Lucille Ball: For Lucille Ball, I'll first ask when and where she was born, and was Lucille Ball her real name or if it was a Hollywood name she took later. I'll then ask how and why she became interested in show business and entertainment, and who influenced her in that direction. When did she first begin to make movies, and how many movies did she make? What types of roles did she play most often in the movies? Then, we'll move to when she met Desi Arnaz--where and how did they meet? Where was Desi from and what kind of performer was he? How soon were they married, and how many children did they have?

Then, we'll move to her famous TV show "I love Lucy"--when did it first air on television? Who produced it? Was it Desi, or did Lucy also help produce? How directed the show? What made the show so funny and so popular, in Lucy's opinion? I'll then show the clip from "Lucy in the Candy Factory" and I'll ask you to tell us a little more about how that episode reflected a reversal of accepted roles for men and women. What kind of message about American society did Lucy want to portray in her show? Did she ever feature any serious or negative issues in the show, or was it always light-hearted and fun? Who were some of the famous movie stars who appeared on her show? If there's time, I'd also like to put her "Vitametavegamin" clip, which is very funny, too. How many years did "I Love Lucy" air on tv, and what was its last year. If there's time, I'll also ask you about her split from Desi and how that changed her life, and about her later tv show "The Lucy Show". Finally, I'll ask what we can still learn today by watching "I Love Lucy".

Clyde Barrow: I'll first ask you where and when Clyde Barrow was born. When did Clyde first get into trouble with the law, and what crimes did he commit? Had he spent time in jail before he met Bonnie? If so, how long? Then, I'll ask about how and when he met Bonnie Parker and what he thought of her. What attracted him to her? What attracted her to him? Then, I'll ask when the two of them started to get into trouble with the law, and what kind of trouble it was. When did they start robbing banks, how long did their crime spree last, how wide an area did it cover, and about how many banks did they rob? Why did Clyde do this? Was it the excitement, the money, or a combination? Was he in love with Bonnie--did they ever plan to get married? I'd like you to describe one of these robberies in a little more detail so we can get an idea of how they did it. Also, how many people were in the gang? How many people did the gang kill in these robberies? Was Clyde always the leader of the gang? Did he personally kill many people? If so, who were they? What did Clyde think of the publicity which he and Bonnie received? I'll also ask you about when they were ambushed and killed--go into some detail on this event. Finally, I'll ask why we should still study Clyde's story and what we can learn from it today.

Black Elk: First, I'll ask where and when he was born and which tribe he belonged to. Was there a significance or special meaning behind his name? As he grew up, did he encounter white people much at all? When did he first become aware of them, and what was his word for them in his language? Was the young Black Elk really aware of the threat of white settlement and encroachment on their lands? Then, we'll move to his visions. How old was he when Black Elk see his first vision? What did he see in the vision, and did he know what it meant? How many other visions did he have while he was young, and what was the message communicated to him about his people and their future in these visions? How did these visions set Black Elk apart and make him a spiritual figure? I think there were several visions which he describes, and we won't have time for you to describe them all, but hopefully you can summarize them for us. Did he have a title similar to "Holy Man"? Did others come to him asking for help with interpreting signs or dreams?

Then, we'll move ahead to the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876--how old was Black Elk then, and did he see the battle first-hand? Did he participate in the fighting, or was he too young? What important thing did he do during the battle which was a rite of passage into manhood?

Later, in the years after the battle, did Black Elk follow his people on to the reservation, giving up their lands? If he did, why did he go? Did he advocate more for war against the whites or for peace and accommodation to white expansion? What was life like on the reservation, according to him? How did it threaten the identity and lifestyle of his people?

Finally, I'll ask about where he was when Wounded Knee happened--was he there or nearby? Did he see the massacre or see the bodies afterward? Did he have a vision concerning this event too, before it happened? What conclusion about the future of his people did he draw from the massacre? When did Black Elk share his memories, which became the book "Black Elk Speaks"? Who wrote down these memories and who translated them into English? How did Black Elk spend his later years?

Calamity Jane:  I'll first ask you when and where she was born, and what her real name was.  Then, I'll ask you about how she got to the West and how she ended up pretty much on her own. What happened to her family?  I'll also ask you why she spent so much time with men and why she often dressed and worked like a man--was it just necessary for her to survive?  Or was she just more comfortable being more active?  What types of jobs did she do in the West, and where did she live most of the time?  Did she really serve as a scout for the army and for General Custer?  Also, how did she get her nickname "Calamity" Jane?  I'll also ask you about her love for Wild Bill Hickock, and if he ever loved her back, or whether they were even friends.  What did she do when Wild Bill was killed?    Then, I'll ask about her drinking--didn't she become notorious for being an alcoholic, or was that a myth?  Did she ever get married and if so, how many times and to whom?  Then, I'll ask about the creation of her "myth" as the frontier woman of dime novels--did she help create this myth?  Did she write books about herself, or did others make her into a myth?  And, finally, what about her daughter--did she maintain contact with her daughter?  Finally, I'll ask you why we should still study Calamity Jane's life and

what we can learn from her.  She's a fun character--go ahead and bring in a bottle with fake "whiskey" in it--it'll make it more fun.

Lt. William Calley: I'll first ask when and where William Calley was born, and then I'll ask how he became interested in serving in the military. When and where did he join the army, and why did she choose the army instead of the other branches of the service? Did he also attend college and ROTC to become an officer? When did he see his first action in Vietnam, and what was his regiment and rank within that regiment? How did he react to the combat conditions in Vietnam? Was it frustrating that he and his men couldn't always see the enemy or identify them? How many casualties did his unit take, and what were the main causes of these wounds? Snipers? Booby traps or mines? How frustrated did he become trying to keep his men safe? Then, we'll move to the My Lai incident. Where was this village, and what were Calley's precise orders about the village? Did he and his men expect to find Viet Cong when they went in? Were there many Viet Cong there? How much opposition did his men find? Then, I'll ask how the shooting of civilians started? Did Calley order this, or did his men just start killing civilians? Did Calley try to stop this killing when it started, or did he participate in it and even encourage it? How long did this killing go on, and how many Vietnamese people were killed at My Lai? How many of these were women and children or older people? How many of Calley's men were wounded or killed that day? Did anyone try to stop Calley and his men from the killing? What about Lt. Thompson in his helicopter? What did he do to try and stop things? Then, we'll move to his trial--when were charges pressed against Calley and what were the charges? Did his superior officer also get accused? What about his military trial? What were Calley's main arguments (or the arguments of his lawyer) against the charges? Did Calley's own men testify against him or for him, or both? What was the verdict, and how much of the sentence did Calley actually serve? What did he feel about the trial and the verdict? Did he feel he had been made a scapegoat? Or did Calley eventually admit that what he had done was wrong and criminal? Did he ever go back to Vietnam or ever apologize to the people there? What did he do with his life after he was released? Finally, I'll ask what we can learn from his story.

Rachel Carson: I'll ask when and where she was born. Then, I'll ask about her education: where did she go to college and why did she decide to study biology and the environment? Who influenced her in this decision? What was her degree in, and when did she graduate? Did she teach or did she main conduct research? When did she publish her first book, what was this book named and what was it about? How popular was it? What were the names of her next two books, and what was her main topic in these books? Then, I'll ask when and why she began to study the effects of DDT--what did these letters stand for and what was DDT? What was it used for? How long did she study its effects, and what were her main conclusions about it? When did she publish her book "Silent Spring", and what kinds of evidence did she present in it about the damage done by pesticides to the environment? How did people react to this book? How influential was this book on the environmental movement? I'd like you to quote a couple of passages from the book to illustrate her writing style and her message. Was there opposition by the companies which made DDT? Did her book lead to new government regulations or a

ban on DDT? If so, when did that ban happen? What other work did she do to help promote conservation and protection of the environment? Did she ever marry and have children? Did she have a companion or fellow worker with whom she spent much time? When did she die, and what was her place as a leader in the environmental movement until her death?

