Adult Lecture Series

Delve into Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctic Expedition, learn about his bold adventures, relentless adaptability, and remarkable courage.

Despite the failed mission to cross the Antarctic over the South Pole, Shackleton’s exceptional leadership ensured the survival of his entire crew after their ship was destroyed. Dr. Philip L. Cochran, the Thomas W. Binford Chair in Corporate Citizenship at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, will explore how Shackleton’s perseverance and strategic decisions made his expedition an enduring case study in leadership. Cochran brings a wealth of knowledge, with roles across Indiana University, including as an affiliate professor of philanthropic studies and adjunct professor of health policy and management. A well-published scholar, Cochran’s work has garnered over 14,000 citations, and his expertise has led him to lecture across five continents.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former enslaved man, became a legendary lawman of the Wild West. Art T. Burton will discuss the facts and myths of this remarkable 19th-century peace officer.

Art T. Burton, historian for the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum, earned a B.A. and M.A. in African American Studies from Governors State University. He retired in 2015 after 38 years in higher education as a history professor and administrator at colleges in Illinois. Burton has authored books on African Americans and Native Americans in the West, including Black Gun, Silver Star, and Cherokee Bill: Black Cowboy, Indian Outlaw. His honors include being named a Territorial Marshal by Oklahoma’s governor and induction into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum Hall of Fame.