Hershey is the Education Director of the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark, whose mission is to advance public understanding of the history of work, workers and the labor movement, with special attention to the ethnicity and immigrant experience of American workers. Evelyn earned a BA and MA from Rutgers University.
NEED: None
BOOKS: Around Haledon: Immigration and Labor by Angelica M. Santomauro and Evelyn M. Hershey, Arcadia Publishing, 2008.
FEE: $100
TRAVEL: New Jersey & Metropolitan Area
VIRTUAL: Yes
History of Picatinny Arsenal
Archaeology of Picatinny Arsenal
How to do Archaeology
Archaeology Basics
Cultural Resource Management
Historic Preservation
Section 106 Basics
Jason J. Huggan, R.P.A. is the Env. Affairs Division Chief and Garrison Archaeologist for Picatinny Arsenal. He works within the Directorate of Public Works. He has been with Picatinny for 13+ years and prior to this held similar Cultural Resource positions at Fort Lee, VA and Fort Irwin, CA. Mr. Huggan has his Master's degree in Archaeology and Heritage from the University of Leicester, UK and has worked in over 15 states across the continental U.S. with over 15 yrs of experience in cultural resource management.
NEED: Screen, Lectern, Electric Outlet
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50-75 miles of East Bangor, PA
VIRTUAL: Would consider it with enough notification to prepare virtual presentation
Local and regional history of African Americans in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Peninsula, in the areas of Civil Rights, the Civil War, education, labor, politics, and popular culture
James E. Johnson, PhD specializes in the U.S. Civil War, African American Studies, and Social Studies Teach Education.
NEED: Screen, Podium, Electric Outlet, Internet Access
FEE: $300
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Province, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
The New Jersey Cranberry, Blueberries- New Jersey's Wonder Fruit , The Jersey Tomato, Apples - Dumplings, Cider and Jack , Corn - Simply A-Maize-ing , Fun & Food Along the Jersey Shore , The New Jersey Greenwich Tea Party , Strawberry Fields in New Jersey , NJ's Agricultural Inventions, Innovations, and Discoveries
Judith Krall-Russo presents her food and tea history programs in a storytelling fashion. Whether she is speaking about the Jersey tomato, blueberries or her beloved beverage, tea, Judith weaves humor and anecdotes throughout the presentation. The audience is unaware that they are learning and leave feeling entertained and inspired.
Many of her listeners comment on how they are motivated to pull out those long forgotten cook books, discover new recipes, or purchase a new teapot in order to brew some loose leaf tea for close friends.
Judith Krall-Russo, historian, educator, speaker, and cook continually adds to her program list and enriches her programs through attending classes, research, and interviewing experts in their field.
NEED: Lectern, Electric Outlet
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 65 miles of Fords, NJ
VIRTUAL: No
1920 Tea Rooms (Maizie Brews a Business)
Community Cookbooks: A Civil War Legacy (illustrated lecture w/wo PowerPoint)
Flag over the Schoolhouse (First Person Presentation or lecture available)
Practical & Pretty: The History of Aprons (interactive presentation)
Maureen O'Connor Leach was born and raised in Greenwich Village, NYC . She is a graduate of Hunter College High School , earned a BA in History from Hunter College and a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School. After practicing as an attorney, she turned to her love of history as a career. For nearly 20 years she has been a historic interpreter and museum administrator. Currently she is a presenter as well as a consultant to historic sites and cultural institutions Maureen is a member of the Monmouth County Historical Commission. Alternate email mocdel1049@gmail.com
NEED: Projector Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Anywhere in NJ; Travel Expenses Depending on Distance
VIRTUAL: No
Ten Moral Moments in the Life of Abraham Lincoln
The Rise of Lincoln
John & Abigail Adams: A Love Story
FDR & The Women who Loved Him
The Crossing: 1776
10 Days That Saved America
The Life & Murder of President James A. Garfield
The Real Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962: The day we all almost died
Gettysburg: 15 Decisions That doomed the confederacy.
Glenn LeBoeuf has been a History/Biography lecturer since 1984. References gladly provided. Specializing in Lincoln & Washington's character.
Spoke to J&J, Prudential & Morgan Stanley execs.
