Immigration and the Ozarks is the second installment to “Celebrating 250 years of America in the Ozarks” Conversation Series, facilitated by Dr. Brooks Blevins, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) located inside Garnett Library, 304 W. Trish Knight St., in West Plains. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will be advertised and discussed on Wednesday, May 20, from 12:15 – 12:45 p.m., on the KUKU 100.3 FM radio show, “High Noon in American History with Cowboy Rick.”

More about Blevins

Dr. Blevins, a native of Izard County, Arkansas, serves as the Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. In 2010, he shepherded the Minor in Ozarks Studies, chairs the university committee that oversees the minor and teaches the minor’s two core courses. Additionally, Blevins has received several awards and honors, including the Violet B. Gingles Award, Susie G. Pryor Award, Book of the Year Award and Outstanding Academic Title.

Blevins is also a respected scholar, researcher, editor and author. He has written seven books and edited or co-edited two additional volumes. He has been featured in several television programs including Ozarks Public Television, Arkansas Educational Television Network, among others. Blevins also hosts a podcast titled, “The Old Ozarks” a show featured on “The Ozark Podcast” which explores the lives, legends, and landscapes that have shaped this region.

Additional Information

This conversation series is made possible with funding from Missouri Humanities. The event is sponsored by the OHRC. It is also sponsored by West Plains Council on the Arts (WPCA), which receives funding from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Upcoming topics in this series will be: Civil War with Vincent Anderson in June, World Wars with Dr. Jason McCollom in July, and Modern Times with Carol Silvey in August.

For more information about the event, contact Rebekah McKinney at 417-255-7949 or RebekahMcKinney@MissouriState.edu.

Visit WP.MissouriState.edu/Ozarks for more information about OHRC

and upcoming events.