Butch Cassidy: I’ll first ask when and where Butch Cassidy was born, and what his real name was. Then, I’ll ask how old he was when he started getting into trouble. What kind of trouble was it, and who influenced him in this direction? Did he have regular or “straight” jobs at times, too? Then, I’ll ask why he took the name “Butch Cassidy” and when he formed his first gang. What was their first main robbery? What kinds of jobs did they pull: did they rustle cattle mostly, or rob banks and trains? When did Butch meet the Sundance Kid, and when did he form the gang the “Wild Bunch”? When did they pick the “Hole in the Wall” as their hide-out, and where was this? How isolated and protected was the Hole in the Wall from law officers? I’ll then ask you about the robberies of Butch’s gang against the Union Pacific railroad—how many times did the Wild Bunch rob the train, and how did they stop the train and get the money? Did they have to use explosives, as depicted in the 1969 movie about them? Were the robberies widely known, and did they help make Butch and the Wild Bunch well known? Did Butch or his men have to shoot and kill people in these robberies? Did Butch ever kill anyone during one of the jobs? Then, I’ll ask about how the railroad sent posses after Butch and Sundance—how long did they pursue Butch, and how close did they come to catching him before he decided to leave for South America? Did Butch and Sundance really jump from a cliff to escape the posse, as depicted in the 1969 movie? When did Butch, Sundance, and Etta Place go, and where did they settle in South America? How long did it take before they turned to robbing banks? Did they try to work at straight jobs first? Finally, I’ll ask what happened to Butch, which is still being debated. Did he die in a gunfight with soldiers in Bolivia? Or did he survive and return to America and live much longer? What is the evidence to help settle this question? Can we verify whether or not he survived?

Sue Craft: I’ll first ask when and where Sue Craft was born, and what her life was like as a slave during the Civil War? When the war ended and she gained her freedom, was she old enough to work, or was she in school? Did she stay on or near her old plantation or move? What was life like for her and other freed slaves under the Black Codes or laws of the time? How did these Codes control or restrict African Americans? What was her teacher’s name and what did the Ku Klux Klan do to him, and why? What happened when the Klan came to Sue’s own home? What did the Klansmen ask her father, and how did he reply? After the next election, what did the Klan do to her home when they came back? Was Sue or anyone in her family hurt or killed? How did her father react to this attack, and what happened in the end? Was she or any of her family hurt during these attacks? Was any legal action taken against the Klan because of the attacks on her home and the homes of others? How much later in her life was Sue Craft interviewed about her experiences, and which government agency interviewed her? Did she raise a family and continue to live in the same area, or did she move away?

Bing Crosby: -I'll first ask where and when Bing Crosby was born, and was his real name was. How did he get the name "Bing" and when? Then, I'll ask about how he became interested in music and singing? Who influenced him in this direction? Did he start out in another profession and then switch to music, or did he have musical training from an early age? When did he first begin singing professionally, and where? Who were the previous singers who influenced him? When did he become a big star as a singer, and what types of songs did he record? Why was he called a "crooner"? What did that word mean? At this point, I'll play one of his songs from the 1930s called "Pennies from Heaven". I'll play it on You tube and then I'll ask you to tell us about the song. Did he write it as well as sing it? Was it already known, and was this just Bing's version of it? What was the main message in this song? How popular was it and what did people think of the message? Then, we'll move to another famous song by him--"White Christmas". Who wrote this song, and when did Bing first record it? How many copies has it sold since then? Why was it so popular, and how many records sold during its first year? I'll then ask about Bing's movie career, for which he was just as famous as for his singing. When did he make his first movie, and how many movies did he make altogether? I'll ask you about the movie he made called "The Bells of St. Marys"--what was this movie about, what character did he play, and why was it so popular? I'll also ask you about the movies he made with Bob Hope which are called the "On the Road" series, since they all had the title of "On the Road to somewhere". I want you to pick one of these, watch a bit of it, and then I'll ask you what it was about, and why it was so popular with audiences. Finally, if there's time, I'll ask about his later career on television--did he have his own TV show? How many Christmas specials did Bing do? ask you to list two of his most famous songs from his early career, from the 1920's and 1930s.

Emily Dickinson: I’ll start by asking when and where Emily Dickinson was born. Then, I’ll ask about her education—which schools did she attend, and what subjects interested her the most at these schools? How long did she attend Amhearst Academy, and why did she leave there and return home? When did she begin to write poetry, and were these written for her own pleasure, or did she share them or send them to people she knew? After attending school, how often did Emily leave her home? Why did she stay there for so long? Was it a painful shyness, or was it simply that she was happy there and didn’t need or want to travel? How much contact with people did she have, through visitors, letters, and other means? Then, we’ll turn to her poetry in more detail—who many poems did she write during her lifetime? How many of these were published in her lifetime? Why were so few published? What were the major themes or topics of her poetry—what interested her the most? Social pressures, death, love of the natural world were all part of her poetry. At this point, I’d like for you to read 2 of her short poems which you think illustrate two of these themes. Let me know which ones you pick, and I’ll put them up on the screen while you read them. I’ll also ask you to analyze and

explain each poem and its message. What made her poetry so unique and different from earlier poetry? What professional advice did she receive about her poetry, and did she follow it? Was her poetry known much at all before her death? Finally, we’ll turn back to her personal life. Did she have a relationship with a man which could have developed into something more serious? If so, who was he, and did she ever receive a marriage proposal? At this point, I’ll put up her poem “Wild Nights” on the screen and ask you to read the first few lines. To whom was this written? What about her being in love with her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert? Was there truth in that, or were they simply close friends? Was it written instead to Thomas Higginson? What’s the connection between her staying at home and the structure and content of her poetry?

Amelia Earhart: I'll start with where and when Amelia Earhart was born, and then I'll ask about how and why she developed her interest in flying.  When did she take her first solo flight, when did she buy her first plane, and how was she able to afford it? Then, I'll ask about her flying career:  what types of flying jobs did she have?  Was she in airplane races? Did she do stunts?  How quickly did her fame spread around America?  When did she fly across the Atlantic solo, and why was this such a great achievement? When did she get the idea to fly around the world?  Who helped her prepare for this flight and when did she start it?  Who was with her during the flight and what was her route around the world (I can put up a map of the flight path from the computer at this point).  When and where did things go wrong on this flight, and what went wrong?  What happened to her and her plane?  Of course, this is still not exactly known and there are various theories, but you should pick the explanation which you think makes most sense and go with that. Don't say that it's still a mystery--we want you to solve the mystery for us!  Finally, as stated in the syllabus, I'll ask you why we should still study her life and what we can learn from her.

Philo Farnsworth: After asking when and where Philo Farnsworth was born, I'll ask you how he become interested in science in general and how he first came up with the idea of electronic television. There is a story that while he was plowing a field on his father's farm as a teenager, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration--make sure to tell us that one. Then, I'll ask about his high school education and how he demonstrated his ideas to his teacher then. What were his ideas about electronic television? You should be able to explain it to us clearly and even be able to draw a basic diagram on the board to illustrate it--there should be some good diagrams on the web showing his work.  Then, I'll move on to his work--when did he first get funding to work on television, and who funded him? How long did him take him to get a working model done, and where and when did he first demonstrate it? What was the first picture which he showed on his television model, and what did this television look like compared to today's tvs?  Then, I'll ask about his patent and about the legal battle with RCA over who should get the patent for electronic television.  Why did RCA claim the right to this patent? Who was the Russian who was working on the same invention, and who was actually ahead in developing electronic television--him or Farnsworth?  How long did it take for Farnsworth to fight this legal battle and how did it turn out for him?  What did he eventually do after the legal fight--did he start producing televisions or did he sell his rights to the patent so others could make them? What kind of mental and physical toll did the legal battle with RCA take on

Farnsworth and his family? If there's time, I'll try to show a clip from you tube of Philo Farnsworth on a game show in the 1950s, in which panelists try to figure out his claim to fame (I think it was called "What's My Line"?  It's a fun clip--see if you can find it and watch it.  Finally, I'll ask how much television he allowed his kids to watch and what he would think of his invention today if he were alive? Did he think it would be commercialized so completely? Did he want it to be more educational and of more public service?