NEED: None
FEE: $250
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Lincroft, NJ , greater negotiable
VIRTUAL: Yes
BRIDGE BUILDER IN PETTICOATS: Emily Warren Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge
NOBODY OWNS THE SKY: Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Female Aviators
A W.A.S.P. TAKES WING: The Women Airforce Pilots of World War II
"CRAZY DAISY" Juliette Gordon Low, Intrepid Founder of the Girl Scouts
MOTHERS OF INVENTION
REMEMBERING THE LADIES: From Patriots in Petticoats to Presidential Candidates
PICKETS & PERSISTENCE, WAR SERVICE & WOMAN SUFFRAGE
RECLAIMING OUR VOICE: New Jersey's Overlooked Role in the Fight for Woman Suffrage
OUR RIGHTS TOO! Overlooked Women of Color in the Fight for Women's Rights
Carol Simon Levin is an author, storyteller and program presenter based in Bedminster N.J.
Whether she is impersonating the woman who helped to build the Brooklyn Bridge, pioneering women in aviation, the founder of the Girl Scouts, or the many tireless champions who fought for women's rights in this country, or engaging families in a rousing Halloween Hootenanny of songs and stories, Carol always strives to create exciting programs that engage her audience's interests and expand their horizons.
She specializes in women's history and the history of technology and is the author of Remembering the Ladies: From Patriots in Petticoats to Presidential Candidates and the Garden State Legacy article "Reclaiming Our Voice: NJ's Role in the Fight for Woman Suffrage."
She is happy to bring her presentations to libraries, senior centers, historical societies, and women's clubs as well as schools, camps and other venues. For more information, check out her website tellingherstories.com. Additional programs and resources for children and teachers can be found at: www.carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com
Carol Simon Levin is a member of the New Jersey Storytelling Guild, the New Jersey Library Association, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
NEED: Screen or TV Monitor, Electrical Outlet
BOOKS: "Remembering the Ladies: From Patriots in Petticoats to Presidential Candidates" and the Garden State Legacy article "Reclaiming Our Voice: NJ's Role in the Fight for Woman Suffrage" -- links to both at www.tellingherstories.com
FEE: $125 plus travel
TRAVEL: Flexible, Depending on Distance
VIRTUAL: Yes
Neighborhood Nukes - The Nike Missile Program and New Jersey's Cold War Legacy
Richard Lewis has been a photographer since the 1970's and has been photographing abandoned historic sites including cold war Nike missile batteries that were located around the state of New Jersey. Their purpose was to defend Philadelphia and New York City from atomic bombs delivered by Russian bombers. Learn the history of the US Army's Nike Missile program and what it was like to serve on one of these batteries through interviews with veterans who served in the program and photographs of surviving abandoned bases.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Medford, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
RCA Labs and 6 Inventions that Changed the World
David Sarnoff, RCA, and the American Century
Inventive Spaces at RCA
A Life History of Television
What We Assumed about Wireless before Titanic
How Frankenstein went Electric
A Scientist under Suspicion: Vladimir Zworykin, the FBI, and the Politics of High Technology
Dr. Alexander Magoun, outreach historian for the IEEE History Center in Piscataway, is one of the world's leading authorities on the histories of RCA and consumer electronics, from phonographs to televisions. Starting with his dissertation on the evolution of the phonograph record and continuing with ten years of directing the David Sarnoff Library in Princeton, he has researched their significant connections to the Garden State, and the many connections between New Jersey and U.S. and global history. Dr. Magoun has written and lectured extensively for a wide range of audiences, from middle school students and retirees to engineers and scholars, in ten states and eleven countries.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: "David Sarnoff Research Center: From RCA Laboratories to Sarnoff Corporation" (Arcadia, 2003), $19.95; "Television: Life Story of a Technology" (Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2007), $27.00
FEE: $150-$250
TRAVEL: Negotiable
VIRTUAL: Yes
Revolutionary War Events - (Talks customized for actions in your specific area.) Presentations based on books include:
"Revolutionary New Jersey" - Towns and Crossroads of the American Revolution. Covers role of over 100 NJ towns in the War
"Searching for Private Yankee Doodle" - Describes the lives of common soldiers in the American Revolution
"The Forgotten Revolution" – The stories of many overlooked and forgotten Revolutionary War sites in the Northeast US
"The War Man" – True story of a soldier who fought from Quebec to Yorktown during the entire 8 years of the War
"The Portrait of an American Family" Study tracing family back 19 generations in Europe and America
Finding and Tracing Revolutionary War Soldiers (Lecture - Genealogical research)
