>
> I am a graduate student at the University of Oregon in Arts Management.
> I have been participating in this listserv for a few weeks and hope that
> some of you can help me, too.

> I am trying to locate organizations that use performance to illustrate
> historical people and events.  I am reluctant to use the phrase "living
> history" because I do not want to limit my search to military
> battle reenactment activities.

Living History is not limited to military reenacting, but encompases a
broad variety of historical episodes and scenarios, including performance.
"Living History" is the preferred term used and understood throughout the
profession, so you might want to use it also.  It describes all such
activities which involve active demonstrations of societies and cultures of
the past by trained interpretation personnel dressed in historically
accurate clothing of the period being interpreted, and using tools and
equipment appropriate to the historical task.  Most LH scenarios do not
inviolve military themes, but home and community life.

First person interpretation is a prime example of "performance" in the
realm of living history, and when done well, is an exceptional teaching
tool.  The George Ranch Historical Park, for example, (near Houston) is one
institution which has used first person and performance to illustrate
slavery life during ante-bellum Texas.  They have developed some very
effective and poinant living history performance programs.  Contact Mark
Texel at 713/498-6958.  One can explore living history with out discussing
battle reenactments.  Most living history programs in the US deal with
civilian themes, not military, although military history is important to
the holistic understanding of our past.

I suggest you also contact ALFHAM (Association for Living Historical Farms
and Agricultural Museums) President Katie Boardman at the Farmer's Museum,
Cooperstown, NY,  607/547-1455.  There's more to living history than you
might think.  Best of luck and best wishes.

Cheers,
HBC

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Henry B. Crawford        Curator of History
[log in to unmask]     Museum of Texas Tech University
806/742-2442           Box 43191
FAX 742-1136             Lubbock, TX  79409-3191
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