About the Speakers Bureau
Indiana Humanities provides the Civics and Democracy Speakers Bureau as a resource to organizations throughout Indiana seeking history programs and presentations, especially pertaining to the upcoming anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
Those wishing to host a speaker should contact the speaker directly to make arrangements. While Indiana Humanities and an external team of scholars reviewed speakers bureau applications, none of the speakers listed in the catalog represents Indiana Humanities. If you have questions about this list or wish to submit corrections or additions, please email Megan Telligman, director of programs, at mtelligman@indianahumanities.org
HOW TO BOOK A SPEAKER
1. Peruse the catalog and select the speaker that you feel best meets your organization’s programming goals and audience interests.
2. Review the speaker’s suggested fee and consider the travel requirements, and compare these to your budget for the program. Look at where the speaker is located and calculate mileage to your site. We strongly recommend that you reimburse mileage at the IRS standard mileage rate of $0.70/mile, though you can negotiate this with the speaker. If the speaker is traveling several hours for an evening event, you may also need to offer to book a hotel room or reimburse the speaker for the cost. Make sure you feel confident that you can cover these potential expenses.
3. When you contact the speaker (we have provided contact information in the catalog), you will want to work together to decide the following details:
• Date/time of the program, format, and length
• Speaking fee, travel and lodging reimbursement, and method/timing of payment
• Audio/visual and other setup needs for the program
4. Once you have decided on the details, you are welcome to use the template agreement letter to get all details in writing with the speaker.
5. We encourage you to have a pre -program conversation with the speaker to address any lingering questions, share information about your audience and location, and ensure that everyone agrees on the program details.
6. A few days before the program, email the speaker with final confirmation and your phone number if not already shared in case the speaker has any trouble finding your site or runs into any issues while on the road.
7. After the program, thank the speaker, provide payment, and share any constructive feedback that you received about the program.
SHARE YOUR PROGRAM
If you book a speaker from the catalog, please let us know via this form . We will post your event to our website and share details via our social media accounts (@INhumanities).
Protecting the Future of History and Democracy in a Divided America
Presenter: Ben Baumann, Independent Historian, Writer, and Podcaster
Contact: benbaumann18@gmail.com, 913.306.1009
Suggested Fee: Negotiable, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Democracy, Political Polarization, Pseudohistory
In recent years, American history has become a political lightning rod. Divisive narratives about our nation’s past are increasingly promoted, and pseudohistory has become a political tool to undermine American democracy. In this talk, historian Ben Baumann explores how a careful, honest engagement with American history can help bridge societal divides and strengthen civic life. Baumann will discuss strategies for recognizing and resisting the misuse of history, offering a hopeful vision for how an informed understanding of the past can help protect the future of our democracy.
Ben Baumann has hosted the award-winning RootsofRealityhistory podcast since 2019. He holds a B.A. in history from Saint John’s University in Minnesota and an M.A. in ancient studies from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Previously, he worked for the Indiana Historical Bureau, where he oversaw the Indiana Legislative Oral History Initiative from 2019 to 2024, focusing on the history of political polarization in the State of Indiana. From 2024 to 2025, he worked for the international nonprofit More in Common, which seeks to combat political polarization worldwide. Additionally, from 2022 to 2025, he served as the executive producer for DividedWeFall, a news publication promoting civil discourse and bipartisan dialogue in American society.
State Power and Constitutional Federalism
Presenter: Dr. Matthew L. Bergbower, Professor of Political Science, Indiana State University
Contact: matthew.bergbower@indstate.edu, 812.237.2518
Suggested Fee: $200 contribution to Indiana State University’s Political Science Department, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Federalism, States, Tenth Amendment, Cooperative Federalism
In “State Power and Constitutional Federalism,” Matthew Bergbower dives into why America’s separation of powers needs to go beyond the three U.S. branches of government. He explores how the 21st century has seen multiple examples of the transfer of power, authority, and policy responsibilities from the federal government to the states. Participants will learn about the Constitutional grants of authority to states, the common arguments in favor of strong federalism in America, and the weaknesses that federalism poses to America’s politics.
