Washington Expert this Year’s Henry Lecturer

Oklahoma Baptist University will welcome colonial American specialist Dr. Clair Keller to deliver the Henry Lecture on "The Indispensable Revolutionary," Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Tulsa Royalties Auditorium of Bailey Business Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. 

Keller recently retired as professor of history and education at Iowa State University, where he served nearly 25 years. An expert on the life of George Washington, Keller often portrays the first president in historic costumes, depicting various times in his career.

Keller has received wide acclaim for his historic press conferences given as George Washington to more than 25,000 students and adults in Iowa. He has made several hundred press conference presentations.

In 1993, as a result of his work, the Iowa Council for the Social Studies named Keller "Super Teacher of the Year." The Council also established the "Clair Keller Developmental Instructional Project Grant" in his honor in 1999.

Keller also sponsored a History Teaching Alliances program which brought together university professors and high school teachers to discuss the U.S. Constitution. In addition, Keller also directed the History Day program for the state of Iowa for 15 years.

He has published multiple articles, chapters and books on U.S. history and the process of teaching history. He currently is working on an outline history of the U.S. for college students.

Keller received bachelor, master and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington.

Keller will be on campus Nov. 11-14 to give the lecture as well as speak to classes.

The Thomas Harlan Henry Lecture was established at OBU in honor of the late Thomas Harlan Henry, a longtime Shawnee educator. Funded by members of the Henry family, the lectureship brings speakers on the arts, politics and Oklahoma history to the OBU campus.

For information about attending the Henry Lecture, contact Dr. Bill Mullins at (405) 878-2237. Area school groups are invited to attend.