Jane Fonda: I'll first ask when and were Jane Fonda was born. Then, I'll ask why and when she got involved in acting? was it the influence of her famous father, Henry Fonda? Did he push her into acting or did she choose to do it? Then, I'll ask about her early career: when did she make her first film and what was it about? How quickly did she become a start, and which film really got her attention from critics and made her a "star"? I'd like you to find a clip from her movie "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?", which was one of her good early performances. What made her a good actress? What qualities and skills did the critics and audiences like about her? While this was happening in the 1960's and early 1970's, what were Jane Fonda's beliefs of the Vietnam War? Did she start out as a supporter of the war and then turn against it, or was she always against it? What turned her against it? How did she express her rejection of the Vietnam War? When did she start to protest, and what form did these protests take? Then, I'll ask about her controversial trip to North Vietnam--why did she decide to do this, and when did she visit? What specific events of our military was she protesting, and what message was she hoping to send? What did she see while she was there, and how did the North Vietnamese people and government respond to her? How did Americans respond to her visit? Was she mainly seen as a traitor giving comfort to the enemy? Was she also seen by some protesters as a champion of peace for doing this? How did she respond to the criticism? Did her visit to Hanoi have any real impact on our government or military's policies? Did her anti-war position harm her movie acting career? How many movies has Jane Fonda made up to now, how many times was she nominated for Best Actress, and how many times did she win Best Actress and for which movies?

Henry Ford: I'll first ask when and where Henry Ford was born. Then, I'll ask about how he became interested in engines and how he was introduced to the idea of a "horseless carriage". What events or which people influenced him in this direction? Why didn't he want to work on his family farm? When did he produce the quadricycle, and how important was this vehicle as a forerunner to the automobile? I'll put an image of the quadricycle on the screen as you talk about it. What kind of work did he do for Thomas Edison, and how long did he work for Edison? When did Ford start his own early auto company? When did he produce his first Model T, and how many of these cars did he eventually produce during his career? How much did the Model T cost when it was first produced, and how much did its price sink? Were ordinary workers able to afford a Model T? What was the secret to its success as a car? Was it the longevity of the car, or were there other features which people liked? Was it comfortable? Did it have many frills? Then, I'll ask about how Ford revolutionized the assembly of automobiles--what kind of assembly line did he devise, and how long did it take to complete a Model T with this system? How much did Ford pay his workers? How did Ford also interfere into the

personal lives of his workers and try to control their behavior? Did Ford eventually produce other models? If so, which were the best selling ones? Then, we'll move to Ford's controversial political views? What was his attitude toward Jews? How did he feel about Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich? When did Ford retire from control of the Ford Motor company? Did he realize how dramatically he had changed American life by producing so many cars?

Woody Guthrie: I'll first ask where and when Woody Guthrie was born, and what his full name was. Also, I'll ask when and why he became interested in music. How did he learn to play the guitar? Then, I'll ask about the tragic events which happened to his family while he was growing up, including the death of a sister, the loss of two homes, and his mother's mental disorders. How old was Woody when he left home? When did he get married, where did he live then, and how many children did he have? Did he and his family get hit in the Dust Bowl? If so, how did they cope with it? Was Woody making a living by playing and/or writing music then, or did he have to find other jobs? When and why did Woody leave his wife and family and head for California? When did he get his first good paying job at playing and singing in California, and what types of songs did he do on the radio? At this point, I'll ask you to play parts of two of his greatest songs from this era--one song should be "This Land is My Land", but the other one is your choice. After we play parts of both songs, I'll ask you to explain their meaning and message. You can bring them in on a CD or we can pull the songs up on You tube.Then, I'll ask if Woody brought out his wife and family to California or just kept his distance. I'll also ask how and why Woody made it to New York and working with a radio station there. I'll ask you to play a song from these years in Woody's life, and then I'll ask about the disease which started to rob Woody of his mobility and muscle control? When did Woody die and where, and how old was he? About how many songs had he written during his short life? Finally, I'll ask why we should listen to Woody's music and what we can learn from it today (especially in the hard economic times which we've been through over the last 2-3 years).

Merle Haggard: I'll first ask you when and where Merle Haggard was born, and how he got involved in music.  Did his family teach him to sing and play the guitar? Was he in bands as a young man?  Who were the musicians or stars who influenced him?  I'll then ask about the trouble he got into with the law--what crimes did he commit, why did he go to prison, and how long was he in prison?  I'd like you to play part of one of his hits, "Mama Tried", and then I'll ask you how accurate the song is as a description of his own life.  Was he ever "doing life without parole" as the song says?  How did he begin his recording career once he got out of prison?  Besides "Mama Tried", what was one of his early big hits?  I'd like you to play a part of this song and then tell us about it.  Then, I'll move to the Vietnam War era and ask you to play part of his song "Okie from Muskogee", and then I'll ask you what prompted him to record this song. What was his message in the song about the Vietnam War and about patriotism?  Did he support the Vietnam War throughout the whole time we fought it, or did he eventually admit that it was a mistake an turn against the war effort? If there's time, I'll also ask you to summarize his career over the last few decades--has he kept recording albums and

performing?  How has his health been over the last several years? Finally, I'll ask why we should still listen to his songs and what we can learn from them.

John Wesley Hardin: First, I’ll ask where and when John Hardin was born, and why he was named “John Wesley”—was it because of the great Methodist preacher John Wesley? Then, I’ll ask why and how violence entered into his life. Who was the first man whom Hardin killed, why did it happen, and how did Hardin react when federal soldiers came after him? How did the resentment against “Yankees” in Texas motivate Hardin’s actions? After this first encounter with trouble, what did Hardin do for a living and how did he like to spend him time? You should talk about his love of horse racing and gambling and his time as a cowboy. Did Hardin ever get married and have a family? If he did, how many children did he have and was he around long enough to be a good husband and father? After his first killing, when and where did Hardin kill again, and why did it happen? Did he really shoot and kill a man just for snoring? If so, when and where did this happen? Has the story been exaggerated? If so, how? Then, I’ll ask you about Hardin’s gunfight with Deputy Sheriff Webb—when and where did this happen? Why was Webb after Hardin? What happened during the gunfight, who got killed, and who got wounded? How did Hardin get away, and when was he eventually caught? How long did Hardin spend in jail, and how did he educate himself while he was in prison? Did Hardin ever get married and have a family? If he did, how many children did he have and was he around long enough to be a good husband and father? After he got out of jail, how did Hardin make a living? How did his life end, and where did it end? Was he a cold-blooded killer as some like to believe, or was he a killer because of his situation and circumstances?

Harry Houdini: I'll first ask you when and where Harry Houdini was born, and what his real name was. Then, I'll ask you how old he was when he came to America, and where his family settled. I'll next ask how he got interested in magic, and when he first started to make a living at it. Was he doing typical magician's tricks at first and then later moved into escaping, or was he doing escapes early on, too? How did he come up with the stage name of "Harry Houdini"? Who worked with him in his early days? Then, we'll move to his great escape tricks--you should tell us about his handcuff escapes, and if you want, you can tell us the secret of how he did (if you know--you may not), but that's up to you. I'll then ask about his more complex water escapes and his straight jacket escapes, for which he became famous. How did he set them up and how did they work? How did he create incredible tension and fear in the audience to generate more income? How long could he hold his breath under water? How flexible was his body? Is that how he got out of straight jackets so easily and how of water-filled containers with chains on? If there's time, I'll move to the death of his mother, and how he began to seek contact with her beyond the grave. How did this quest lead him to expose the fake spiritualists? How long did he do this and what was the famous wager which he offered to anyone who could verify their seances as real? I'll also ask how he died--sad story--and when he died, which is very appropriate for him! Finally, I'll ask why we should study his life and what we can learn from him--one point you should mention is the great influence which he had on many later magicians and illusionists. If you can bring in a Dollar Tree pair of handcuffs and do a little "trick" for us, that would be great!

Jack Johnson: First, I’ll ask when and where Jack Johnson was born. Then, I’ll ask about his family and his level of education—was he from a poor family? How far did he go in school? How and why he became interested in boxing, and who was his main teacher about boxing? Then, I’ll ask when he began to fight professionally—what was his boxing style? What made it unique? Did he fight both black and white opponents early on? What was his weight classification? Did he usually knock out opponents, or did he win many decisions? When did he win his first professional title, and what title was it? How badly did Johnson want to box the best white fighters, and how many fights and victories did it take before he got a shot at the World title? Whom did Johnson beat to get this title, and what was the reaction of both black and white Americans to this? Who called for a “Great White Hope” to take this title away from Johnson, and which white boxer took up the challenge and pledged to win the title back for the white race. When and where was this “Fight of the Century” held? How hard was it for Johnson to win this fight, and how long did it go? How much did this victory increase his fame and popularity? Then, I’ll turn to his private life. What caused Johnson to flout convention so much, and how did he flout it? How many white women did he have serious relationships with, and how many did he marry? Did he have children with any of his wives? How much racist criticism and discrimination was directed at him for this? Were there threats against his person and life and his wives? Why was Johnson arrested and sentenced to a jail term? Where did he escape, and how long did he stay out of the country? When did he return and serve his sentence? How did Johnson respond to all this controversy and the criticism? How long did Johnson hold his boxing titles? Did he try to re-capture them and was he successful? How long did he fight and when was his last fight? Finally, I’ll ask how much Jack Johnson benefitted African Americans and how much he helped them gain better and more equal rights.