Dr. Matthew L. Bergbower is professor of political science at Indiana State University. His work explores American political behavior, campaign communication, and public opinion and addresses timely topics such as political messaging by foreign leaders, the impact of campaign intensity on voting correctly, and public opinion during international crises. His research has been supported by grants from the Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement, and his expertise has been featured in national and international media, including NPR, the NewYorkTimes, and the BBC. He is the author of a recently published book, AProfileoftheAmericanElectorate:PartisanBehaviorand theNeedforReform, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
Unmasked: A History of Hoosier Political Antisemitism
Presenter: Michael J. Brown, Executive Director, Indiana Jewish Historical Society
Contact: micjbrow@gmail.com
Suggested Fee: $300, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Federalism, Politics, Indiana, Jewish History, Antisemitism
“Unmasked: A History of Hoosier Political Antisemitism” explores how antisemitic rhetoric and exclusion have shaped Indiana’s political and civic landscape. Drawing on original research, oral histories, and political ephemera, this talk uncovers a persistent thread of anti-Jewish prejudice from the 19th century to the early 2000s. It reveals how political antisemitism has influenced policymaking, civic participation, and Hoosier political opinion. It offers an urgent lens to understand historical and contemporary threats to pluralism, Jewish political rights, and democratic ideals. Michael Brown’s engaging, evidence -based presentation invites reflection and conversation about belonging, democracy, and civic responsibility in Indiana and beyond.
Michael J. Brown studied at Indiana University Bloomington’s Borns Jewish Studies Program, where he focused his research on American Jewish history and antisemitism. After graduating, he served as the Hillel director at Southern Illinois University. He later transitioned into the high-tech sector, focusing on business development and marketing. Brown has led the Indiana Jewish Historical Society for the past five years, overseeing several initiatives, including the production of a podcast that explores more than 200 years of Indiana’s Jewish history. He is a contributing author to the EncyclopediaofIndianapolis .
The Declaration of Independence and Slavery: Entangled Histories
Presenter: Dr. David N. Gellman, Professor of History, DePauw University
Contact: dgellman@depauw.edu, 765.658.6273
Suggested Fee: $250, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Declaration of Independence, Slavery, Liberty
The bond between slavery and the Declaration of Independence is unbreakable. The gap between the founding document’s soaring statement of equality and its grievance about rebelling slaves provides a glimpse into the contradictions that define the Declaration’s legacy. So too does the Continental Congress’s decision to delete Thomas Jefferson’s denunciation of the slave trade. Black and white proponents of emancipation insisted on applying “unalienable rights” to their cause. The great African American abolitionist Frederick Douglass used the Fourth of July as a touchstone. In his talk, David Gellman explores how this entangled history empowers us to see how a singular founding both impeded and inspired liberty.
Dr. David N. Gellman is professor of history at DePauw University, where he has taught since 1999. His 2022 book Liberty’sChain:Slavery,Abolition,andtheJayFamilyofNewYorkwas honored with the Herbert H. Lehman Prize. Other books include EmancipatingNewYork:ThePoliticsof SlaveryandFreedom,1777–1827and JimCrowNewYork:ADocumentaryHistoryofRaceand Citizenship,1777–1877, both of which were selected as Choice Outstanding Academic Titles. Gellman also has published essays on the Missouri Compromise, on James Fenimore Cooper, and on Bruce Springsteen. He presents widely to scholarly and general audiences.
Freedom? What Is It Good For?
Presenter: Dr. Nancy Germano, Independent Historian
Contact: nangermano@yahoo.com
Suggested Fee: $400, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Freedom, Democracy, American History
“Freedom? What Is It Good For?” engages audience members in contemplation of their own definition of freedom and how the definition differs from one individual to another. Nancy Germano explores the founders’ ideas of freedom when drafting the Declaration of Independence and how ideas of freedom have evolved over time. She presents the words and ideas of well-known freedom advocates from Alexander Hamilton to Angela Davis to challenge our understanding of freedom. Participants will consider the relationship between a democratic government and freedom can you have one without the other? and why we correlate America with freedom.
