California's Spanish Past

Even with recent, robust scholarly and activist work, few Californians today understand our land’s Spanish period. Our guest presenter will give us a deeper look into our state’s Spanish past!

From initial contact in the sixteenth century to Mexican independence in the nineteenth century, from the memory making that takes place in local lore, elementary school classrooms, landscape markers, place names, and even the built environment, this presentation from Kyle Livie, Ph.D. will share the story of the Spanish past and unpack these memories to better understand the transformation of what we have come to know as California.

About the presenter:

Dr. Kyle Livie is Professor of History and Co-Director of the Lytton Center for History and the Public Good at Ohlone College. A California native, Kyle holds a BA in history from UC Berkeley, an MA in history from San Francisco State University, and a Ph.D. in history from UCLA. Kyle has been an educator for over twenty-five years, teaching a range of courses from introductory classes in American and California history to advanced research methods at a variety of institutions including UC Berkeley, UCLA, California State University, Monterey Bay, and San Francisco State University.

Dr. Livie has shared his research at conferences including the Organization of American Historians, the American Culture Association conference, and the Social Science History Association.

This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.

Monday, October 05, 2026 | 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CA

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