Todd Arrington is the National Park Service’s Site Manager at James A. Garfield National Historic Site. He has worked at the site since 2009, first as the Chief of Interpretation and Education (2009-15) and in his current role since late 2015. He has been a career National Park Service employee for over 21 years, and James A. Garfield NHS is the fourth park in which he has worked. 
Alan Gephardt has worked at James A. Garfield NHS as a seasonal ranger since 2009. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in history. He has had a lifelong passion for presidential history. His education on the life of President Garfield has caused him to become equally interested in Mrs. Garfield, and the five Garfield children who grew to adulthood. Alan enjoys working on his house and yard, and uses a bicycle in lieu of a car as much as possible. Joan Kapsch, Park Guide at James A. Garfield NHS, has long been involved in local history. She was educated at Cleveland State University, where she earned her degree in history. One of her professors was Alan Peskin, who wrote a comprehensive biography of James Garfield, and it was from that affiliation that her interest in the political life of James A. Garfield grew. Joan worked for many years at the county historical society, and while there helped with research for the NPS restoration of the Garfield site. She came to James A. Garfield NHS in 1998. Joan has contributed to a number of local history publications, and developed award-winning school programs. As part of her interpretive work at the park, Joan wrote the site’s guidebook, James A. Garfield-His Life and Legacy. You will hear her voice throughout this season. 
Rebekah Knaggs' role in A Fickle Current podcast was more behind the scenes on the technical side as the audio editor for everyone's wonderful research about James A. Garfield and the 1880 Campaign. Rebekah's voice can be heard however in many of the narrative texts as well as the voice of Mollie Garfield in the round robin letter. 
Rachel Knaggs is a student at the University of the Arts, majoring in Trumpet Performance and minoring in Music Education. She is a volunteer at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, and has contributed by bringing historic music to the modern ear. She transcribed and arranged General Garfield’s Campaign March along with other historic pieces used for the sites online programming. You can hear the Garfield campaign march as the title theme in A Fickle Current podcast. 
Park Ranger Mary Lintern has been at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site for twenty years. In addition to her duties as an interpreter of history, she coordinates many of the site's special events such as Presidents' Day, Easter Monday Egg Roll, An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, and A Winter's Evening at Lawnfield. She is the volunteer coordinator and the bookstore coordinator, and also co-manages the site’s Facebook page. In 2013 and 2014, Mary had the honor of being a story contributor for C-Span’s First Ladies Influence & Image and for American Experience’s Murder of a President. Mary can be heard as the voice of Aunt Patty Mays in the round robin letter.
Dan McGill is a graduate student at Kent State University department of History. Before working at James A. Garfield National Historic Site, Dan was an intern at the Cuyahoga County Solders’ & Sailors’ Monument in Cleveland. He specializes in the study of War & Society and focuses on the actions of combat veterans in public life. Dan is the voice of James G. Blaine at the beginning of chapter one, and of William E. Chandler starting chapter three. 
Richard Robyn. Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of Kent State University’s Washington (DC) academic/internship program before retirement this pandemic summer of 2020, Dr. Robyn – along with his wife Sylviane - have been volunteers at the JAGNHS for a number of years, and hope to continue when the site reopens completely to visitors. In one of the courses he taught, Introduction to American Politics (POL 10100), Dr. Robyn included a unit on President James Garfield, and led student groups to tour the site. It was always gratifying when a student came to better appreciate “the greatest American president you don’t know” because of Garfield’s extraordinary talents and his extremely short tenure as president because of his assassination. Rick’s contributions can be heard in Chapters 1, 3 and 5. 
Debbie Weinkamer has been involved with the Garfield family story since 1998 and has done extensive research into their life and times. She is the Lead Volunteer at James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, OH where she guides public tours, creates and presents programs and exhibits, assists in training new VIPs (Volunteers in Parks), and works with school groups. She has been portraying Lucretia Garfield since 2001. Having an Associate in Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, Debbie strives to make her presentations engaging, meaningful, and educational – for audiences of all ages. 
The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced ‘slave songs’ to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving this unique American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals. They broke racial barriers in the United States and abroad in the late 19th century. At the same time, they raised money in support of their beloved school. Today’s Fisk Jubilee Singers are vocal artists and students at Fisk University who sing and travel worldwide continuing the tradition of singing the Negro spiritual around the world. This allows the ensemble to share this rich culture globally, while preserving this unique music. The two songs heard in this episode are “I Got A Home In-A Dat Rock” and “In Bright Mansions.” Both come from the album In Bright Mansions. To learn more about the modern Fisk Jubilee Singers, you can visit their website at www.fiskjubileesingers.org |
Last updated: September 30, 2020