Dr. Nancy Germano holds a master’s degree in public history from Indiana University Indianapolis and a Ph.D. in history from Indiana University Bloomington. She is a former instructor of history at Butler University and now enjoys research and writing as an independent historian. Her book Indiana andtheGreatFloodof1913was published by the History Press in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, knitting, cooking, and fussing over her houseplants.
War and America
Presenter: Dr. Raymond Haberski, Jr., Professor of History, Indiana University Indianapolis
Contact: haberski@iu.edu, 317.292.2566
Suggested Fee: $250, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: War, Mortality, Nationhood, Civil War, Presidential Power, Fate of Big Ideas
War made America; America has remade the world through war. American power, both internal and external, has depended on American actions in war; thus, American democracy has demonstrated a new way to imagine the rational and limits of war. How have Americans thought about war over the nation’s history? How do Americans think about the morality of war and the necessity of being prepared to fight wars? The future of American wars depends on Americans considering their nation’s past experiences. This talk will outline ways to think through those experiences.
Dr. Raymond Haberski, Jr., is professor of history, director of American studies, and director of the Institute for American Thought at Indiana University Indianapolis. He is the author of numerous essays, book chapters, and scholarly book reviews and has written or edited seven books, including CivilReligionToday; AmericanLabyrinth:IntellectualHistoryforTroubledTimes ; VoiceofEmpathy:A HistoryofFranciscanMediaintheUnitedStates ; and GodandWar:AmericanCivilReligionsince 1945 . His present research projects include a book on just war theory in the United States since Vietnam. He is the recent recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for a project called “Dialogue on War.” With a group of his colleagues from around the country, Haberski founded the Society for United States Intellectual History in 2011, a professional organization that grew out of an award-winning blog that he has contributed to from 2009 to 2018. He has since created a podcast called TrotskyandtheWildOrchids, which uses intellectual history to illuminate and ruminate on contemporary society. He regularly provides commentary for media outlets on United States politics and culture and consistently delivers invited talks, presents at conferences, and serves on academic panels.
So You Think You Have the Right to Vote?
Presenter: Dr. Linda Hanson, Professor Emerita of English, Ball State University
Contact: lhanson43@gmail.com
Suggested Fee: $200 contribution to the League of Women Voters of Indiana, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Voting Rights, Democracy
The right to vote in local, state, and national elections in the United States does not appear in the U.S. Constitution. Elections were the business of individual states. Voting rights were gradually expanded through 1964 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act, but efforts since then have restricted access to the ballot box. This talk looks at both our national and state history on voting rights to explore how we got here, the impact on voter turnout (Indiana’s is abysmal), and what we can do to engage citizens in making our democracy work.
As a professor of English at Ball State University, Dr. Linda Hanson directed both the Indiana Writing Project and the Indiana Network of the National Writing Project. In that capacity she worked with the Indiana Department of Education on numerous grants and was introduced to labyrinthine legislative processes at both the state and federal levels. Since retiring in 2011, Hanson has worked with the League of Women Voters on educational and environmental issues in Delaware County and on redistricting reform at the state level. She is the president of the League of Women Voters of Indiana and the spokesperson for the League of Women Voters of Muncie –Delaware County.
Practicing Democracy: What Is a “Good” Citizen?
Presenter: Erin Kelley, Program Director, Spirit & Place
Contact: erinkelley75@gmail.com
Suggested Fee: $100, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Voting Rights, Democracy
Citizenship is an ongoing practice rooted in showing up for one another, reflecting deeply on our civic values, claiming our power, and acting in pursuit of a “more perfect Union.” Citizenship is no small task! How do we cultivate the qualities, characteristics, and habits of “good” citizenship? Using historic text, poetry, and images, this short talk and group dialogue explores an expansive notion of citizenship rooted in a democratic ethic that encourages deep listening and reflection, humility, accountability, moral courage, and, above all else, practice.
Erin Kelley is a public historian, event creator and coach, and voter. She is the program director for Spirit & Place, which is housed on the campus of Indiana University Indianapolis. Spirit & Place utilizes the power of the arts, humanities, and religion to catalyze civic engagement and strengthen community. Kelley is also an active member of the League of Women Voters, where she advocates and educates on issues ranging from voting rights to redistricting reform. She was selected as one of 20 recipients from across the country in 2018 for Civic Saturday training by Citizen University and is a certified facilitator and trainer in the Civic Reflection Dialogue method.
