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Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Alexander, Communications Manager 410.685.4186 | malexander@mdhc.org Date: December 17, 2012

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MHC Offers FREE Star-Spangled Speakers Bureau

Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission Supports Program
(Baltimore) - The Maryland Humanities Council (MHC) proudly announces that a special Star-Spangled Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and living history performances about the War of 1812, is now available without charge to nonprofit organizations throughout Maryland. These educational and entertaining programs are made possible through a grant from the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. Nine War of 1812-themed Speakers programs bring Americas second war of independence to life in your community. Scholars examine the stories of both pivotal historical figures and every day Marylanders, explore the origins of our National Anthem, study important Maryland battles, and more. The Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission grant underwrites the cost of up to fifty Speakers Bureau programs. Programs must be free and open to the public and take place between January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014. Detailed guidelines and an application form may be found on the MHC website at www.mdhc.org. To learn more, contact Program Officer Judy Dobbs at (410) 685-4185 or jdobbs@mdhc.org.

ABOUT THE MARYLAND HUMANITIES COUNCIL The Maryland Humanities Council is a statewide, educational, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to stimulate and promote informed dialogue and civic engagement on issues critical to Marylanders. Learn more at www.mdhc.org.

War of 1812 Speakers Bureau Programs

The Battle of Baltimore and the Birth of the Anthem
Vincent Vaise will detail the causes of the War of 1812, why Baltimore was the subject of the British attack, and how soldiers, sailors, free African-Americans and civilians banded together to save their city. Audiences will learn how Francis Scott Key's words still resonate with us today. Adult audiences. Vincent Vaise is Chief of Interpretation at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and Hampton National Historic Site. A 17-year veteran of the National Park Service, Vaise earned a Bachelors in History at UMBC. While a Park Ranger at Fort McHenry, he has published articles in the Journal of the War of 1812, organized training sessions for staff and volunteers involving leading scholars of the War of 1812, coordinated the parks living history unit, The Fort McHenry Guard, and staged special events throughout the year. His most recent projects include exhibit development in the new Visitor and Education Center at Fort McHenry and exhibits in the Slave and Tenant Farmers' Quarters at Hampton National Historic Site.

The Battle of Caulk's Field

Scott Sheads, National Park Service staff historian at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, brings the Battle of Caulks Field to life in this lively lecture. The battle, which took place on August 31, 1814, was a clear American victory in a war with no ultimate winner or loser. Located in Kent County on Marylands Eastern Shore, Caulk's Field remains one of the best surviving 1812 battlefields in America. Sheads will also discuss other historic landmarks and events across Maryland, which is home to more War of 1812 sites than the rest of the country combined. Projector and screen required. Adult audiences. Scott S. Sheads is a historian, ranger at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, and the author of several books on the Defense of Baltimore in the War of 1812. In his 30 years as historian-ranger at the fort, he has never stopped combing through the maps, records and accounts of the battle. Sheads has also documented about 20,000 War of 1812-related graves in the state. He has appeared on the recent PBS documentary The War of 1812, and his most recent co-authored book is The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake: A Reference Guide to Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011).

Charles Ball: A Living History Presentation

Vincent Leggett portrays Charles Ball, a third-generation slave from Calvert County, Maryland who, after being sold to a trader in the deep South, escaped back to his home state. Upon his return to Maryland, he acted as a free man and fought in the War of 1812 on behalf of the United States in Commodore Joshua Barneys Chesapeake Flotilla. He took part in some of the most exciting battles in the Chesapeake, including the march from Benedict to Bladensburg and the defense of Fort McHenry at the Battle of Baltimore. Ball was discharged in 1814 and published an autobiography, The Life and Adventures of Charles Ball, in 1837. Balls story provides a lens through which we can examine the legacy of blacks in the Chesapeake, including their role in the War of 1812. Vincent Leggett is founder of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation (1984) and the Chesapeake Ecology Center (2002). He has held positions at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Anne Arundel Community College, Anne Arundel County and

Baltimore City Public Schools, and he currently serves as Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis. Mr. Leggett is the author of The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes (1999) and Blacks of the Chesapeake: An Integral Part of Maritime History (1997). He has also developed a curriculum on the Blacks of the Chesapeake, which is used by school systems in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and DC.

