Effective November 2, 2009, The State Historical Society of Missouri is suspending indefinitely the Missouri History Speakers’ Bureau because of budget cuts.
Please read the following information carefully.
Who can request a speaker?
- Missouri-based, adult, not-for-profit organizations, including service and religious groups
- At this time, the Bureau does not provide speakers to elementary or secondary schools (K-12), colleges, or universities.
You should know:
- Allow 30 days for arrangements to be completed.
- The Missouri History Speakers' Bureau is sponsored in partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council and with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The MHC is the only statewide agency in Missouri devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages. It has served as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities since 1971.
- Groups can request one speaker per calendar year from the Speakers’ Bureau. Available funding is allocated equally among Missouri’s nine U.S. Congressional Districts. Once a district has requested its share of speakers, notice will be given that no additional presentations will be scheduled for the district.
- Events must be open to the public. Host groups must provide a minimum audience of twenty. There is no charge to the host institutions, but the availability of presentations is limited.
- Speakers will only be available to organizations hosting an event with no admission charge. (An exception would be an event held in conjunction with a meal for which there is a charge.)
- The speaker will also present an overview of The State Historical Society of Missouri and the Western Historical Manuscript Collection and will make available some promotional literature.
- Host groups/organizations are required to promote increased awareness of The State Historical Society of Missouri, and understanding of the benefits of membership. Annual membership is encouraged for host institutions.
- Some speakers prefer to accept engagements within 100 miles of their residence while others are willing to travel throughout the state for programs. This information is noted with the program description.
- The State Historical Society does not provide equipment for speakers' presentations.
Program Inclusion for People with Disabilities
- Program sponsors should try to accommodate the interests of people who need help to participate fully in the programs.
- As a first step, we ask sponsors to select program venues that provide parking, entrances, bathrooms, and seating that accommodate people who use wheelchairs. When such venues are available, it is important to publicize accessibility.
- It is also important to anticipate the needs of people who have limitations on their vision. When designing programs or other printed material, think in terms of high contrast between printed word and its background. Black print on white paper is 100% contrast. Anything lower than 70% contrast is not accessible. As a general rule, 12-point san serif type (Aril, Helvetica) is a standard for broad accessibility.
- Please consider providing a sound-amplification system so that all audience members can enjoy the speaker’s presentation.
The Society invites donations to maximize the number of sponsored presentations and to continue this service at no cost to the host institutions.
- The Society invites and encourages organizations to make donations to the Speakers' Bureau to help maximize the number of presentations that can be sponsored and to help the Society provide this service at no cost to the host institutions.
- Speakers will ask audience members to make donations as well.
- Donations for the Speakers’ Bureau should be sent to:
The State Historical Society of Missouri
1020 Lowry Street
Columbia, MO 65201
Please designate “Speakers Bureau” in the memo line.
Contributions can also be made online.
If you would rather fax or mail your request you can print a request
form: