Community Calendar

This month's Garvey Room art exhibit at the Prairie Museum features Colby High School's photography show. Come see this community art display, with select pieces from CHS students!

CSAW’s Nall Lecture at WT to Feature Life of Overlooked Dust Bowl-Era Author
CANYON, Texas — The author whose work inspired both John Steinbeck and Kristin Hannah will be explored at an upcoming event from West Texas A&M University’s Center for the Study of the American West.
Dr. Iris Jamahl Dunkle will present “Shifting Focus: Sanora Babb and Reimagining the Dust Bowl” at 7 p.m. April 9 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center in a presentation for CSAW’s Garry L. Nall endowed lecture series.
Admission is free.
During her eventful life, Sanora Babb took invaluable field notes and oral histories of migrant farmworkers during the Dust Bowl. That work was shared with Steinbeck, who made prodigious use of it for his 1939 masterwork “The Grapes of Wrath”; its runaway success forestalled Babb’s work on her own Dust Bowl novel, “Whose Names Are Unknown,” which eventually was published in 2004.
“She left New York with her book contract canceled,” Dunkle told Colorado Public Radio in 2025. “She couldn't write. She was devastated. She had spent a decade working on this book, and it was just thrown away.”
Her Dust Bowl scholarship—which eventually was featured in Ken Burns’ documentary and helped inspire Hannah’s “The Four Winds”—was only part of a long, fascinating life, as recounted in Dunkle’s “Riding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb,” published in 2024.
“Dunkle’s work reminds us of a truth that CSAW is dedicated to: there is always more to the story, and we are richer and better off knowing more,” said Dr. Alex Hunt, CSAW director, Regents Professor of English and Vincent-Haley Professor of Western Studies in the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages in WT’s Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. “Dunkle’s work on Sanora Babb will teach us a great deal about the Dust Bowl and the experience of common people who were ruined in those years. But even more, it will teach us about how the main story of the Dust Bowl, notably that so powerfully established in John Steinbeck’s ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ hides a lot of truth. Sanora Babb is a name we should know, and Dunkle is the champion for this important Dust Bowl author.”
Dunkle, a poet as well as a nonfiction author, also wrote the biography “Charmain Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer” in 2020 and has several collections of poetry in print. An award-winning author, she specializes in delving into the often-overlooked lives of women in the American West.

When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. Henrietta’s story plays out against a landscape of early feminism and science, reminding us all what we can achieve when we allow curiosity and wonder into our lives.

This celestial romance and true story of discovery is an irresistible combination of humor, love, feminism and universe-revealing science. Make plans now to see this riveting new play!

NOTE: Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the performance for this production.

Don't miss the Ovation Series Talk Back Event, sponsored by Roxann and Kevin Ball, immediately following the Sunday, April 12 performance.

The Sunday matinee performance on April 19 will offer ASL Interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

This full-day symposium is focused on the evolving needs of older adults living with HIV. This event brings together clinicians, social service providers, and community partners to explore person-centered, age-inclusive approaches that strengthen care across the lifespan.

Participants will engage in educational sessions, collaborative discussions, and a multidisciplinary panel addressing the future of HIV and aging services. Six (6) CEUs will be available to eligible professionals.

Whether attending in person or virtually, you’ll gain practical insights that support high-quality care for aging populations.

This month's Garvey Room art exhibit at the Prairie Museum features Colby High School's photography show. Come see this community art display, with select pieces from CHS students!

With a career spanning more than four decades, Kenny G has sold over 75 million records worldwide and earned multiple music awards. Known for iconic hits such as “Songbird,” “The Moment,” “Silhouette,” and “Forever in Love,” his style has captivated audiences across generations. The Amarillo performance promises an evening of timeless melodies, exceptional musicianship, and unforgettable memories.

On Golden Pond is a screenplay written by Ernest Thompson. The story is based on Norman, a crusty, retired professor grappling with many effects of aging. He has been married for many years to upbeat, feisty Ethel but has a remote, difficult relationship with their daughter. At their summer home on Golden Pond, Norman and Ethel agree to care for Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and an unexpected relationship blooms.

When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. Henrietta’s story plays out against a landscape of early feminism and science, reminding us all what we can achieve when we allow curiosity and wonder into our lives.

This celestial romance and true story of discovery is an irresistible combination of humor, love, feminism and universe-revealing science. Make plans now to see this riveting new play!

NOTE: Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the performance for this production.

Don't miss the Ovation Series Talk Back Event, sponsored by Roxann and Kevin Ball, immediately following the Sunday, April 12 performance.

The Sunday matinee performance on April 19 will offer ASL Interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing community.