Mother Jones: I will first ask where and when Mary Jones was born, and I'll ask when she married and how many children she had. Then, I'll ask you about how disease struck her family and how her children and husband died. Did she lose all her children and her husband? What was the disease? When did it happen and how old was she when it happened? I'll then ask you about how she coped after these deaths, and how she got involved in helping workers. When and why did she begin to organize workers and help them fight for their rights? When and how did she get her nickname "Mother" Jones? Where did she travel to help workers, and how did she help them? You should describe at least two specific strikes as examples, such as the West Virginia coal miners' strike in which she organized the women to keep out the replacement workers or "scabs". Then, I'll ask you about the Children's March on Washington--when was that, and what was it

all about? How many children were involved, what was her main message about working children, and did she get any reforms passed as a result of the March? If there's time, I'll also ask about the strike by miners in Colorado, in 1914, which led to the deaths of many strikers by gunfire--what was her role in this tragedy? Finally, I'll ask why we should still learn about her career today and what we can learn from her. You should mention the progressive magazine "Mother Jones" which is very popular and which still champions the causes of working people, like she did.

Scott Joplin: As for your Scott Joplin presentation, I'll first ask when and where he was born, and how he learned to play the piano--did he have formal education in music? Or did he learn some other way?  What kinds of playing jobs did he get when he was young? What was it like for him as an African American in this period? Did he face discrimination or even threats of violence?  Then, I'll move on to "Rag Time"--what kind of music was it and how did Joplin create it from a blend of other types of music?  Make sure to be precise here and specific.  Then, I'll ask you to play a couple of his best known rag time tunes--you should play the "Entertainer" and then the other one can be your choice.  Can you burn them onto a CD?  If not, you can pull them up on You tube on the class computer.  After we play the songs, or clips from them, I'll ask you how people responded to Joplin's music. Did he become very popular?  Was his audience mostly his fellow African Americans and did it include a lot of white listeners, too?  Then, I'll ask how many rag time tunes he wrote, and if he ever tried other types of music.  Was he famous in his later life, or was he forgotten?  Finally, I'll ask why we should still study his life today, and what we can learn from his life and music.

Ron Kovic: I'll first ask when and where he was born--was he always proud of the fact that he was born on July 4th? Then, I'll ask why and when he became interested in serving in the military, and why he chose the Marines.  Who or what events influenced him to join the Marines?  When did he arrive in Vietnam, and what was his unit or regiment? What kind of fighting and combat did he see while he was there? Was he able to see the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese whom he was fighting, or was it a war of ambushes and patrols in which he rarely saw the enemy? Then, I'll ask about two events which changed his life--the first was when he fired and killed one of his fellow soldiers accidently, and the second was when he was severely wounded.  You should describe these events in some detail from his autobiography, "Born on the Fourth of July", including his precise wounds and how he was unable to walk as a result.  How long was he in the hospital back in America before he was discharged? What were the conditions like in the military hospitals for him? When did he go back home, and how was he greeted by people he knew? Did they give him a hero's welcome, or ignore him, or even condemn him? Then, I'll ask how and why he began to turn against the Vietnam War and what America was going there--what changed his thinking on the war?   How did he begin to express his opposition to the war? Did he face drug and alcohol problems during this time? You should tell us about his protests at the National Republican Convention in 1972.  Did he give back or throw away any of his medals like some other returning Vietnam Vets do?  Was he at the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in the

1980's, and what does he think of the Wall as a symbol of that war?   When did his autobiography come out and when was the movie made about his story? What can we learn today from his story?

Allison Krause:  I'll first ask you where and when Allison Krause was born, and then why she went to Kent State University. What were her plans? What was her major?  In what year was she in 1970?  Then, I'll ask about her political views.  Was she against the Vietnam War? If so, why?  Did she take part in demonstrations before 1970?  Then, we'll move to the events in 1970 which led up to her being shot by National Guardsmen. When President Nixon announced that we invaded Cambodia in April 1970, how did Allison react? Was she part of the burning of the ROTC building in the days before the shooting?  Was she involved in the destruction of downtown properties during the weekend before the shooting, or was she at home?  Then, we'll get to the Monday when the shooting happened.  What was she doing that day--demonstrating? When did the National Guardsmen arrive on campus, and how close to them was Allison?  Did she ever get very close to the National Guardsmen or threaten them in any way?  When the shots rang out, how close was she and where was she hit?  Did she die right away or soon after?  Then, I'll ask you why we should still care about this shooting and what we can learn from it.

Robert McNamara: After asking when and where he was born, I'll ask you about his education and his service in World War II--what role did he play in the war and what branch of the service was he in?  What about his career after the war? You should talk about his rise to be head of Ford Motor company and I'll also ask how successful he was in that position.  Then, I'll ask how he felt when President Kennedy picked him to be Secretary of Defense.  Did he feel fully prepared?  What advice did he give to President Kennedy about Vietnam and the situation there in 1961-1962?  Did the President follow this advice? Why did McNamara think that protecting South Vietnam was so important? What did he think would happen if South Vietnam was lost to Communism?  What was McNamara's role in America's response to the Tonkin Gulf attacks of 1964? Did McNamara cut corners and ignore evidence that there may not have been a second attack on our ships?  What was the goal in sending American marines to Vietnam in 1965? What was McNamara's overall strategy for victory in Vietnam?  When did he begin to realize that it wasn't working, and what alternatives did he present to President Johnson? How much difference was there between what McNamara was saying to the public and press and what he was saying privately to the president?  When did McNamara resign from Secretary of Defense, and why?  Later on, after the war, what were the main mistakes which he thinks we made in the Vietnam War? The last part of his book about the war would be very helpful here, if you haven't already read it.   Aimee Semple McPherson: I'll first ask where and when she was born, and what her maiden name was. Then, I'll ask about when she first became deeply religious--did she have a conversion experience as a child or young person, or was she simply raised to be a Christian by her family? What was the name of her Christian church or denomination while she was growing up? For example, was she a Pentecostal, Prebyterian, etc? Then, I'll ask when she received the call or the when she developed the desire to preach. How

difficult was it for her as a woman to become a pastor and a preacher? How quickly did she rise to the point that she got her own radio program? What was the name of her program, and how popular did it become? What kind of Christian message and teaching did she preach on the radio? Was her message more about the love of Christ or about the need to avoid Hell and God's judgment, or was it a mix of both? Was she more interested in saving souls, or improving people's lives, or a mix of both? Was she a "fundamentalist"? That is, did she preach against evolution and science? Was she also against alcohol and for Prohibition? I'd like you to try and listen to some of her broadcasts through searching on the Internet. If you find a link, let me know. Also, if you can find her sermons recorded, choose a small part (maybe just 30 seconds) which you think is interesting and would illustrate her style. How many listeners did Aimee have at the height of her popularity on the radio?

Then, we'll move to the scandal which happened to her. How did this scandal begin with her disappearance? Where and when did this happen? When did she re-appear and what was her story to the media? What evidence emerged to cast doubt on her story, and why did many people not believe her tale? Based on the evidence which you find, what do you think really happened to Aimee? Was she really kidnapped or did she actually take a long weekend with one of her workers, who was married? Was Aimee married at this time, too? Did she lose listeners and prestige because of this scandal? Did she continue to be just as popular on the radio and recover from the scandal quickly? What about Aimee's "Angelus Temple"--when did she open this and where? How popular was it and how long did she preach there? Is it still functioning today?