The Big Four Celebrations of the Declaration of Independence
Presenter: Dr. Daniel Miller, President and Founder, Historical Solutions
Contact: dan@historicalsolutions.com, 317.407.3687
Suggested Fee: $500 to $1,000 (for 30 to 90 minutes), plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Civic Leadership, Declaration of Independence, Public Commemorations, U.S. 250th
Americans have celebrated the Declaration of Independence during four key anniversaries the 50th, 100th, 150th, and 200th. Each holds vital lessons for the 250th anniversary in 2026. This talk offers crucial questions for how to lead successfully in the upcoming 250th anniversary, especially during challenging times that pull hard against unity, cohesion, and collaboration. Looking at 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976 as examples, par ticipants will gain insight into celebrating in 2026. They’ll leave with realistic perspectives about the role and impact of current times; ideas for reaching back into the past for stories meaningful to the present; an understanding that expectations of the future change with the present time; and thoughts around drawing sustenance from continuance
Dr. Daniel Miller holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from Indiana University. He founded and operates a company Historical Solutions LLC to draw leadership lessons from more than 100 historical stories, which he shares in seminars, workshops, coaching, and customized research and writing for executives, entrepreneurs, trustees, board members, team leaders, and more. Miller has been a guest on numerous podcasts and codeveloped the exhibits ThatNightIndianapolisRoared and BenjaminHarrisonandtheInter-AmericanConferenceat the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis. He has also created two popular blog series, “Today in 1918–1919” and “Americanism Redux: 250 Years Ago Today” along with a podcast titled On the250RiverwithDr Dan:ThisWeek'sTop5
Public Places/Private Spaces: Looking at Founding Ideas of Community Rights in Early American Urban Health
Presenter: Dr. Molly Nebiolo, Assistant Professor of History, Butler University
Contact: mnebiolo@butler.edu
Suggested Fee: $400, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Public Health, Urban Studies, Individual Rights, Public/Private Spaces
In her talk “Public Places/Private Spaces,” Molly Nebiolo analyzes the complex history of what was thought of as “public” or “private” in urban cities. This history was closely tied to how people’s health unfolded in everyday life, and during epidemic times, in 18th-century America. Nebiolo connects some of the experiences we all faced during the COVID-19 pandemic such as quarantine and the closing down of public spaces back to ideas of health that shaped the formation of early American cities more than 250 years ago.
Dr. Molly Nebiolo is an assistant professor of history at Butler University. She studies the history of the early Atlantic world and the history of health and medicine. She also engages in the digital humanities, using maps, geographic information systems, and other tools to create interactive online exhibits. Nebiolo’s current book project, under contract with the University of Virginia Press, analyzes the role of inhabitants’ autonomy in shaping landscapes of urban health in colonial Philadelphia and Charleston.
What’s So Good about Civility?
Presenter: Dr. Alex Richardson, Associate Director for Content Strategy and Engagement and Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Prindle Institute for Ethics, DePauw University
Contact: alexrichardson@depauw.edu, 765.658.5017
Suggested Fee: $200, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Civility, Ethics, Protest, Politics, Resistance, Discourse
In an era of scorched-earth political disagreements, many say civility is an overrated virtue. At the same time, public commentators often decry a lack of conversational civility and an inability to find common ground in the public square. They worry that as our political climate has heated up, we’ve begun to forget the crucial skill of talking (and listening) to one another. In this talk, Alex Richardson will discuss the nature and normative importance of civility and advance some key ideas to foster the development of civility and other nearby dispositions that are crucial for citizens of a democratic society.
Dr. Alex Richardson is associate director for content strategy and engagement at the Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University, where he directs the organization’s digital strategy and leads national engagement initiatives and partnerships. He also teaches in the Department of Philosophy at DePauw. Richardson serves on the board of directors of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) and as chair of the American Philosophical Association's Committee on Pre -College Philosophy. He also sits on the APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Council and Steering Committee and the National High School Ethics Bowl Advisory Board. In his local community, he serves as vice president of Indy Pride. Richardson received his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2021, where he taught for many years and wrote a dissertation on the virtue of civility and its role in the nonideal politics of democratic societies.