Music of the War of 1812 in America

The War of 1812 spawned a huge variety of songs in America. From the early stirrings of party politics under President Adams, the traumatic effect of Jefferson's Embargo in 1807, through the triumph at Fort McHenry and the last battle in New Orleans, Americans took pen to paper to tear at political opponents, to dramatize the great sea battles between huge frigates in full sail and to laud battle heroes like Hull and Perry. In addition, songs of ridicule, sentimental ballads of love and separation and songs encouraging enlistments were sung at home, on the streets and in theaters. This program climaxes in the true telling of the birth of the Star-Spangled Banner in September, 1814, dispelling several lingering myths along the way. Live musical selections accompanied by appropriate images (if projector and screen available). Adult and high school audiences. David Hildebrand teaches American music history at the Peabody Conservatory, and he is finishing a history of music in Maryland for The Johns Hopkins University Press. He and his wife Ginger Hildebrand have been performing professionally for museums, historical societies, schools, colleges, and universities throughout the country since 1980, focusing on American music. Dr. Hildebrand received his Ph.D. in Musicology from Catholic University of America, his M.A. in Musicology from George Washington University, and his B.A. in Music from Dickinson College.

The Search for Joshua Barneys Flagship

Marylands Chesapeake waters conceal many hidden treasures. In her illustrated presentation, State Underwater Archaeologist Susan Langley helps us dive into submerged cultural resources that relate to the War of 1812. Research into these artifacts involves the use of electronic remote sensing technologies to search for specific vessels or to investigate the sites of maritime battles. Other studies include multi-year planning for excavation, conservation and exhibition of significant events like the scuttling of the Chesapeake flotilla commanded by Joshua Barney on his flagship Scorpion. Requires digital projector and screen. Adult and high school audiences. Susan B. M. Langley is the State Underwater Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Department of Planning. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Toronto and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of Calgary, as well as certifying in Heritage Resource Management and as a Master Spinner in textile technology. She lectures internationally on piracy, textiles, beekeeping, and culinary arts, as well as maritime archaeology, and is an adjunct professor at several Maryland universities as well as teaching SCUBA, Oxygen Provision and Emergency Response as a Master Scuba Diver Instructor.

Spread the News: The War of 1812 on the Chesapeake

In this era news could only move as fast as someone could physically carry the message. Mike Dixon will discuss how news and information was spread when war came to Marylands shores, with a fascinating look at press coverage of the major regional incidents of the War of 1812. This presentation concludes with a discussion about what has changed in the digital age, when news coverage is practically instantaneous. Requires screen. High school and adult audiences.

The Stories of Everyday People in the War of 1812

When war came to the shores of the Chesapeake, what was it like for everyday citizens and local militiamen, as well as slaves, freedmen, women? Mike Dixon reveals unpublished stories of unrepresented peoples such as slaves and African-Americans, and the narratives of everyday people who arent talked about in the history books. Requires screen. Middle school, high school, and adult audiences. Mike Dixon is an adjunct professor at the University of Delaware and other area colleges where he concentrates on social history with a focus on mass media and criminal justice. He is the historian for Town of Elkton and The Historical Society of Cecil County, and he has provided start-up leadership in the development of a 62-acre living history museum in Cecil County. Mike received his M.A. in history from Washington College, his M.S. in Training and Organizational Development from St. Josephs University, and his B.A. in Behavioral Science from Wilmington College.

Terror on the Chesapeake

Christopher T. George gives a lively, illustrated presentation on the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake, placing the war in this region in the context of the whole war. George examines issues leading up to this misunderstood war and the roles played by Great Britains Royal Navy, President James Madison and others. He takes a close look at major strategic events in the Chesapeake, including the British blockade of the East Coast, the destruction of Havre de Grace, General Robert Rosss burning of Washington, D.C., the Battle of North Point, and of course Francis Scott Key and the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry. High school and adult audiences. Requires screen and projector. Christopher T. George is the author of Terror on the Chesapeake: The War of 1812 on the Bay published by White Mane in 2001. He is the founding editor of the Journal of the War of 1812 and coordinator of the National War of 1812 Symposium series held each fall since 1996. George is now at work on a biography of British Major General Robert Ross, the man who captured Washington, D.C. and who was mortally wounded trying to attack Baltimore three weeks later in a skirmish preceding the Battle of North Point. The book is being written in cooperation with Dr. John McCavitt of Rostrevor, Northern Ireland.

Rosalie Calvert and the War of 1812: A Living History Presentation

A costumed living history presentation portrays the life of Rosalie Calvert of Riversdale Plantation. Audience members relive the drama of life during the War of 1812 as Rosalie describes the Battle of Bladensburg, the burning of Washington, and the creation of The Star-Spangled Banner. The presentation also explores the fascinating day-to-day details of running a plantation in Maryland. Adult and high school audiences Mary Ann Jung has been a lead actress and Director of Renaissance History and Shakespearean Language at the Maryland Renaissance Festival for over twenty-five years. She is a Smithsonian scholar/performer and has appeared on CNN, the Today Show, and Good Morning America. Jung's living history performances include Julia Child, Clara Barton, Mistress Margaret Brent, Rosalie of Riversdale, Amelia Earhart, and Good Queen Bess. She has a B.A. in British History from the University of Maryland.

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