James Meredith: I’ll first ask where and when James Meredith was born? Then, I’ll ask about what it was like for him growing up as a black man—how good was his education? What kinds of discrimination, prejudice, and even violence did he face growing up, and how did he respond to it? Was he involved in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s? Did he take part in events like marches, sit-ins, or voter registration drives for black people in Mississippi? Which college did Meredith first attend, and for how long? Why did he decide to try and attend the University of Mississippi, when he knew that no white person was studying there? Did he realize how dangerous and difficult it would be to get enrolled? How long did it take Meredith to actually register as a student there, and how dangerous was it for him? How many times did he try to register before actually being enrolled? Was he in fear of his life during this time? When did the federal government step in to protect Meredith? When was his first day of class at the University of Mississippi, and what was his experience like going from class to class and attending day to day? How did white students react to him? Did he get much sympathy, or was it mostly hostility? How soon was it before other black students could go to school there, and how many black students are enrolled today in the University of Mississippi (you can use Wikipedia or the internet to find this statistic if you want to.) When did Meredith graduate from the University of Mississippi and what was his degree in? Then, we’ll move to his 1966 march and what happened—where was this March to start and end, what was it called, and what was the purpose of it? What happened to Meredith soon after this March started, and how long did it take him to recover? Who were some of the prominent Civil Rights leaders who took part in the March? What’s the name of the book

which Meredith wrote about his experiences during these years in Mississippi? After 1966, what career did Meredith follow? Did he have a family and children? What were his political views through the 1970’s and 1980’s and how did they change over that time? Why did he eventually join the Republican party, and what was his view of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday?

Anne Moody: I'll first ask where and when Anne Moody was born and what her name was then. Then, I'll ask about her life as a child: how poor was her family, and how much did she and her family have to struggle to get by? How would you describe the first home she lived in? How many siblings did she have? What happened between her parents that caused them to split up? What tragedy happened to her home when she was young? Then, I'll ask about how and when Anne became aware of segregation and discrimination against black people. What happened at the movies which made her aware of this? Then, when she was older, how did she learn about the murder of Emmitt Till, and how did she react to this? When did she take the name "Anne" and why? When did Anne begin to work in the Civil Rights movement, which organization did she join, and what kind of work did she do? Which colleges did she attend, and where was she attending when she joined the sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi at the Woolworth lunch counter? What did some of the white crowd do to Anne? How did Anne help to get people registered to vote in Mississippi, and how successful was she at this? What obstacles did she face, and how often was she threatened? When did she come closest to being hurt and even killed in Mississippi, and how did she escape? What did she think of Dr. Martin Luther King's speech in the March on Washington in 1963, and then what happened shortly after this speech which shocked and saddened her? How did she react to this terrible news, and what did she say to God as a result of this? When did she publish her autobiography, what was it called, and how popular was it?

Audie Murphy : I'll first ask when and where Audie Murphy was born. Was he interested in the army as a boy? Then, I'll ask how hold he was when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. Did he try to join the army soon after that? Was he old enough to join? If not, how long did he have to wait before he could sign up? Who influenced him to want to be a soldier? Had his father or grandfather or other members of his family been in the military? Did he come from a family which had fought in the military, like his father or grandfather? Why did Audie Murphy choose the army rather than the other branches of the military? How long was his basic training, and in which countries did he serve during World War II? Where did he first see combat? How did he react to combat? Did he think that he performed well in battle and under pressure? What did he write about his life in the army in his letters back home? When did he win his first citations for bravery? Then, we'll move to the day on which Murphy became a "hero" and won the Medal of Honor. When and where did this happen, and what battle was going on? What did Audie Murphy do to save his fellow soldiers from the Germans? You should describe the action step-by-step and explain how dangerous it was for him--make sure to find the Medal of Honor official citation, which describes what happened. Did he get wounded during this action? If so, where were his wounds and how serious were they? How many decorations and awards did he win during World War II? How did he

respond to being called a hero, especially when he returned home? When did he get his photo on the cover of LIFE magazine? How did Audie Murphy get into the movies, and what was the name of the film about his own story, in which he played himself? How popular was this film? How many other films did he make, and how popular was he? What tragic accident led to his death?

Georgia O’Keefe: For Georgia O'Keefe, I'll first ask when and where she was born, then I'll ask how and why she became interested in art and painting. Who influenced her in this direction? What kind of formal training in art did she receive and which schools did she attend? Then, I'll ask how she began her professional career--what were the topics or themes of her first paintings? What types of materials or paint did she prefer? Why was she painting, beyond just to make a living? What was her philosophy of art and its meaning? I'll also ask you about her marriage, and whether her husband's profession stimulated her art and how. Then, I'll ask about her move to New Mexico and how this changed her art work and the topics she painted. I'd like you to present two of her paintings from this New Mexico period--you can choose them and let me know on Thursday which ones you chose, and we'll pull them up on Google image. You should describe the paintings--when they were painted, what is being depicted, and what the message of each painting is. Which artistic movement would come closest to fitting her work? I'll then ask what the public reaction to these types of painting was, and how well known she became in her later years. Finally, I'll ask why we should study her paintings today and what we can learn from them.

Bonnie Parker:  I'll first ask you where and when Bonnie Parker was born.  Then, I'll ask about why and when she met Clyde Barrow and what she thought of him.  What attracted her to him?  Then, I'll ask when the two of them started to get into trouble with the law, and what kind of trouble it was.  When did they start robbing banks, how long did their crime spree last, how wide an area did it cover, and about how many banks did they rob? Why did Bonnie do this? Was it the excitement, the money, or a combination?  Was she in love with Clyde--did they ever plan to get married?  I'd like you to describe one of these robberies in a little more detail so we can get an idea of how they did it.  Also, how many people were in the gang?  How many people did the gang kill in these robberies? Also, I'd like you to quote some of the poem which Bonnie wrote and had published in the newspapers, which is very interesting.  I'll also ask you about when they were ambushed and killed--go into some detail on this event.  Finally, I'll ask why we should still study Bonnie's story and what we can learn from it today.

Rosa Parks: For Rosa Parks, I'll ask when and where she was born, and then I'll ask how she first became involved with the Civil Rights movement. Was she active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People even before her famous bus incident of 1955? What kind of burdens did she have to bear from segregation growing up where she did? Then, I'll ask you to take us back to the day in 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on the public bus. How often did black people have to give up seats? Didn't black people also have to pay for a ticket at the front of the bus and then get on in the back? Was there plenty of room for the white people on the day on which Rosa was

asked to move? How did the driver respond when she refused? And why did Rosa Parks do this on that particular day? Did she plan it ahead of time or was it truly a spontaneous action? Once she was taken to jail, whose idea was it to launch a boycott of the bus system? Did she already know Dr. King before this bus incident, or did they get to know each other when it happened? How long did the boycott go on and what kinds of hardships did it mean for black people there? How did this victory in Montgomery change Rosa's life? Did she become much more active in the Civil Rights movement and become a leader after that? Or did she remain in low profile while others took the lead? Was she an active member of Dr. King's campaigns to stop segregation in the 1960's? Was she there at his speech in Washington, D.C. in 1963 and at the signing of the Civil Rights bills of 1964 and 1965? If there's time, I'll ask how active she was in the movement in her later years, and when she died. Finally, I'll ask what we can learn from her story today.

George Patton: I'll first ask where and when George Patton was born. Then, I'll ask why he wanted to be in the military--did he have family ancestors in the military? Also, I'll ask you about his time at West Point and also about his performance in the Olympics. Then, I'll ask you to quickly summarize his service in the military after he left West Point, both in Mexico and in World War I--we wont' spend much time on this period since I want to get to World War II quickly, but I will ask you about his dedication to the tank as a weapon. What were his main ideas on how tanks could be used in warfare to make it faster and bring victory sooner? I'll also ask you about his belief in reincarnation and the idea that he had fought in previous ages--I'd like you to quote a bit from his poetry which shows his belief in reincarnation. Then, we'll move to World War II--what was his first campaign as a general leading an army, and where did it happen? How well did his troops do when they first went up against the Germans? What about his plan for invading and capturing Sicily from the Germans? What was the plan and how well did it work? Did Patton put his soldiers in unnecessary danger in order to beat the British general Montgomery to Messina in Sicily? Also, I'll ask you about why Patton got into such trouble for slapping soldiers who were suffering from "battle fatigue". When was he removed from command of his army, and was it because of slapping soldiers or other reasons? Then, I'll move ahead to Patton's part in the liberation of France and the Battle of the Bulge--you should describe how his forces moved quickly through France--how many German troops did his army capture in 1944? How did Patton and his army help defeat the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge? How did he motivate his troops to fight so hard and march so far? You should give us a quotation from one of Patton's speeches in which he uses profanity. If there's time, I'll ask you how he died. Finally, I'll ask why we should still study the life of Patton and what we can learn from him.

