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→

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.

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 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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Black Women as Builders of Legacy

Black women in Colorado have been foundational in shaping communities, advancing politics, and preserving cultural memory. Through education, civic leadership, and the arts, their influence has defined the Centennial State for generations. This talk introduces key figures whose legacies continue to shape Colorado today.

The Great Outdoors, The Great Divide: Race and Recreation in Colorado

In segregated America, outdoor leisure became a powerful expression of freedom. This talk highlights case studies from Colorado’s history where Black Coloradans carved out recreational spaces in the face of exclusion.

Black Cowboys Unveiled

Black cowboys have long been integral to the history of the American West, yet their contributions remain under recognized in scholarship and popular culture. This presentation explores their legacy through biography and material culture at History Colorado, revealing how Black presence shaped—and continues to shape—the myth and reality of the West.

No One Wants a Corpse for a Neighbor - The Moving of Prospect Hill Cemetery

The redevelopment of Prospect Hill Cemetery into Cheesman Park as Denver expanded shines a light on the resistance to proximity to death in urban spaces. As living populations encroach on cemeteries, it’s often the cemetery that moves – or is simply built over– as people don’t want to share their spaces with death.

Greening Death in Colorado

Non-traditional, more ecologically-minded ways of caring for our dead are becoming increasingly common across the United States. The state of Colorado is no exception. In fact, Colorado is ahead of the curve in many ways. Home to the only permanent open-air cremation pyre in the nation, one of the largest conservation burial grounds in the county, and the second state to legalize Natural Organic Reduction, Coloradans are committed to non-traditional deathcare. 

Dressed by the West

Today's trending "western wear" is rooted in Mexican and Native dress and the environment of “the West." In this talk, learn about Colorado's fascinating and central role in the development of western-style fashion, from early vaquero culture to Rockmount Ranchwear.

Header image by Justin Oshita