This spring, the Friends of Fort DuPont is excited to partner with the Delaware City Library to bring Delaware in Conversation, a free four-part speaker series on Delaware history, made possible by Delaware Humanities.
These talks are designed to be engaging, welcoming, and community focused. If you love local history, big questions, and the stories that shaped Delaware, this series is for you. Please visit our events page for more details.
Series Details:
Free monthly talks: March through June
Second Wednesdays
Location: Community Room, Delaware City Library, 250 5th St, Delaware City, DE
Snacks provided
The 2026 Talk Lineup:
- March 11 at 6 PM
Allies for Justice: Delaware’s Role in Brown v. Board of Ed (Kathy Brown)
This talk explores Delaware’s place in the fight for equal education and how local people, local cases, and local leadership helped shape one of the most important civil rights decisions in American history. Expect a story grounded in Delaware, with real takeaways about courage, strategy, and community action.
- April 8 at 6:30 PM
What Does It Mean to be a Delawarean (Michele Anstine)
A lively conversation about identity and belonging in a small state with a big story. This program looks at what makes Delaware distinct, how our geography and communities shape us, and why the First State continues to punch above its weight in culture, politics, and everyday life.
- May 13 at 6:30 PM
Delaware’s Signers and Slavery: It’s Complicated (Eric Mease)
Delaware history is full of contradictions, and this talk does not shy away from them. Learn how slavery and freedom coexisted here, and how Delaware’s founding era leaders navigated, benefited from, or wrestled with the systems of their time. It is a thoughtful look at a complicated past.
- June 10 at 6:30 PM
The Delaware Poisoned Candy Murders of 1898 (Margaret Opsata)
A gripping true crime history program centered on a shocking 1898 case. This talk explores what happened, how the investigation unfolded, and what the episode reveals about public fear, justice, and daily life in Delaware at the turn of the century.
Why We Are Doing This:
The Friends of Fort DuPont believes history should be something you can experience together, not just read about. This speaker series helps build that shared connection by bringing people into the same room for learning, conversation, and community.
We are grateful to Delaware Humanities for making this series possible and to the Delaware City Library for being an outstanding local partner and host.
Plan to attend?
Bring a friend, come to one talk or all four, and help us keep these free public programs strong.
Where: Delaware City Library Community Room, 250 5th St, Delaware City, DE
When: Second Wednesdays, March through June
Cost: Free
