The Lewis & Clark Expedition and More at the Lewis & Clark College Libraries

Co-sponsored by The Book Club of Washington and The Himes & Duniway Society

Online Sunday, May 15, 2 pm PDT

Visit our website: www.bookclubofwashington.org

Register for the event here: https://www.bookclubofwashington.org/events-1/explore-the-lewis-clark-expedition-and-more

This virtual visit to Lewis & Clark College in Portland was prompted by the College having assembled the most comprehensive library of Lewis & Clark Expedition materials in the world. Our two presenters will emphasize those materials, as well as some other treasures from Special Collections.

Stephen Dow Beckham, Professor Emeritus of History at Lewis & Clark College, will review the development, scope, and depth of the Western Americana holdings of the Watzek and Boley libraries at Lewis & Clark College, with emphasis on the Lewis & Clark Expedition. In particular, he will talk about (1) “The Traveling Library,” the works carried by the Corps of Discovery and used by the captains during their travels and (2) “Early Publications,” a few of the works published within the twenty years following the return of the exploring party.

Librarian E.J. Carter will then continue the theme of travel and exploration, introducing us to items in Special Collections that date from the 18th century and earlier. Two other collections that we have also asked him to speak about are the papers of poet William Stafford, and a collection of materials related to Camp Waldport, one of three Civilian Public Service camps in Oregon for WWII conscientious objectors whose interns comprised the Fine Arts Group. The camp’s official newsletter was “The Tide,” but the interns founded their own press, “The Untide.”

Stephen Dow Beckham is an American historian who began his long teaching career at Lewis & Clark College in 1977. His research and writing has centered on Native Americans and the American West and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He is a leading authority on Indian law, often serving as an expert witness in land-use cases. Among his many books are Lewis and Clark: From the Rockies to the Pacific (2002), The Literature of the Lewis and Clark Expedition: A Bibliography and Essays (2003), and Oregon Indians: Voices from Two Centuries (2006). During his distinguished career, he received many honors, among them being named the Pamplin Professor of History, the Oregon Professor of the Year, and being the recipient of the American Historical Association’s Asher Distinguished Teaching Award.

E.J. Carter is a special collections and research librarian at Lewis & Clark College. He is the liaison to the history, economics, international affairs, and political science departments. Previously he was a special collections librarian at Chicago State University. He has published articles in RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage; Central European History; Notre Dame Magazine; and the Northwest Review of Books.