Robert A. Mayers's books are based on research of obscure original sources overlooked earlier historians. As a descendant of Patriot soldier, Corporal John Allison, the Revolution is personal to Bob Mayers. He is an active member of several historical societies and is a frequent speaker and contributor to their publications. His service as a combat officer in both the Navy and Marine Corps provides him with a deeper prospective of the many battles depicted in his work. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University. The work of Bob Mayers has been featured in History Channel Magazine, Garden State Legacy, Comcast TV programs, the NY Genealogical and Biographical Record and other national media. His speaking events are enjoyed by everyone and just not hardcore history fans. His audiences often comment that they regret that during their school days they tuned out history as distant and dull.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: Visit him at wwww.revolutionarydetective.com and amazon.com/author/bobmayers
FEE: $150-$300
TRAVEL: Unlimited with fee adjustment
VIRTUAL: No
“Vulgarly Called the Throat Distemper”: New Jersey’s Two-Century Struggle Against Diphtheria
Dr. Joseph Stickler of Orange: Scarlentina and the Wrath of the Antivivisectionists
Dr. Henry Kesser’s Excellent Adventure: Peter Stuyvesant’s Pegleg
An Ornament to the Profession: New Jersey Doctors and Their Professional Brethren
Ironclad Surgeon: A Newark Doctor’s Civil War
New Jersey Radiology: The First Decade
James Still and the regulars: the struggle for legitimacy (African American healer/NJ)
Newark's Civil War hospital
Pestilence across the Delaware: yellow fever epidemics of the 1790s in New Jersey
Homeopaths and hydropaths: Holistic health in New Jersey)
Doc Holliday: Dentist at the OK Corral
Mad Hatters, The Radium Girls, and the Asbestos Hotel: Stories of New Jersey Industrial Toxins
Women Doctors, Nurses, and Hospital Administrators in the Civil War (with an emphasis on New Jersey)
Poliomyelitis - Newark 1916: "The Grip of Terror"
Subjects for medical groups also available
Sandra Moss M.D., M.A. (History) is a retired internist with a degree in the history of medicine. My speaking engagements have included the Hermitage, Nassau Club in Princeton, Princeton Historical Society, Institute of New Dimensions in Bergen County, the Medical History Society of New Jersey, the Raritan Yacht Club, the American Osler Society (an organization for historians of medicine), the American Association for the History of Medicine, the annual meeting of New Jersey historians, Newark Historical Society, libraries, community centers, veterans' groups, senior living facilities. My research is focused on the history of medicine in New Jersey and is aimed at both physician audiences and general audiences. I have contributed close to forty articles, chapters, and reviews to a wide variety of medical and historical journals, including several New Jersey history publications, encyclopedias, and Choice Magazine (a resource for academic librarians). I am past president of the Medical History Society of New Jersey and of the American Osler Society. All my presentations include PowerPoint illustrations.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: I have published four books on the history of medicine in New Jersey (all available at Amazon):
The Country Practitioner: Ellis P. Townsend's Brave Little Medical Journal
Edgar Holden, M.D., of Newark: Provincial Physician on a National Stage
Poliomyelitis: Newark 1916:"The Grip of Terror"
FEE: None
TRAVEL: 10 miles of Metuchen NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes (with computer support from host)
The Real “Stolen Election”: Frank Hague and New Jersey’s 1937 Race for Governor
Bossism & Machine Politics in New Jersey
Political Extremism in American Politics
Joseph M. Murray was born and raised in Jersey City, and later resided in Livingston and Morristown. He earned a dual major BA (English Literature and History) from Jersey City State College, an MA in European History from New York University and a Master’s Certificate in Contract Management from George Washington University. His article "Bosses & Reformers: The Jersey City Victory Movement of 1957" was published in New Jersey History and received the William A. Whitehead Award.
Subsequent research into Bossism and Machine Politics led to production of documentary films covering New Jersey Boss Frank Hague, the rise of the movement that unseated him, and the complicated Hudson County politics under his Democratic successor, John V. Kenny. Joe collaborates with the New Jersey Room of the Jersey City Public Library, participating in webinars and symposia relating to New Jersey political history. His recent research into New Jersey’s 1937 gubernatorial election led to publication of The Real “Stolen Election”: Frank Hague and New Jersey’s 1937 Race for Governor, in the Winter 2023 issue of New Jersey Studies Journal.
Having lived in Asia for over 25 years, Joe’s business career spans such companies as AT&T, Lucent Technologies, the UK start-up, Sarantel, and Schneider Electric. In 2016, he relocated his family from Singapore to Flower Mound, Texas, where today he operates as a global media talent and vocational historian.
NEED: None; I can provide a complete audio visual presentation if facilities are available/if desired.
BOOKS: None
FEE: $100-$150
TRAVEL: Negotiable
VIRTUAL: Yes
Practical Preservation of Photographs
Document Digitization and ephemera for eternity
Early History of Fairleigh Dickinson University
History of Rutherford New Jersey
History of Photography
Bee Keeping for Preservation and Profit
Practicing Historic Preservation in your community
Recording, Writing and Publishing History
How to Write and Publish History Books with Arcadia and History Press
General Robert Erskine: Mine Master and Mapmaker of the American Revolution
Walking tours of Paterson, Rutherford and New York City
How to Develop an Exciting Walking Tour
Architect Edgar I. Williams his brother the poet Dr. William Carlos Williams and their hometown of Rutherford, NJ
The Assistant Photographer and Commercial Photography as a Career
The Revolutionary War in Southern Bergen County...or not so much
Why and How to Get Involved with Habitat For Humanity.
William “Billy” Neumann is a commercial photographer with 25+ years of competitive experience in NYC while teaching as an Adjunct Professor of Photography with School of Visual Arts. For five years he was chairman of Rutherford’s Historic Preservation Commission, is currently Chair of the Bergen County Historic Preservation Advisory Board, a PNJ Board Member and graduated Drew University’s Historic Preservation Certification Program as a CHP.
Billy is a popular speaker on many topics regarding history, historic preservation, photography, preserving photographic materials, writing and Bergen County. Billy has authored two history books and administers 20 Facebook sites. He produces walking tours through Paterson, NYC and his historic hometown of Rutherford where has lived all his life on the remnant of a large 135 yr old farm 8 miles west of Times Square. He laughs way too much maybe because he sleeps outside on a porch from March to November. Neumann is a 30 yr volunteer for Habitat For Humanity, advocates for public libraries, public radio and arts organizations. He admits to keeping bees and being a love slave to a certain Golden Retriever. His religious believe is that Motown is the ultimate American musical genre and there should be a Tambourine Hall of Fame
NEED: Projector Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: Rutherford: A Brief History (The History Press) , Rutherford: Images of America (Arcadia Pubs.), Revolutionary Bergen County, The Road to Independence (The History Press)
FEE: $100-$300 negotiable!
TRAVEL: 100 miles of Rutherford, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
The Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, history and navigation
Pure Drinking Water for New Jersey
Employing the State of the Art Science of 1876
Jamaica Bay As New York City's Conflicted Backyard: Recreation And Refuse, Transportation And Trash, Wetlands And Wastelands
History of the Montclair and Greenwood Lake Railroad
Kevin Olsen is a lifelong resident of New Jersey and an avid student of the state's history. He has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry from Plymouth State College of the University System of New Hampshire. He has both an MS degree in chemistry and a PhD in Environmental Management from Montclair State University. Kevin has been a field archaeologist in New Jersey and New York City. He has worked at the Monksville Reservoir in Ringwood, New Jersey, and the Barclay Bank Project in lower Manhattan.
Kevin is the instrumentation specialist on the support staff of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department of Montclair State University. He is also a member of the university's New Jersey Center for Water Science and Technology where he serves as the analytical chemist and the Go-To person for all historical questions.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: A Great Conveniency, A Maritime History of the Passaic River, Hackensack River, and Newark Bay.
Rails to Sterling Forest: The History of the Erie's Greenwood Lake Division.
FEE: None
TRAVEL: Northern New Jersey, Central New Jersey, Southern New York State
VIRTUAL: Yes
“Medicinal Plants of the Civil War”
Could plants have played a role in the outcome of the Civil War? Learn how important plants were in every aspect of this conflict, on battlefields and home fronts of both the North and the South. Over 30 plants are discussed, and their medicinal properties explained. The history of patent medicines is explored, and you will meet one of America's most important poets, the first African American physician and the man who revolutionized medical texts. Audiences are often surprised to see how many "Civil War" plants they are already growing, and the haunting historic images create a compelling tale of interest to history buffs as well as gardeners. Lesley is the recipient of the Annual Award for Special Achievement from the North Jersey Civil War Roundtable.
