Community Historians are trained volunteers and staff who bring their passion for San Diego history to your community meetings and organizations through informative talks. Our speakers can introduce visitors and tourists to San Diego history or else dive deep into the details of a unique San Diego topic.

Program presentations are illustrated with historic photos and documents from our Research Archives.

Available topics include:

  • Dam the Water and Pray for Rain
  • Old Town to New Town: The Development of San Diego
  • San Diego History to 1915
  • San Diego History 1900-1985
  • San Diego – It’s All About Diversity
  • Settling the San Diego Mission and Presidio
  • World War I in San Diego”

But we are not limited to these! If you have a specific topic in mind for your function, please reach out to discuss options.

Submit a Program Request

Submit a Program Request at least two weeks before your preferred presentation date. Not all presentation topics are available on all dates.

Request a program: Community Historian Program Request

The tuition fee is $150. In the interest of broadly serving all San Diego County residents, tuition assistance is available for those who need it.

Presentations are typically 1 hour.

For more information or questions: 619-232-6203 x 108 or [email protected]

Community Historians can also be seen on Residents’ Free Tuesdays!

On the second Tuesday of each month, watch a Community Historian presentation at 1:00 pm in our Thornton Theater. Each lecture is free with “Give Forward” admission.

Upcoming Topics

July 10, 2018, 1:00 pm

San Diego Drag Racing And The Bean Bandits
Presented by a guest speaker. Learn more here.

August 14, 2018, 1:00 pm

Chicano San Diego: A Neglected Heritage
Presented by SDSU Professor, Emeritus Richard Griswold del Castillo. Learn more here.