History Colorado is a trusted leader in helping people understand what it means to be a Coloradan, and our staff love to share powerful stories that honor our state’s treasured memories. Book a presentation from the History Colorado Speakers Bureau for your next group event, and hear from historians, curators, archivists, and other experts who spend their days uncovering the fascinating tales of the Centennial State. 

To schedule your presentation, please use the link below to request a History Colorado Speakers Bureau Presentation, and either select from our available topics list or request a custom topic that interests your group. (Please note that we charge an additional fee for custom topics, and we may not be able to accommodate all custom topic requests.)

Request a History Colorado Speakers Bureau Presentation→

Available Topics

John Fielder’s Colorado 

From breathtaking panoramas to close-ups of wildflowers, the works of nature photographer John Fielder have long delighted Coloradans with the beauty of this state. In 2023 Fielder entrusted History Colorado with the task of sharing his entire collection with the people of Colorado. Learn more about the process of accepting his donation into the History Colorado Collection, and find out how you can access Fielder’s stunning photographs yourself. 

The Denver Diorama

Can you find a theater under construction? Or how about the bakery? Or even a tiny cat? Visitors love to study the delightfully detailed Denver Diorama on display at the History Colorado Center. Book this presentation today to learn more about this unique artifact. Part lecture and part guided tour, this program is available only for in-person presentations at the History Colorado Center. 

The Flag from the Battle of Glorieta Pass 

Learn about Colorado’s involvement in the Battle of Glorieta Pass during the American Civil War by coming and taking a close-up look at a flag from that battle, on display at the History Colorado Center. Part lecture and part guided tour, this program is available only for in-person presentations at the History Colorado Center. 

The Power of Storytelling

Stories are universal to the human experience and can entertain, convey beliefs, and preserve histories. This presentation examines the power of stories and oral history at History Colorado, exploring the museum and considering what stories reveal about culture, race, ethnicity, geography, foodways, religion, and language.

Ghosts of Colorado

Looking for a fun hour of ghost stories and other spine-tingling tales of the strange and mysterious? Look no further than this presentation filled with accounts of unexplained, abnormal, and downright spooky happenings in the Denver-metro area’s historic buildings.

Denver’s Cemeteries

Get ready for an hour spent sharing the fascinating stories of Denver’s biggest and oldest cemeteries. Hear how Denver’s first cemetery “migrated” to other places. Or did it? A ghost story or two will be told for good measure. 

Scottish Influence on Colorado History 

Explore some Scottish heritage as you meet a few of the influential Scots that have made their way to the Centennial State over the years. From the long past to the recent present, these Scotts-turned-Coloradans have some fascinating tales to share. 

Asian American Influence on Colorado History

Where is Denver’s Chinatown? What is Camp Amache and the Far East Center? This presentation explores Colorado’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities (AAPI), highlighting some of their histories, contributions, successes, and challenges in Colorado. 

Amache: Japanese American Incarceration During World War II

Executive Order 9066 provided the legal grounds to forcibly remove Japanese American citizens from their west coast homes. 10,000 of those citizens were imprisoned in southeastern Colorado at the camp that came to be called Amache. Learn their stories and how they sought to make meaning even under the harshest of conditions.

Agriculture at Amache

Take a deeper look at the agricultural marvels accomplished by the 7,000 Japanese American citizens who were imprisoned in the arid environment of the camp that came to be called Amache in southeastern Colorado. Many of them had been successful farmers in California. Look at how their expertise played a key role in Amache prisoners supporting the war effort.  

The KKK Membership Ledger Project: Contextualization of Systemic Racism

Though many associate the Ku Klux Klan with the American South in the aftermath of the Civil War, the KKK’s influence actually spread much further than that. Explore the Klan’s prominence in 1920s Colorado and hear some amazing stories of those who resisted them, while also learning about the process of digitizing and mapping the KKK membership ledger from the History Colorado Collection. Find out how this resource exposes more details about members of that secret society.