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey: Early American Women and Their Kitchen Gardens"
Kitchen gardens in the 1700s fed, healed, and clothed Early American families. The 18th century "huswife" skill set included "physicke, cookery, distillation, perfumery, the making of wool, hemp, flax, dayries, brewing, baking," and, of course - gardening. From laundry day to beauty treatments, explore the daily life of colonial and early American women. Learn about heirloom fruits and vegetables, both Old and New world, how to grow and cook them, and how, in doing so, these women turned their soup pots into the "melting pot" that is America. Then, meet some “Real Housewives” who exemplified all the best qualities of plantswomen and patriots.
“We Grew it Here: 100 Years of New Jersey's Horticultural History.”
Think New Jersey only grows tomatoes? Think again. New Jersey was once the pinnacle for peaches, the ultimate for orchids, the tops for turf. 19th century New Jersey plant nurseries led the nation with their innovative breeding, greenhouse, field, and marketing techniques. Meet the horticultural superstars who made New Jersey their home. Impresarios, hermits, academics, politicos, and a cast of unlikely characters will make you a believer - New Jersey is the "Garden State."
Lesley Parness is a public garden professional and garden historian who has worked in Europe and America over the last five decades, teaching horticulture and garden history. Lesley is herself a student of “the Green History of the World,” in which socio-economic and geopolitical forces take the back seat, and plants lead the narrative.
She is a founding member and past President of Garden State Gardens, a consortium of New Jersey's public gardens. Her column, The Garden Historian, is featured bi-monthly in Gardener News Magazine and other writings include print and online garden publications. Lesley was Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission where she oversaw education and interpretation at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Willowwood Arboretum, and the Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center. Now retired, she is a frequent speaker to garden clubs, plant and historic societies, Master Gardeners, and libraries. Her mission? To connect people and plants with science and story. For a complete list of talks, Lesley’s schedule, and program reviews please visit her website.
NEED: Screen, access to an electrical outlet, and if the room is large, a microphone
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Just about anywhere
VIRTUAL: Yes
"The Historic Peace Conference of September 11, 1776" Other topics related to central New Jersey American Revolutionary War history may be developed to suit the occasion.
Donald Johnstone Peck is an alumnus of Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, Class of 1961, with a major in history and French, including additional studies in political science at the Institute of Political Studies of the University of Paris, France, 1960. Graduate studies include French at Columbia University, New York City, 1961 and theology at Drew University, Madison, NJ, 1977. Professionally, President and CEO of The Clausen Company, Inc., Fords, NJ, a leading manufacturer of automotive refinishing products for the automotive aftermarket and Past President of the National Association of Autobody Filler Manufacturers, 1983-1986. Non-professionally, Trustee for the League of New Jersey Historical Societies, immediate Past President of the Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance, Inc., Somerset, NJ, Life member and President Emeritus of the Proprietary House Association, Perth Amboy, NJ, member of The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New Jersey
NEED: Lectern
BOOKS: "An American Journey of Hope," "A Spirited War," "General Joseph Bloomfield - A Revolutionary Life," all published by American History Press
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Fords, NJ; further with expenses
VIRTUAL: No
David Brearley, 1745-1790, NJ signer of the Constitution
Tom Pyle
Princeton University AB, American History, 1976
Treasurer, Princeton Battlefield Society
Senior Deacon, Mercer Lodge No. 50, NJ Free & Accepted Masons
Former banker and business executive
NEED: Lectern, Electric Outlet
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Princeton, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
The Skirt and stocking clad soldier: Women join the military in WWII
The Cold War Homefront and Defenses: Nuclear Missiles in your backyard
Roosevelt’s Tree Army: The History of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Shipwrecks and Lifesavers: the History of the Coast Guard's predecessor organizations
Thunder on the Beach: Sandy Hook Proving Ground
Women Lighthouse Keepers
America's National Parks
Christmas in WWII or WWII Homefront
Preserving Your Family's Artifacts
The Smallest War Hero: the US Army Pigeon Service
Mary Rasa is a historian who worked as a museum curator and park ranger for the National Park Service for 16 years. She holds a BA in Historic Preservation and a Masters in Library Science. She conducted over one thousand programs for audiences from school children to academic and professional conferences, seniors groups and historic societies. She currently conducts historic programs as well as completing grants, research and exhibit work for local organizations as an independent contractor.
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ONLY
FEE: $125
The George Washington Bridge, Poetry in Steel
Looking for America on the New Jersey Turnpike
Showshoeing Through Sewers (Jersey adventures)
The Jews of New Jersey: A Pictorial History
After a career in the diplomatic service Michael Aaron Rockland joined Rutgers as a dean and later the founder and chair of the American Studies Department, where he is a full professor. He is the author of sixteen books and some sixty feature stories for New Jersey Monthly magazine. He has had five Fulbright distinguished lectureships and spoken in some 28 countries abroad and is a recipient of the Governor Richard J. Hughes Award for "a lifetime of contributions to New Jersey history and culture."