Alice Paul: I'll first ask when and where Alice Paul was born. Then, I'll ask what kind of education she received and which schools and colleges she attended. What was her highest degree and what subject was it in, and when did she receive it? Also, I'll ask why and when she became interested in women's rights and especially the right of women to vote. What were the experiences in her childhood or youth which influenced her in this direction? How did she stand out from other girls when she was growing up? How did

she express her greater independence and ambition? Then, I'll ask about her participation in the campaign to get women the vote in England--when was Alice Paul there, who was the leader of the this movement, and what types of activities did Alice participate in: marches, picket line protests, speeches, others? Was she ever put in prison, and if so, for how long? How effective was this voting rights campaign in England, and when did she return to America to join the crusade for women's rights here? What was her plan for how to get American women the vote, and what organization did she create? How were Alice's methods different from other women's rights activists? How involved was Alice in the great suffragette march in Washington, D.C. in March, 1916? How did this march turn violent, and how much publicity did the march receive as a result? Then, we'll move to the picket of the White House by Alice and other women. When did this begin, and why did Alice take such a controversial move? How did President Wilson respond to the women who were picketing, and how did the public respond to the pickets? What kind of signs did the women picketing hold? How often were these women attacked? What did the government finally decide to do with these women to stop the campaign? Did it work, or did the government's plan backfire? When did the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, pass the Congress? When was it ratified by the states so that it was the law of the land? Was Alice Paul there on these great events, and what did she say about them? How much credit should Alice Paul get for women getting the vote in America? If there's time, I'll also ask you what other civil rights campaigns Alice pursued after 1920.

Jackson Pollock: I'll first ask you when and where Jackson Pollock was born. I'll then ask you what kind of education he received--how far did he go in school? To colleges? To art academies? If so, which ones? Why and how did he become interested in art and painting, and who were his main teachers in painting? What type of paintings did Pollock like best when he started out--and which great artists of the 20th century did he like the most? How was he influenced by Native American art? How did his battle with alcohol and his experience with Jungian psychotherapy influence his work? Also, when and how did he learn the techniques of painting which he became famous for, like pouring art and the vibrant use of colors? What types of images did he like to paint? At this point, I'll ask you what two of his best known and most famous paintings you should pick two which you find interesting. I'll put images of each one up on the screen. Then, for both paintings, I'll ask you: What was it called, and when did he paint it? What was the inspiration for it? How large was each painting, and how did art critics and the public respond to them? How many major paintings did Pollock create during his life? How famous did he become for his work, and what was unique about his work in his techniques and his message? How old was he when he died, and how did he die?

Jacob Riis: I'll also start with where and when he was born, and then I'll ask when and why he moved to America from Denmark. When he arrived in New York, how hard was life for him? How long did he have to struggle for food and for shelter? How long was he on the street, and how desperate did he become? Did he face illness or jail? Was he ever tempted to steal? How did he pull himself out of this condition and how long did that take? What was his first real job, and how did he become a photographer? How did he try to help the people on the streets and in the tenements, and what were his main political goals? How did his photographs help him pursue these goals? Was he

motivated mainly by an altruistic desire to do good, or was it mainly profit, or a mixture of both? When did he publish his book "How the Other Half Lives", how many photographs were in it, and how did people react to it? What about the racist stereotypes which he wrote about in the book--did any of the immigrants or people representing them push back against those stereotypes? Did any real political or social change result from the book? Did Riis get to know many actual immigrants enough to see them as individuals, and did he later change is view or renounce his earlier views? How many other books did Riis write with a social reform agenda and how effective were they in changing things? Finally, I'll ask why we should look at his work today and what we can learn from him.

Rosie the Riveter:  For Rosie the Riveter, I'll first ask when and how she was created as an icon of women working in World War II.  Was she based on one or two particular women, like Rose Monroe?  What did Rosie the Riveter look like? I'll put a couple of images of her on the screen, starting with the Norman Rockwell version from the cover of the "Saturday Evening Post", and then putting up the "We Can Do It" poster of Rosie. Then, I'll ask you to describe them in more detail.  What kind of work was "riveting" and how heavy were the riveting machines which Rosie holds?  How did both images blend a masculine, tough image with a feminine, softer image? Why was it important to make Rosie look like a worker while still giving her lipstick and make-up? Then, I'll ask about Rosie the Riveter's song--who wrote it and when?  Did the song actually come before or after the images of Rosie? I'd like you to know the lyrics to the song, and I'll pull it up on the computer, too, and play a part of it (unless you would like to sing it!) and then I'll ask you to comment on the message of the song.  I'll also ask you whether women working in the factories faced much discrimination--did they get equal pay for equal work with men? Die Rosie symbolize how women should work for better conditions and equality? Or was she symbolize how women should keep working and stay quiet about issues like working conditions and pay? How popular was Rosie the Riveter during World War II?  What happened to Rosie as an icon when the war ended?  Was she just forgotten, or was she transformed?  

Theodore Roosevelt : For Theodore Roosevelt, I'll ask you first where and when he was born. Then, I'll ask you about his politics growing up--was his family Republican or Democrat? What party did he join as a young man, and what were his main political views while growing up? For example, was he for a bigger, stronger federal government or a smaller and weaker federal government? Did he want to reform business or help business expand, or both? And how and why did he develop his belief that American should expand and have an overseas empire? Since I already covered his marriage to Alice Lee and her tragic death, we will skip that and go to his political career--when and where did he begin his climb up the political ladder? What were his main political jobs as he moved steadily toward becoming vice-president? What were Roosevelt's best qualities as a politician and a president--was he a great speaker and a great leader? What qualities made him good at leading people? What were Roosevelt's worst qualities as a politician and a president, and how did these qualities cause him problems? I'll also skip his days as a Roughrider in Cuba, since I covered that in class, too. I'll then ask how he became president and how old he was when he became president. Then, I'll ask about his major

achievements as president--you shouldn't talk about the Panama Canal, since I covered that in class, too. Choose two other major accomplishments of Roosevelt as president and talk about them. After we talk about these accomplishments, I'll ask you how long Roosevelt served as president and why he decided to run again as an independent candidate in 1912. What party did he represent in that 1912 election, and how did he do? If there's time, I'll also ask you about Roosevelt's hunting expeditions and safaris in Africa and why this was so important to him. Finally, I'll ask you why we should still study Roosevelt's life and what we can learn from him.

Eleanor Roosevelt: I'll first ask when and where Eleanor Roosevelt was born--was she born with the last name Roosevelt or did she take that name when she married? Then, I'll ask about her education--which schools and colleges did she attend, and what did she enjoy studying the most? When and how did she first meet Franklin Roosevelt, and what did she think of him when they met? How long did they see each other before they got engaged, and when did they get married? Were they related, and if so, how closely related? Was that a problem for either family at the time? How many children did they have together? Was Eleanor interested in politics during their early marriage, and what party did she belong to? Did she want her husband to seek a political career, and did she ever think of running for some political office? Why or why not? What about Franklin's cheating on Eleanor with Lucy Mercer--when did she discover this, and did she think about leaving him? Why didn't she? Then, I'll ask about Franklin's polio--when was he struck with it, and how did Eleanor cope with it? What hardships on her did this create? Was it a strain on their marriage? What role did Eleanor play in Franklin's campaign and election as president in 1932? Then, after she moved into the White House, how did she help her husband spread the news about the "New Deal"? How far did she travel as First Lady, where were some of the places she went which no First Lady had ever visited (like coal mines), and how effective as she in supporting her husband's programs? Did she disagree with her husband's politics on some issues, like treatment of African Americans? What did Eleanor do when the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to let Marian Anderson sing because she was an African American? Did Eleanor stay close to Franklin during the presidency years and World War II, or did they drift apart? Did Franklin continue to cheat with either Lucy Mercer or other women? Then, when her husband died in 1945, what did Eleanor do after she left the White House? How long did she work with the new United Nations, and what did she contribute to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Did she stay involved in politics with the Democratic Party? How did she change the role of First Lady forever?

