List of scholars
Scholars in Central California
Annie Brown
Cesar E. Chavez Foundation
abrown@cecfmail.org
213-362-0267 ext 223
The Cesar E. Chavez Foundation was established to educate people about the life and work of this American hero and to engage all, particularly youth, to carry on his values and timeless vision for a better world. Annie Brown can link you to speakers around the state and has connections to United Farm Workers speakers as well. You can contact her directly or go to www.cesarechavezfoundation.org and fill out a speaker request. She can put you in touch with someone appropriate for your library event.
Michael Clifton
Fresno
Scholar, Fresno State University
michaelc@csufresno.edu
559/278-2331
Professor Clifton teaches American literature. He can lead a discussion on Steinbeck and "The Grapes of Wrath."
Dick Hayman
Salinas
Scholar and historian
831/422-7590
Dick Hayman is a Steinbeck scholar and historian. He has a wealth of Steinbeck information and lectures on Steinbeck and his work.
John Hooper
Monterey
Writer and scholar
Hoopj125@aol.com
831/657-9171
John Hooper lectures on the history of Steinbeck's writing of the book as well as the film aspects of "The Grapes of Wrath." He gives wonderful presentations.
James Houston
Santa Cruz
Writer and scholar
jhouston@cruzio.com
Acclaimed author of many fiction and non-fiction books. James Houston has written extensively on California and the West, as well as on Steinbeck. He is available for panel discussions.
Francisco Jimenez
Santa Clara
Writer and scholar, Santa Clara University
fjimenez@scu.edu
408/554-5175
Francisco Jimenez teaches courses in Latin American literature and culture. He can lecture on "The Grapes of Wrath" and its relevance to the plight of today's migrants.
Joni Jordan
College of the Sequoias
Visalia
jj@jonijordan.com
559/337-2386
Joni Jordan is an English teacher at College of the Sequoias. She can address the history of migrant labor in California and talk about the migrant labor situation today. She has strong ties to the Latino community in her area and sees many parallels between the lives of todayÕs migrant workers and the "Okies." She has taught "The Grapes of Wrath" for several years and can speak to the literary aspects of the text. She has been teaching for the past 20 years and has an M.A. in comparative literature.
Margo McBane, Ph.D.
History lecturer
Institute of Human Communications and the Social and Behavioral Science College
CSU MB
Margo_McBane@csumb.edu
831/582-3999
Margo McBane is a historian specializing in the social history of California and American agriculture. She is also a California historian, U.S. women's historian and labor historian. In 1979 and 1980, she produced an oral history radio documentary "Talking Farm Work Blues: An Oral History of California Agriculture," which includes a program on Dust Bowl migrants. She can present a CD power point slide show of this program.
Julia M. Orozco
Library director, Salinas Public Library
spl1@salinas.lib.ca.us
831/758-7391
Julia Orozco has lived in Steinbeck Country for the past 11 years. She is the director of Salinas Public Library, the library that housed the Steinbeck archival collection and hosted the Steinbeck festival until 1998, when the collection and event were moved to the Steinbeck Center. She is experienced in leading book discussions and can lead a discussion on "The Grapes of Wrath" and its themes. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Ingrid Reti
San Luis Obispo
Writer and instructor
ingrid05@slonet.org
A writer and instructor of creative writing and literature. Ingrid Reti is the author of "Steinbeck Country Revisited" and can lead discussions on "The Grapes Of Wrath."
Susan Shillinglaw
San Jose
Professor and Steinbeck scholar
shillinglaw@email.sjsu.edu
408/924-4487
Susan Shillinglaw is the director of the Center for Steinbeck Studies. She can speak on all aspects of "The Grapes of Wrath." She is a wonderful lecturer and Steinbeck authority.
Jerry Stanley
Bakersfield
Writer and historian
jdstanle@pacbell.net
Jerry Stanley is the author of "Children of the Dust Bowl." He has been teaching classes on Steinbeck for the past 30 years. He has done a lot of work on the school at the Arvin Camp. He can speak to a wide range of audiences: middle schools, high schools, colleges. He has also done a lot of work with Elder Hostel.
Peggy Stark
Saratoga
Retired high school teacher
petergstark@attbi.com
Peggy Stark has taught Steinbeck for years. She would be a great resource for teachers and librarians to use when coming up with ways to approach the book. She has worked extensively with teens.
Michael Tate
Fresno
Scholar, Fresno State University
michael.tate@wsgriffith.com
559/278-4561
Professor Tate is a film scholar and teaches in the Department of English. Experienced in both film production and film scholarship, he can speak on aspects of Steinbeck, 'The Grapes of Wrath" and American film.
Doris Weddell
Historian, writer and Dust Bowl festival organizer
Bakersfield
dustbowl0@aol.com
661/324-7927
Doris Weddell is a former Lamont librarian and a leader in preserving the Dust Bowl history in California. She is a founder and member of The Dustbowl Committee of Lamont, Calif. Lamont hosts a Dust Bowl festival every year in October. She has a wealth of information on the Dust Bowl migration and the history of the lives of those immigrants in California. She is always eager to tell more people about this piece of history she has in her backyard. She can lead a discussion on "The Grapes of Wrath" and can discuss how the book relates to the history of the Bakersfield area.