Chautauqua

This article is about the adult-education movement. For other uses, see Chautauqua (disambiguation).
Cover of a 1917 promotional brochure

Chautauqua (/ʃəˈtɔːkwə/ shə-TAW-kwə) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers, and specialists of the day.[1] U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is often quoted as saying that Chautauqua is "the most American thing in America".[2][3] What he actually said was: "it is a source of positive strength and refreshment of mind and body to come to meet a typical American gathering like this—a gathering that is typically American in that it is typical of America at its best."[4] Several Chautauqua assemblies continue to gather to this day, including the original Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York.

  1. ^ Traveling Culture: Circuit Chautauqua in the Twentieth Century – Collection Connections – For Teachers (Library of Congress) Archived May 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Loc.gov. Retrieved on 2011-03-28.
  2. ^ Pirsig, Robert M. (1999). Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values. New York: Quill. ISBN 0688171664. 25th Anniversary Edition.
  3. ^ Ables, Kelsey (13 August 2022). "What is Chautauqua? The site of the Rushdie attack has a long history". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  4. ^ Cooper, George (2015-07-25). "The Daily Record: Roosevelt lauds Chautauqua as 'typical of America at its best'". The Chautauquan Daily. Retrieved 2023-10-09.