Online Happy Hour Series

Welcome to ESU Happy Hour! The ESU has planned a series of programs to connect and reach out to our members through programs that are engaging, fun, and informative on a wide variety of topics. Happy Hour programs bring to you guest speakers live and free of charge.  Speakers may also suggest a unique cocktail for you to create and enjoy at home. These programs are designed so ESU members and guests can learn and interact with our outstanding speakers. Many speakers will provide exciting participation opportunities with fun give away books and products at the end of each program.

We invite members to suggest topics for future ESU Happy Hour Programs at this link. Cheers!


Why I Started World Elephant Day with Patricia Sims
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET

Happy Hour: Why I Started World Elephant Day

Filmmaker and conservationist, Patricia Sims, talks about her journey to create the annual global awareness campaign, World Elephant Day, which she founded in 2012. Through her photography of Asian and African elephants, Patricia portrays her conservation work with elephants, her documentaries about elephants, and her recent trip to Kenya to see how the impact of World Elephant Day has helped numerous conservation organizations protect these animals for more than a decade by creating a global movement to save elephants.

This is a Happy Hour for the whole family. All ages will enjoy learning about Patricia’s quest to save and protect elephants, the largest land mammals on earth. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Kansas City Branch.


King George IV: The Worst Ruler in British History? with Dr. James Kelly
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM ET

British historian, Sir Spencer Walpole, described King George IV (1762-1830) as “a bad son, a bad husband, a bad father, a bad subject, a bad monarch, and a bad friend.” The Duke of Wellington was more charitable of the king, “[King George IV] was indeed the most extraordinary compound of talent, wit, buffoonery, obstinacy, and good feeling–in short, a medley of the most opposite qualities–with a great preponderance of good–that I ever saw in any character in my life.” King George IV was known for his manners and charm but also for his drunkenness, spendthrift ways, and scandalous love life.
 
Learn more about King George III’s son, who left the Crown weaker and less popular, but immeasurably richer in architecture, the fine and decorative arts, in this ESU Happy Hour hosted by James C. Kelly, Ph.D., of ESU’s Richmond Branch, who recently retired after a half-century-long curatorial career. 


Huck Finn’s America: Mark Twain’s Masterpiece and the Era That Shaped His Masterpiece with Andrew Levy
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM ET

Award-winning author, Dr. Andrew Levy, explores the historical and cultural context in which Mark Twain wrote “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Levy delves into the social issues of Twain’s time, such as race relations, childhood, and the American identity, to provide a deeper understanding of the novel’s themes and its enduring relevance. Levy’s book “Huck Finn’s America: Mark Twain and the Era that Shaped His Masterpiece” examines how Twain’s personal experiences and the political climate of the late 19th century influenced his writing. Levy’s analysis offers a fresh perspective on a classic work, making it accessible and engaging for both scholars and general readers. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Indianapolis Branch.