LBJ Museum’s Summer Chautauqua: Liz Carpenter

Christy Carpenter, Liz Carpenter’s daughter and biographer, will be speaking at the LBJ Museum’s summer Chautauqua, on Thursday, July 18. Carpenter will discuss her mother and show a promo for her recent film, Shaking it Up: The Life & Times of Liz Carpenter. The film tells the story of the iconic Liz Carpenter, who experienced and helped shape some of the most vivid moments and movements of the 20th century.

Liz Carpenter burst onto the national scene as a pioneer woman journalist during the 1940s. In the sixties she worked as an advisor to Vice President Johnson and then was a key aide to Lady Bird. Starting in the 1970s, she led the fight across the U.S. for women’s rights.

As a journalist, vice-presidential advisor, White House Official, author, humorist, political activist and feminist leader, Liz Carpenter was often front and center where history was unfolding, leaving her own indelible mark on events and people. Her expansive personality, political know-how and legendary wit gave her an outsized impact on historical events — from the JFK assassination to the launch of LBJ’s Great Society programs, to campaigning for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

The 2024 Summer Chautauqua will be held at the museum on July 18, with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by the presentation at 6:30. It is free and open to the public, but make reservations in advance at lbjmuseum.com/ events.

Last year, the LBJ Museum brought back the Chautauqua, an institution that provided popular adult education courses and entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. San Marcos was the site of a famous Chautauqua around 1900 and their summer camp format proved very popular for families. The name has staying power with Texas State University as Old Main sits on Chautauqua Hill and there is a student residence called Chautauqua Hall.

The LBJ Museum is a member of the Texas Historical Foundation and the Texas Association of Museums. It is located at 131 N Guadalupe St. in San Marcos. For additional information, visit lbjmuseum. com/events/ summer-chautauqua, call the museum at 512 353-3300 or email director@ LBJmuseum. com.

LIZ CARPENTER, WHO IS PICTURED ABOVE, IS THE SUBJECT OF A TALK BY HER DAUGHTER CHRISTY CARPENTER. AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL YEARS REVIEWING THE VOLUMINOUS PAPERS, ORAL HISTORIES AND VIDEO MATERIALS OF HER PACKRAT MOTHER TO AUGMENT HER PERSONAL MEMORIES, CHRISTY HAS GAINED A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF HER MOTHER’S LIFE. CARPENTER WILL SPEAK AT THE LBJ MUSEUM OF SAN MARCOS SUMMER CHAUTAUQUA ON JULY 18. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LBJ MUSEUM