Ethel Rosenberg: I'll first ask when and where Ethel was born, and what her maiden name was. Then I'll ask about her political views as she grew up. Why was she attracted to the Communist party and to the Soviet Union? What did she like about the Soviet Union? When and how did she meet Julius? Did she share the same political views as Julius? Was Ethel a member of the Communist party in America? How long was she a member? When did she and Julius get married, and how many children did they have? Then, we'll move ahead to World War II. Did Ethel know what her brother David Greenglass' job was with the atomic bomb in Los Alamos? How involved was she in a

plot to smuggle out information on the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union? Did Ethel decide to be a spy and pass along information, or was she just caught up in the work her husband was doing? Did Ethel ever meet secretly with agents, or was that Julius' job? Did Ethel help Julius relay information in any way? Did she know it was information about the bomb? Did Ethel ever type up notes or other information which Julius dictated to her?

Then, I'll skip ahead to when she was arrested and accused. When and how was she arrested? What was the charge or charges against her? What was the main evidence against her during her trial? How did her own brother hurt her case during the trial? Did she think it was a fair trial? Was she condemned mainly because of the anti-Communist fears of that time? What happened to the Rosenberg's sons while they were in jail and during their trial? When the verdict of execution came down, did Ethel try to get it overturned on appeal? How much public support did she have? Did she have some contact with Julius before their execution? When and where was she put to death, and how was it done? Finally, I'll ask if you what we can learn today from Ethel's story.

Julius Rosenberg: I'll first ask when and where Julius was born, and then I'll ask about his political views as he grew up. Why was he attracted to the Communist party and to the Soviet Union? What did he like about the Soviet Union? When and how did he meet Ethel? Did she share the same political views as Julius? Was Julius a member of the Communist party in America? How long was he a member? When did he and Ethel get married, and how many children did they have?

Then, we'll move ahead to World War II. Did Julius know what Ethel's brother David Greenglass' job was with the atomic bomb in Los Alamos? How involved was he in a plot to smuggle out information on the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union? Did Julius decide to be a spy and pass along information, or was he approached and persuaded to do it? Was Ethel just caught up in the work her husband was doing? Did Julius ever meet secretly with agents, and how often? Did Ethel help Julius relay information in any way? Did she know it was information about the bomb? Did Ethel ever type up notes or other information which Julius dictated to her? What specific information about the bomb or its parts was passed on to the Soviet Union?

Then, I'll skip ahead to when he was arrested and accused. When and how was he arrested? What was the charge or charges against him? What was the main evidence against him during her trial? How did Ethel's brother hurt her case during the trial? Did he think it was a fair trial? Was he condemned mainly because of the anti-Communist fears of that time? What happened to the Rosenberg's sons while they were in jail and during their trial? When the verdict of execution came down, did Julius try to get it overturned on appeal? How much public support did he and Ethel have? Did he have some contact with Ethel before their execution? When and where was he put to death, and how was it done? Finally, I'll ask if you what we can learn today from Julius's story.

Babe Ruth: For Babe Ruth, I'll start by asking when and where he was born, and what his real name was. Then, I'll ask you how old he was when he got interested in baseball,

and who got him interested. You should talk about his days at St. Mary's industrial school and Brother Matthias. I'll ask what position he was best at in those days, and then how he got signed by the Baltimore Orioles. How did he get the nickname "Babe", and who gave it to him? How long did it take him to get to the Boston Red Sox, and how well did he perform when he got there? How well did the Babe adjust to life in the big city? Then, we'll move quickly to how and when he became a member of the New York Yankees, and his home run hitting records, after he switched to outfield full-time and stopped pitching. What was his best year for home runs, and how many did he hit that year? How many World Series did he play in and how many did he win with the Yankees? What happened in the 1932 World Series against the Cubs--did Ruth really "call his own shot"? I'll also ask how he handled becoming the superstar that he did and if he maintained his sense of humor throughout all of it. What was his greatest regret as a player? I know that he never got to manage a big league team--was that something he wanted to do? When did he retire and how many home runs did he have then? How long did that record last? Finally, I'll ask you how Babe Ruth changed baseball for the better.

Ferdinando Sacco: First, I'll ask you when and where Ferdinando Sacco was born. When and why did he come to America, and where did he settle in America? What kind of job or profession did he pursue? How and why did Sacco become interested in Anarchism, and what did the anarchists believe? What were their political goals and their attitude toward big government and big industry? How active was Sacco in the Anarchist movement, and who was his main teacher? Did he take part in strikes, rallies, and was he ever involved in more violent protests? Did he marry and have children, and if so, how did he manage to support his family? Then, I'll move ahead to the accusation of murder against Sacco--when and where was he arrested, and which murders were Sacco and Vanzetti accused of? Why did police suspect Sacco of the crime? When the trial began, what was the main evidence used against Sacco? What was Sacco's defense? Were there any eyewitnesses to testify against Sacco, or was the evidence all circumstantial? What was the jury's verdict on the counts, and why did Sacco ultimately get a second trial? In this second trial, was Sacco able to offer any additional defense, and did the prosecution make the same case as before, or did they introduce new evidence? What were the main reasons why the jury found Sacco guilty of murder? Was the evidence really so persuasive, or could it have been mainly because he was a member of the Anarchist movement and perhaps also because he was Italian and an immigrant? How widespread were the protests against Sacco's conviction and the imposing of the death penalty? How did prominent people try to get him yet another trial or to get the guilty verdict thrown out? How far did Sacco appeal his case, and what was the outcome when it reached the Supreme Court? Did any new developments happen to cause even more doubt about Sacco's conviction? In the end, when was Sacco executed and buried? Was there a review of Sacco's case after his execution? If so, who did this review and what were the findings? What are the most important lessons which we can learn from his story?

Jonas Salk: I'll first ask where and when Jonas Salk was born. Then, I'll ask about how and why he became interested in medicine. Did someone influence him, or did some particular event lead him in this direction? Where did he go to medical school and when

did he get his M.D.? When did he first begin to do research on vaccines, and what particular vaccine did he first work on? Then, I'll ask how and why he became involved in working on a vaccination for polio. Why was this so important to him? Was it partly because of his own children and the suffering he saw in other children? Did the death of President Roosevelt from Polio also influence him? Where and when did his work begin? How much of a problem was polio in America in the 1930's and 1940's? What was Polio (virus, bacteria, etc.) and how was it spread? How many Americans suffered from polio during that time, and how often did it lead to death? How did Salk set out to find a vaccine--what was the process which he followed and how long did he work on this vaccine? You should be able to explain it in terms we can understand, but don't over-simplify it too much. Please use medical terms, but make sure to explain what they mean. What types of tests did Salk run on the vaccine? When did Salk announce that the vaccine was ready, and how did Americans and the medical establishment react? Were many Americans doubters or frightened, or did most people and doctors welcome the discovery and praise Salk? Who were the first couple of people on whom Salk tried the vaccine, and why did he choose them? When did his vaccine begin to be widely distributed, and how did people take it? Was it always through a needle, or could it be taken orally as a pill then? What kinds of results did Salk get in the first few years of using the vaccine? How much did new cases of Polio decline during the 1960's? Did this disease actually get wiped out in America because of Salk's work? About how many lives were saved because of Salk's work? (Here, you hopefully can find a medical journal with some sound scientific estimates based on past frequency of Polio) If so, when was it effectively ended in America? How much money, if any, did Salk make from his discovery of a vaccine? If there's time, I'll ask about other diseases on which he worked. What awards, if any, did Salk receive for his Polio vaccine, and when did he die?