NEED: Lectern, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: All of my books on New Jersey are available for puchase at my talks. 1) G.W.B. book, $30 2) Turnpike book, $25, 3) Adventure book, $20 4) Jews of New Jersey $25.
FEE: $300 minimum
TRAVEL: 100 of Morristown, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
"We Are Present and Future Women: Freehold Young Ladies Seminary 1845-1892"
"Just In From Ireland: Indentured Servitude in Monmouth County 1750 - 1850"
"Micah Williams, Portrait Artist"
"Freehold Industry: The A & M Karagheusian Rug Mill 1908 - 1961"
"Julia's Wardrobe: One Woman's Fashion in 1868"
"On the Edge of War: Monmouth Before the Revolution"
"History of the Monmouth County Historical Association 1898-2023."
Bernadette Rogoff, Director of Collections of the Monmouth County Historical Association, has produced more than 45 changing exhibitions since 1992. She has lectured at the American Folk Art Museum, Princeton Art Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Historic Morven, and at the New Jersey History Conferences. Rogoff is a recognized expert in historic fashion and textiles and has consulted with regional historic societies.
NEED: Screen, Electrical Outlet, Computer Projector, Lectern
BOOKS: "Micah Williams: Portrait Artist" exhibition catalogue
FEE: $150-$300
TRAVEL: Flexible depending on distance; expenses commensurate with distance
VIRTUAL: Yes
PHONE: (732) 462-1466 ext. 17
American Civil War Medicine
History of Medicine c. 1860s
Herbal Medicine
Yusuf JP Saleeby, MD is an historical researcher on medicine and surgery during the American Civil War; and also lecture on luminaries in medicine during that time: Drs. Hunter H. McGuire (CSA); Simon Baruch (CSA); P F Porcher (CSA); Jonathan Letterman (US): Alex Hammond (US); others.
Also lectures on Herbal medicine (then and now) and Functional (FxMed) & Integrative Medicine.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: I have authored a book on Adaptogen Herbs. "Wonder Herbs: A guide to three adaptogens" (Xlibris, 2006)
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Depends on distance from South Carolina
VIRTUAL: Possibly
19th Century New Jersey Photographers (customized by county or city)
19th Century NJ Women Photographers
The Blues Scene in the Delaware Valley
A complete list of lectures is available on http://saretzky.com/lectures.html
Gary D. Saretzky, archivist, educator, and photographer, was Archivist of Monmouth County (1994-2019) and Coordinator, Internship Programs, Rutgers-New Brunswick History Department (1994-2016). Saretzky taught the history of photography course at Mercer County Community College (1977-2012) and has been researching 19th century New Jersey photographers for more than thirty years. He has published more than 100 articles, reviews, and exhibition catalogs on conservation of library materials, history of photography, and New Jersey history, and has lectured regularly under the auspices of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (2003-2020) and other organizations.
NEED: Screen, Lectern Electric Outlet, Enthusiastic audience, any size.
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: New Jersey; Travel Expenses Depending on Distance from Lawrenceville, NJ
VIRTUAL: Yes
Food and history, with an emphasis on wedding food rituals
History of American cook books
History of American dining habits
American dining etiquette
American women's domestic roles.
Claire Stewart graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and worked as a professional chef for over twenty-five years. She was chef tournant at Rainbow Room, as well as executive sous chef at the Yale Club of New York City. She was executive chef of the Continental Club, and a chef to NYC's first family at Gracie Mansion. Stewart is an associate professor, teaching culinary arts, at New York City College of Technology, City University of New York.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: As Long as We Both Shall Eat : A History of Wedding Food and Feasts (author) $31.00
Savoring Gotham: A Food Lover's Guide to New York City (contributor) $15.00
We eat What? A Cultural Encyclopedia of Unusual Foods in the U.S. (contributor)
Consumption and the Literary Cookbook (contributor)
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 10 miles
VIRTUAL: Yes
War of 1812 and New Jersey
Embargo of 1807-09
Jewish farmers, anti-immigrant and anti-Irish Catholic political movements in NJ
1830-1870, and arrival of the Irish and the nativists respond, 1820-52
NJ aid to Ireland during the Great Hunger
Harvey Strum is a professor of history and pol sci at Sage College of Albany 29 years. Given talks on the War of 1812 and anti-Catholic politcal movements at Kean U and at Drivers Museum. Written articles about embargo, War of 1812, NJ in 1790d, and anti-immigrant political movements. Most recent article will appear as chapter 2 in History of Catholicism in NJ. Previous articles on NJ in NJ History, Cape May Magazine, Encyclopedia of NJ History, North Jersey Highlander, Princeton Recollector and Atlantic County History Society Yearbook.