Preserving Liberty: Education and Democracy from Jefferson to Indiana’s Founding to Today
Presenter: Dr. David J. Roof, Director, Center for Economic and Civic Learning, Ball State University
Contact: djroof@bsu.edu, 217.721.6741
Suggested Fee: $400
Themes: American History, Declaration of Independence, Civic Education, Democracy, Indiana History
In his talk “Preserving Liberty,” Dr. David Roof explores the enduring relationship between education, democracy, and the preservation of liberty, tracing its origins from Thomas Jefferson’s vision of an educated citizenry to the foundational Northwest Ordinance that shaped education in Indiana and extending to the challenges and opportunities of civic education today. Participants will examine how education has historically been viewed as essential for safeguarding democratic values and how these principles continue to shape civic life. Drawing on primary sources, historical narratives, and contemporary insights, this talk highlights the ongoing importance of civic education in sustaining a free society and invites reflection on how liberty can be preserved in a rapidly changing world.
Dr. David J. Roof is an associate professor and director of the Center for Economic and Civic Learning at Ball State University. With more than a decade of experience in civic education, he has led state and national initiatives to enhance democratic engagement and has published widely on civic education, American history, and democratic theory. Roof has presented at national conferences and is an active member of the Indiana Civic Education Committee. His work emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, civic responsibility, and active citizenship in a democratic society. He holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in educational policy studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Citizenship in Action: The Amazing Life of Grace
Julian Clarke
Presenter: Adrienne Provenzano, Independent Historian
Contact: timetravelingportrayals@yahoo.com
Suggested Fee: $400 to $500, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Citizenship, Democracy, Suffrage
How did one Hoosier woman live with purpose by putting the values of democracy and citizenship in action and thereby enhance the lives of many people? This talk is a first-person portrayal of Grace Julian Clarke (1865–1938), a civically engaged Hoosier who worked tirelessly to revitalize the women's suffrage movement in Indiana in the early 1900s and who led successful efforts toward Indiana's ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 to secure voting rights for women. Listen, learn, and discuss with Clarke her life and work, the core principles and rights of American democracy, the roles and responsibilities of citizenship, the value of education, and the history of suffrage.
Adrienne Provenzano is an accomplished researcher, performer, and educator. In 2018, she portrayed author Mary Shelley throughout the state as part of the Indiana Humanities One State/One Story celebration of the 200th anniversary of Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein . Other dynamic and engaging historic portrayals include Gene Stratton-Porter, Sarah T. Bolton, Amelia Earhart, and Grace Julian Clarke. She has presented at schools, libraries, museums, state historic sites, science and nature centers, and other educational facilities.
Abraham Lincoln: Hoosier Hero
Presenter: Danny Russel, Actor and Storyteller
Contact: danny@famoushoosiers.com, 317.899.1254
Suggested Fee: $500, plus negotiated travel expenses
Themes: Abraham Lincoln, American History, Indiana History, Presidential History, Civil War
In a riveting one -hour portrayal featuring authentic 19th-century props, actor and storyteller Danny Russel interprets President Abraham Lincoln, sharing Lincoln’s astonishing journey from a log cabin to the White House. Russel covers Lincoln’s formative years in Indiana, where he loses his mother and sister, teaches himself to read, and learns the value of hard work; his life in Illinois, where he becomes a prairie lawyer, marries and starts a family, and develops his political aspirations; and his ascension to Washington, where he leads the nation through the tragedies and triumphs of the Civil War, ends slavery, and ensures the survival of the United States.
Danny Russel is a longtime professional actor and veteran of the regional theater circuit. In recent years he has been researching and portraying the lives of historical characters, primarily for schools, libraries, and museums. He has presented for the National Council for Social Studies, the Dubuque Area Arts Council, Missouri State University, Arts Midwest, and several other venues. Russel is a member of the National Speakers Association, a member of the Indiana Historical Society speakers bureau, and a seven-time grant recipient honored by the Indiana Arts Commission. More information about Russel and the characters he portrays is available on his website, www.famoushoosiers.com.