Speaking Topics
Audience members are energized, enlightened, and entertained by Kate Kelly’s inspiring stories.
American Moments: Stories that Define Our Times, Our People, and Our Country
Detroit Electric Car
Remember your first car, telephone party lines, twice-daily mail delivery? Kelly takes audiences back in time and tells them of the first electric cars (they were invented 100 years ago); she reminds audiences of the changes in telephone customs (from live operators to oversized cell phones), and she shares information about topics such as changes in the postal service or what it was like to be an airline passenger in the 1940s and ’50s. Audiences love “remembering when,” and Kelly encourages them to share their own memories at the conclusion of her remarks. Audiences are unified by their shared memories, and everyone leaves the event having had a wonderful time.
Hear about Medical Mysteries of the Past
“From Prehistoric Man and Skull Surgery to the 19th Century Discovery of Germs,” is an entertaining reminder of some of the high–and low–points in medicine from Kelly’s multi-volume History of Medicine. Inspire your group through Kelly’s stories of medical progress. Her tales of the profession will remind current practitioners and patients how far medicine has come.
What We Can Learn from Pandemics of the Past
The 2009-10 spread of the virus A (H1N1) “swine flu” has reminded people of the very serious consequences of widespread disease. Kelly will talk about Black Death and smallpox, and yellow fever in the U.S. She will conclude with a description of the 1918 Spanish influenza in this country and what similarities the Spanish flu bears to the flu of today. Audiences will feel relieved to hear how very far science has come in understanding the spread of illness, and they will learn what still keeps scientists awake at night.
Increase Voter Interest and Participation
“The Top Ten Election Day Shenanigans–and Why the System Works Anyway” focuses on some of the remarkable stories from Kelly’s book, Election Day: An American Holiday, an American History. Benefit from this reminder of how the responsibility of voting is actually a hard-won right.
Motivate Donors or Volunteers for Nonprofits
In “Benjamin Franklin’s Fire-Fighting Bucket Brigade and Other Volunteers of Note,” Kelly highlights the proud tradition of volunteering in America. Inspire audiences to done money or time. 