NEED: Lectern
FEE: $100 minimum
TRAVEL: 250 miles of Albany NY
VIRTUAL: Yes
Stranger Stop and Cast an Eye: An Introduction to New Jersey's Historical Burial Grounds
"A Monument to Fallen Royalty": Rediscovering Joseph Bonapartes Point Breeze Estate in Bordentown, New Jersey
Archaeology and the Delaware Indians, a 12,000 year Odyssey; Envisioning New Jersey: A New (Visual) History of the Garden State
"Fever!" The History and Archaeology of the Philadelphia Lazaretto, a Precursor to Ellis Island
Cannons by the Courthouse: Memory, Commemoration and the Material Culture of Conflict in Modern Suburbia
Richard Veit, Ph.D. is Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Anthropology at Monmouth University. Rich is a North American historical archaeologist whose research focuses on the Middle Atlantic Region between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. His work focuses on commemoration, symbolism, vernacular architecture, and military sites archaeology. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and reviews and eight books including Digging New Jersey’s Past: Historical Archaeology in the Garden State (Rutgers Press 2002), New Jersey Cemeteries and Tombstones History in the Landscape (co-authored by Mark Nonestied, Rutgers Press 2008), and New Jersey: A History of the Garden State (co-authored with Maxine Lurie, Rutgers Press 2012). In 2007 he was the recipient of Monmouth University’s distinguished teacher award. He regularly presents on topics relating to historical archaeology and New Jersey history and has been a TED speaker.
NEED: Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: $200-$300
TRAVEL: 100 miles of South Plainfield, NJ
VIRTUAL:
Individual programs are available that focus on the major cultural events of a given year between 1960 and 1974. The presentation for 1960, for example includes the Cold War, Television, Presidential race, African Countries Independence, Civil Rights, Elvis, Ali, The Beatles, The Pill, The Twist and Playboy. Also available is a talk 1980: Jimmy Carter’s Problems, Afghanistan, Iran, Inflation, The Miracle On Ice.
Other topics include: The Early Days Of Radio; The Early Days Of Television; Title IX, June 23, 1972 (equal access by women to college education); 1919: The World Series Is Fixed; American Territories; The Super Bowl; George Washington in Barbados; Presidential Impact on Sports; Women In Sports; Why America Has Cajun Culture; The Politics Of Sports Business; Football In America; Do Athletes’ Protesting Social Issues Have An Impact On Society; Ted Turner; The Space Race; Baseball In The American Culture, Literature, Song, Movies; How Westchester County, NY Provided A Launching Pad For The Sport of Golf; The Olympics In Europe, 1936 And 1972 And Its Global Non-Sports Impact; Florida: The Beatles Meet Cassius Clay
For full details, click on the "Website" button below.
Evan Weiner is an award-winning journalist and recognized global expert of the "Politics of Sports Business". He has a daily video podcast called The Politics of Sports Business. In the United States, he has been a radio commentator, TV pundit on MSNBC, and ABC. He is also an author of 11 books and is a frequent college speaker. He has been a regular on BBC radio as well as Talk Sport London and has been quoted in Bolivian and Australian newspapers. From 1988 until 1992, Evan was a member of the Minnesota North Stars radio broadcast team. In 2007, Evan was selected by the United States Department of State to speak at Texas A & M -George Bush Presidential Library to explain how the American government partners with sports addressing 16 hand selected foreign nationals. He won the 2010 Ronald Reagan Media Award from the United States Sports Academy. In 2015, Evan was featured on the documentary, “The Sons of Ben" about the economic fall of Chester, Pennsylvania and how the city thought a soccer team would be a key to economic revival.
NEED: Lectern
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Mount Vernon, NY
VIRTUAL: Yes
A History of the White House: America’s Executive Mansion
White House Pets and Pests
Stories from the Mayflower: What Were They Thinking?