Florence Martin and the Daniels and Fisher Department Store

Learn the fascinating, high society story of how a female Physicist from 1880s Australia became part owner/investor in the Daniels and Fisher Department Store and helped to permanently contribute to Denver's skyline and culture. 

Planning Your Own Oral History Project

Ever wished you could capture the stories of your family, friends, and community? Book this presentation to explore the basics of oral history collection. Learn how to plan an oral history project, prepare necessary equipment, record an oral history, and preserve and share stories.

Traditional and Folk Arts in Colorado

Celebrate Colorado's rich cultural heritage through this presentation on traditional and folk arts in the Centennial State. Discuss some of the ways in which traditional arts are defined, explore some of the traditional forms particular to Colorado (fiber arts, dance, music, foodways), and consider some of the continued practices that shape our contemporary landscape. 

History of Fruit in Colorado

From Palisade to Rocky Ford, Colorado produces a wide variety of rich fruits. Learn about these famous agricultural products from the Centennial State, and explore the people, places, and events behind them. From apples to peaches, and melons to grapes, find out how fruits have shaped the lives of Coloradans past and present. 

Colorado’s Canning Industry

It’s no secret that Coloradans enjoy a delightful abundance of fresh produce each year, but did you know that the canning industry has played a major role in Colorado’s production of your favorite fruits and vegetables? Learn about the birth of Colorado-born canning giants Kuner and Empson and how they supported the expansion of fruit and vegetable farming, promoted university research, and contributed to Colorado's acclaim on the World's Fair stage. 

Bananas & American Imperialism in Denver

What do bananas, picnics, and national imperialism have in common? And how is any of that tied to Colorado? Find out in this presentation, which is sure to leave you with new stories and perspectives about the humble banana.

Colorado Boarding Houses

What was it like to live in a boarding house in the 1890s? From miners to widows, this presentation gives you the chance to explore what this once-common living arrangement was like for all involved.

Cornish Miners in Colorado 

Why were so many Colorado miners originally from Cornwall, and how did their heritage inspire their lives here in Colorado? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this presentation about this fascinating historic community.

The Fritchle: Denver’s Historic Electric Car

Think electric cars are something new? Think again! Book this presentation to learn about the first car designed and built in Colorado as you follow the Fritchle up the mountains and across the country as it travels to the East Coast across dirt roads. You’ll even hear about a famous client or two.

Uranium Mining in Colorado

Uranium mining has made a considerable impact on the state of Colorado and its residents over the last 75 years. Experience the economic BOOM of uranium as a nuclear product and the pop culture that accompanied it, then reflect on the physical, psychological, and environmental impacts of uranium on Colorado's people and land.

History of Trail Ridge Road

Colorado's most famous road has been a tourist attraction for over 100 years, but how much do you know about those early days? See how the construction and expansion of Trail Ridge Road has mirrored the most important national eras of the 20th century, including the postwar economic boom and the environmentalism of the 1970s. 

Company Towns in Colorado 

Imagine your employer owning your home, operating your grocery store, and controlling your schools. This program examines some famous U.S. company towns before taking a look closer to home, here in Colorado. 

Rocky Mountain Arsenal

Hear how the rise of the military industrial complex after World War II created what would become a Superfund site located just east of Denver, and how that land, along with the wildlife and native plants on it, have recovered since the facility closed.  

Lockheed Martin & the Titan Missile

Hear the story of the Glenn L. Martin Company, how it ended up winning the Titan contract, and why it was the most talked-about secret in 1960s Colorado.  

Profiles of 10 Women of Colorado

From women’s suffrage to education, women have always played a major role in Colorado’s communities, politics, and more. In this presentation, meet some interesting historical figures that shaped the Centennial State. 

Due to the volume of requests that we receive, we cannot guarantee speaker availability for every request. To increase the chances that a speaker will be available for your group, please submit a History Colorado Speakers Bureau Request at least one month prior to the desired presentation date.

Header image by Justin Oshita