Past Programs

The programming of History Now and K. Ken Johnston is written and presented to tell relevant, inclusive stories from the past to give the guests and audiences of cultural organizations, historic homes, museums, and entertainment venues a connective experience with those who have come before. Presented below are a few examples of these programs.

1540: The De Soto Expedition and Mississippian Culture
This program has been presented at various locations, always with the goal of telling as complete and inclusive a story as possible, from the composition of De Soto’s expedition members – men, women, diverse nationalities/ethnic groups – and the actions of the Mississippian Peoples the expedition came into contact with – from passive acquiescence, to covert resistance, and the open warfare of Paramount Chief Tuscaloosa. The following photos illustrate the Living History interpretation and Hands-on activities that are part of the program.

Is Mount Vernon Burning?
This program was developed and presented by History Now’s K. Ken Johnston at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. The program is based on the actual incident in 1781 when a British warship anchored in the Potomac River off Mount Vernon and 17 members of the Enslaved population escaped to freedom with the British. Using Museum Theatre as the interpretive method, the story is told from the perspective of the Enslaved people, who must make difficult decisions on the opportunity presented them.

Shakespeare’s Soldiers
This program has been presented for a variety of cultural/educational organizations. The video below showcases the presentation done at the Forsyth County Public Library in Cumming GA. The program explores the context of arms and armor carried by characters in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Henry IV Part 1, and Romeo and Juliet using Hands-on, interactive techniques.