Samoset, Squanto and Massasoit: The Wampanoags Who Saved the Pilgrims
Patricia Wells is an educator, historian, and popular speaker who takes great pleasure in sharing her love of history with anyone who will listen. Since retiring she has become deeply involved in the Chatham Township Historical Society, and researching local history and favorite subjects – the White House, the Pilgrims, and the Revolutionary War. She lives in a house built before Washington set foot in New Jersey.
NEED: Projector Screen, Lectern, Electrical Outlet
FEE: $150
TRAVEL: Morris, Sussex, Passaic, Essex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, & Middlesex counties
VIRTUAL: Yes
New Jersey and the War of Independence
1st and 2nd New Jersey Cavalry, Civil War
Joseph Wroblewski
Doctorate in Education, Retired Social Studies Teacher; volunteer docent Morven Museum, Princeton
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
FEE: None
TRAVEL: 50 miles of Hamilton Township, NJ
VIRTUAL:
The Roebling Legacy, one of New Jersey's great stories and a chronicle of America's industrial age: the Roebling family's saga of building the Brooklyn Bridge; the phenomenal growth of the John A. Roebling Son's Company in Trenton manufacturing products that helped shape modern life; building the great cables on the George Washington and Golden Gate Bridges; creating the Mercer, "America's first sports car," and the model company town of Roebling, N.J.; the adaptation of Roebling mills for new uses in Trenton; and the new Roebling Museum.
Clifford Zink is an historian and preservation consultant based in Princeton, N.J. He received the 2012 New Jersey Authors Award in popular non-fiction from the N.J. Studies Academic Alliance for his book, The Roebling Legacy. In 2011 he received the John A. Roebling Award from the Society for Industrial Archaeology's Roebling Chapter for an outstanding contribution to documenting or preserving the industrial heritage of the greater New York-New Jersey area. Mr. Zink specializes in architectural, industrial, engineering, and landscape history. He has served as consulting curator at the Roebling Museum, and wrote and directed its orientation film, Roebling Stories. His other books include: Natural Beauty: Somerset County Parks, which received an Agency Showcase Award from the N.J. Parks & Recreation Association; The Monmouth County Park System: The First Fifty Years; The Hackensack Water Works; and Spanning the Industrial Age: The John A. Roebling's Sons Company, Trenton, N.J.
NEED: Projector, Screen, Electric Outlet
BOOKS: The Roebling Legacy, Princeton Landmark Publications, $25.
FEE: Negotiable
TRAVEL: Open
VIRTUAL: No
Baseball History: Early New Jersey Baseball: 1855 to 1880
Brooklyn Dodgers History
New Jersey and the Civil War
The Collections of the New Jersey Historical Society
Since 2007 John Zinn has been an independent historian with a special interest in baseball history and the Civil War. He holds BA and MBA degrees from Rutgers University. John is the chairman of the board of the New Jersey Historical Society and was the chair of New Jersey's Civil War 150th Anniversary Committee. He is a Vietnam veteran.
NEED: None
BOOKS: The Mutinous Regiment: The Thirty-Third New Jersey in the Civil War
The Major League Pennant Races of 1916
Ebbets Field: Essays and Memories of Brooklyn's Historic Ballpark
Charles Ebbets: The Man Behind the Dodgers and Brooklyn's Beloved Ballpark
A Cradle of the National Pastime: New Jersey Baseball 1855 to 1880
FEE: $100-$150
TRAVEL: Pretty much the entire state - the further from North Jersey, some payment for travel expenses would be helpful
VIRTUAL: Yes
For a complete list of available speaking topics, see here.
Melissa Ziobro is the Specialist Professor of Public History and the primary point of contact for the public history minor. Her service to the University includes administration of the Monmouth Memories Oral History Program and the Department’s social media and newsletter. She serves as the campus coordinator for the National History Day program, and the faculty advisor for the History and Anthropology Club.
Melissa currently serves as the President of Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region and as the editor for New Jersey Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, a joint venture of the NJ Historical Commission, Rutgers University Libraries, and Monmouth University. She works regularly with public history organizations such as the Ocean County Historical Society, NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation, Preservation NJ, InfoAge Science History Learning Center and Museum, Monmouth County Park System, Monmouth County Historical Association, Monmouth County Historical Commission, Middlesex County Office of Culture and Heritage, National Guard Militia Museum of NJ, and more.
She worked as a command historian at the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, NJ from 2004-2011.
NEED: None; I can provide a complete audio visual presentation if facilities are available/if desired.
BOOKS: None
FEE: $100-$150
TRAVEL: Negotiable
VIRTUAL: Yes
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