Larry Schmidt: I’ll first ask where and when Larry Schmidt was born and where he grew up. What was life like for Larry and his family on their farm during his childhood years? What kinds of chores did Larry have to do, and what did he like to read about? What did Larry do for fun and how did he get fooled by some college girls? How did the Great Depression change life for Larry, and what kind of work did he do to help his family? What made Larry want to join the American military, what job did he want to get, and what branch of the service did he try to join first? Why didn’t he get into this branch of the service, and what was his second choice? What kind of military training did Larry get, and where did he train? What happened at one flight school which Larry thought might get him kicked out of the program? What ceremony happened to Larry on his 21st birthday, and what was his specific job in the Army Air Corps? When did Larry leave America for England, and where was he stationed while he was in England? When did Larry fly his first mission over Europe, what unit did he serve with, and what was his main job as a flyer during this time? How dangerous was it for Larry during his missions? Why were his missions so important and how did they help the Allied war effort? Did Larry ever have an accident in a plane? If so, what happened, and was he hurt? During the Battle of the Bulge in December, 1944, what did Larry and his unit do to help defeat the Germans? In 1945, what target in France did Larry have to fly over several times, and how dangerous was this for him? How did he try to increase his chances of not getting

hit, and how successful was he at this? When did Larry arrive back in his home town, and what happened to cause his entire town to celebrate?

Monica Sone: I'll first ask where and when Monica Sone was born, and when her parents came to America from Japan. I'll ask if she felt any discrimination or awkwardness growing up as a Japanese-American--were there any events in which she had to face her differences? Did she have grandparents or other relatives back in Japan? If so, did she visit them? Did her parents urge her to learn Japanese culture and customs? Did she go to a Japanese-language school? What did her parents do for a living, and when Pearl Harbor happened, how did she feel? Was she just as shocked and saddened as any other American? Did she also feel some sympathy for the Japanese as the war began? Did she feel afraid because she was Japanese-American? When did she and her family first get the news that they must move to a camp? How did that make her feel? Did she and her parents ever consider fleeing or going back to Japan? Which camps did she go to, and how long was she there? How did she and her family adjust to conditions in the camp? Did they have work to do and plenty of chances to socialize? What were their living quarters like? Did they have enough heat and clothing? Were there armed guards and barbed wire around her camps? Did she have a chance to meet other young people in the camp? Did she continue her education in any way in the camp? When and why was she let out, and what did she do when she got out? How long did her parents have to stay? Were they able to pick up their lives and keep their business? Did her family ever get an apology and money from the American government? Was she bitter and angry after the camp experience, or was she able to forgive and move on? When did she start her autobiography? If there's time, I'll also ask about her life after the war, her work as a psychologist and her marriage. Finally, I'll ask if she's still alive and what we can learn from studying her experience.

Mark Twain: I'll first ask when and where he was born, and what his real name was. I'll then ask what life was like growing up: did he go to school or was he skipping school like Tom Sawyer? Was he carefree and mischievous like Huckleberry Finn or did he behave himself? What got him interesting in writing--was it part of his schooling, or did it come from his days working on a newspaper? What types of jobs did he take before he started making a living by writing, and how did he get the name "Mark Twain"? Then, we'll move to his first stories--what was first really successful story, what was it about, and why was it successful? What were his first books about? You should talk about "Life on the Mississippi" and "Innocents Abroad". Then, we'll turn and focus on "Huckleberry Finn", which is his best known book--when did he start to write it, and why? Who were the main characters and what was the main storyline or plot--what happens to Huck and Jim and why do they end up on a raft floating down the Mississippi river? What are the major messages or themes in this book, especially about white and black relations? You should quote one or two passages from the book which show how Huck was struggling with the issue of race and how his own attitude was changing toward Jim and black people. One good example would be the scene in which Huck wants to turn Jim in as a runaway slave because it's the law, but he cares about Jim and can't do it. I'll also ask you how people responded to the book, and how successful it was. If there's time, I'll ask you about Twain's later career and how his writing became darker and pessimistic--one good

story you should talk about is "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg"--great story! Also, I'll ask you to share a couple of Mark Twain's witty and funny short sayings. Finally, I'll ask why we should still read Twain's work and what we can learn from him.

Bartolomeo Vanzetti: First, I'll ask you when and where Bartolomeo Vanzetti was born. When and why did he come to America, and where did he settle in America? What kind of job or profession did he pursue? How and why did Vanzetti become interested in Anarchism, and what did the anarchists believe? What were their political goals and their attitude toward big government and big industry? How active was Vanzetti in the Anarchist movement, and who was his main teacher? Did he take part in strikes, rallies, and was he ever involved in more violent protests? Did he marry and have children, and if so, how did he manage to support his family? Then, I'll move ahead to the accusation of murder against Vanzetti--when and where was he arrested, and which murders was Vanzetti accused of? Why did police suspect Vanzetti of the crime? When the trial began, what was the main evidence used against Vanzetti? What was Vanzetti’s defense? Were there any eyewitnesses to testify against him, or was the evidence all circumstantial? What was the jury's verdict on the counts, and did Vanzetti get a second trial? In this second trial, was Vanzetti able to offer any additional defense, and did the prosecution make the same case as before, or did they introduce new evidence? What were the main reasons why the jury found Vanzetti guilty of murder? Was the evidence really so persuasive, or could it have been mainly because he was a member of the Anarchist movement and perhaps also because he was Italian and an immigrant? How widespread were the protests against Vanzetti's conviction and the imposing of the death penalty? How did prominent people try to get him yet another trial or to get the guilty verdict thrown out? How far did Vanzetti appeal his case, and what was the outcome when it reached the Supreme Court? Did any new developments happen to cause even more doubt about Vanzetti’s conviction? In the end, when was he executed and buried? Was there a review of Vanzetti’s case after his execution? If so, who did this review and what were the findings? What are the most important lessons which we can learn from his story?

Ida B. Wells: I'll first ask you where and when Ida B. Wells was born, how many siblings she had, and how much of a struggle growing up was for her. Was it hard for her family to make ends meet? How did she feel about the fact that her parents had been born slaves? How did Ida help her family and siblings when she was still young? Which schools did she attend, what did she study, and did she feel that she got a good education for that time? Then, I'll ask you about what it was like for her growing up in a society dominated by white people and increasingly segregated. What kinds of discrimination did she personally face? Did she have to use "black only" facilities or ride in special sections on trains? Did she face physical intimidation or violence, and did she witness this, such as lynchings? You should talk about how some of her friends were lynched, and how she once refused to move from the "white" section of a train to the "colored" section. Then, I'll ask why and when she started running her own newspaper, and where she was publishing it. What was the name of the paper, and how did she use it to call for an end to discrimination and violence against black Americans? What causes did she champion in her paper? Was she able to change any laws or improve conditions for black

people? Did she face threats and push back, and even violence, because of her newspaper? How did she deal with these challenges? What about the boycott against certain white businesses which she started--how did it work and was it effective? What did Ida B. Wells want the federal and state governments to do to help black people and protect them? What changes did she think needed to be made in education, jobs, and other basic needs for black people? Where did she move so she could keep writing and publishing? Then, I'll ask about the civil rights groups and organizations which she helped to form and to which she belonged--what were the names of these groups, and what were their main activities to promote civil rights for black Americans? What did she think of Booker T. Washington and his ideas for helping African Americans? Finally, I'll ask what we can learn about race in American today from her example.

Alvin York: I'll first ask when and where Alvin York was born, and what his family life was like while he was growing up. Did he behave as a boy, or was he trouble, and, if so, why? As he grew older, how did Alvin become more rowdy, drink more heavily, and get into trouble? Was he interested in working hard and making a living, or was he mostly how to have fun? What were some of his exploits? What about his reputation as a marksman and a hunter? How good was he and how many shooting contests did he win? Then, I'll ask how and why his life changed dramatically--what caused him to change his ways? What happened to make him a devout Christian who went to church? How did Alvin feel about violence and war after he became a Christian? Whom did he marry, and did they have any children? What did Alvin do for a living? I'll then move to World War I and America's entry into the war. Did Alvin think about volunteering for the army, or was he against going to war? If so, why? How did he respond when he was drafted? Did he apply to be a conscientious objector or did he go willingly? Once he became a soldier in Europe, how did he become a hero? You should tell us all about the story of his saving his fellow soldiers by capturing a large group of Germans and killing others. Where and when did this happen, and what did Alvin do? How many Germans did he kill or capture? How did he do it, and how did his expert markmanship help him? Did he win decorations for his bravery? When he returned from the war, how did Alvin feel about being hailed as a hero? Did he consider himself a hero? How did having this celebrity status change his life, or did he just go back to farming in his home? Was he still alive when the movie about him was made in about 1940, and if so, how much influence did he have on the movie and what did he think of it?