Senior Wednesdays are informational and entertaining sessions, designed for active seniors and offered by a collaboration of local institutions. Learn more at Seniorwednesday.org

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum offers their Senior Wednesdays on the 4th Wednesday of each month, January-October.

FEBRUARY’S TOPIC: “Life In Kansas During the Dust Bowl”

PRESENTED BY Katie Keckeisen

Black Sunday – April 14, 1935 – is an unforgettable moment in history. The photographs from that day of the dust storm in southwest Kansas made headlines across America. How did Kansans respond to this challenging moment in history? Using eyewitness accounts and photographs, this presentation explores the impact and the legacy of the drought and the “Dust Bowl” on life in Kansas during the 1930s and beyond.

About the Presenter

Katie is the local history librarian at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. She holds a BA in Forensic Anthropology and History from Wichita State University and an MA in Museum Professions from Seton Hall University. Her thesis – “The Grinning Wall: History, Exhibition, and Application of the Hyrtl Skull Collection at the Mutter Museum” – has been cited in several published works. She has worked in museums and archives throughout the United States. Her work on the permanent exhibit “Becoming Johnson County” at the Johnson County Museum helped earn the exhibit an Award of Excellence from the American Association of State and Local History. Besides the Dust Bowl, Katie also gives talks through Humanities Kansas about the history of Spiritualism.

(Due to capacity restrictions, program has limited seating of 60.)