January 5, 2026   Wyatt Earp: A Life on the Frontier

Named after his great uncle, valley resident Wyatt Earp is best known for reenacting his famous relative's life in a series of bio dramas that he and his wife have performed throughout North America. Earp has been portraying his great-grand uncle in the one-man play "Wyatt Earp: A Life on the Frontier."Today's Earp says he never spoke with any of his relatives who actually knew his famous relative, but he has met a number of reputable historians and authors who wrote about him. Wyatt Earp played a huge role in Arizona history. He's the Old West gambler best known for being the deputy sheriff in Pima County when he shot and killed three outlaw cowboys at the O.K. Coral in the town of Tombstone in 1879. But he wore many hats, traveling across the West from Kansas to Alaska to seek his fortune. And according to his descendants, he was a misunderstood man.

January 12, 2026   Jay Mark: Only in Arizona

For a relatively new state, Arizona is rich in history, full of captivating, yet often unheard stories that historian Jay Mark has diligently dug up – and can’t wait to tell. Amongst a variety of anecdotes in this engrossing presentation is the intriguing tale of the man who killed Santa Claus; how Rome’s oldest bridge nearly found its way to Arizona; the time when alligators ruled the desert; Arizona’s infamous wooden highway; incredible women from our state’s past; our state in music; and other unlikely and curious revelations.

January 20, 2026    Christine Reid: Haunted AZ

Haunted AZ delves into many stories of Arizona places with unusual ghost stories. Sites include hotels, restaurants, public and private buildings across the state that have sometimes gruesome, sad, and even sometimes friendly or humorous accounts of visits by other worldly spirits. Join H. Christine Reid and be frightened or at least intrigued by these tales that include some from Pinal County that you may not have heard before.

January 26, 2026    Kevin Schindler: Brighty of the Grand Canyon Wild Donkeys of the West

Millions of people visit the Grand Canyon every year. Some people may be familiar with the burros that inhabit the land. But have you heard of the burro, Brighty? Marguerite Henry’s 1953 book, Brighty of the Grand Canyon, as well as the 1966 movie that it inspired, are fictionalized accounts of a real-life, free-spirited burro that roamed Grand Canyon from the 1890s – 1920s. This program will look at the story of Brighty, connecting real vs fictional Arizona heritage, and how his story helped lead to a change in the National Park Service’s policy of removing feral burros from Grand Canyon National Park.

February 2, 2026      Laura Tohe: Navajo Code Talkers Talking Code with a Secret Weapon

During WWII, a group of young Navajo men enlisted in the Marines without knowing that they would be called on to develop a secret code against the Japanese military. This select group of Code Talkers devised a Navajo language code that was accurate, quick, never broken, and saved many American lives. This oral history talk profiles four Code Talkers who reflect on their lives growing up on the Navajo Nation homeland after the war. They returned home without fanfare to continued poverty and lack of economic opportunity, yet persevered and overcame obstacles that helped change the Navajo Nation and their communities. They tell their stories with poignancy that reflect their resiliency and self-determination. A PowerPoint presentation accompanies this talk.

February 9, 2026               Rodo Sofranac: Take A Hike! Explore, Enhance, and Experience Your Understanding of Arizona

There are only eleven designated national scenic trails in the United States. The Grand Canyon State has one of them— the Arizona National Scenic trail! Join award-winning Arizona author Rodo Sofranac in an educational and fun presentation of his latest book, The Red tail Tale on the Arizona Trail. Explore the diversity of geology, animals, plants, and people you may meet along the Trail. Engage in an exciting learning adventure of the book’s main character and his wild friend, Rojo, a red-tailed hawk. Enhance the opportunity you can have in using and sustaining all or part of Arizona’s greatest resource, the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Rodo will not only sign books purchased after the presentation but also donate 100% of the profits to the Arizona Trail Association.

February 17, 2026      Marshall Shore: Arizona’s Cosmic Connections

This program celebrates Arizona’s multifaceted relationship with the universe, highlighting its significant contributions to space exploration, sustainability, research, and the enduring celestial stories of its Indigenous peoples. Join us as we journey through the Grand Canyon State’s rich heritage and innovative strides, showcasing how Arizona continues to illuminate our understanding of the stars and beyond.

February 23, 2026   Barbara Jaquay: Father Kino -Journey to Discovery

Father Kino is one of two Arizonans honored in the U.S. Capitol Hall of Heroes. A mathematician, astronomer, geographer, mapmaker, explorer, rancher, and ally to the Indigenous people of the Pimería Alta, he made numerous explorations on horseback or on foot. Many journeys were taken with Native guides, and some with soldier Juan Manje, resulting in the first detailed map of the region. He traveled largely unknown trails through lands inhabited by unfamiliar tribes, and many of the missions he founded still stand today, including the well-known San Xavier del Bac. This presentation focuses on Father Kino’s expeditions, maps, missions, and the 1966 discovery of his remains in Magdalena de Kino.

March 2, 2026     Christine Reid: Earthquakes in Arizona

California is widely known for its frequent earthquake activity, but Arizona has experienced its own share of significant earth-shaking events as well. Some quakes originated far outside the state yet still caused notable damage, shifting landscapes and permanently altering Arizona’s topography. Others were felt more locally, surprising residents who never expected such powerful tremors in the desert. Yes, it can happen here, and it has. This presentation explores how newspapers of the time reported these dramatic events, how communities responded, and what lasting geological and societal impacts we can expect moving into the future.

March 9, 2026    Oscar Mancinas: Authoring Home – Refugio Savala, Mario Suárez, & Arizona’s Indigenous and Chicano Literary History

Nationally and regionally, Arizona is often framed as part of “The West,” a frontier shaped by arrivals from Europe and the eastern and Midwestern U.S. In literature, this appears in stories about settlers and their relationships to both the landscape and the Indigenous and Mexican people already living there. This presentation highlights two early twentieth-century Arizona authors, Refugio Savala (Yoeme-Mexican) and Mario Suárez (Chicano), showing how their literary paths and publications gave voice to communities otherwise absent from local and national writing. Subtle yet enduring, their work thoughtfully explores identity, history, storytelling, adaptation, and resistance, influencing later generations of Indigenous and Mexican-American authors in Arizona.

March 23, 2026     Pamela Stewart: Arizona Pioneer, Rebel, and Fearless Advocate for Women's Sports: Ina E. Gittings

Long before Title IX, Ina E. Gittings became the first university Director of Women’s Physical Education and Athletics in Arizona in 1920, where she would spend the rest of her life. As significant as her work traveling the state to develop women’s and girls’ athletic opportunities was, Gittings had already led an unconventional, stand-out life. The University of Nebraska Phi Beta Kappa, pole-vaulting educator, homesteaded in Montana and served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War I as a Reconstruction Aide—the world’s first generation of physical therapists. She followed this with a stint in the humanitarian foreign service, aiding Armenian refugees in Turkey. Come discover the significance of this self-proclaimed fearless rebel pioneer whose very name marks Arizona’s map.

March 30, 2026, Yolanda Hart Stevens: Indigenous Signs and Symbols: Pee-Posh/Kwatsan

Native Americans in the U.S. are diverse, and their contributions have enriched our lives in countless ways. People do not always realize the origins of Native contributions to the language, culture, and traditions of the U.S. What are Native signs and symbols? What do they mean? Where do they appear? They can represent animals and appear in petroglyphs, attire, and much, much more. Explore the traditions and history of the Pee-Posh/Kwatsan. Learn about the signs and symbols that have been passed down for generations, and the meaning of tattoos and markings for this tribe.