Contemporary Commentators

Clay Jenkinson

Episode(s): 1, 2

Clay Jenkinson, a former Rhodes Scholar, is one of the nation's most popular humanities scholars and the host of the syndicated radio program, "The Thomas Jefferson Hour," in which he portrays the third President of the United States.

Jenkinson is a co-founder of the modern Chautauqua movement, portraying Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, Theodore Roosevelt and other historical characters in first-person interpretations. He has performed as Thomas Jefferson for President Clinton as well as Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report."

He lives in his native North Dakota, where he is director of the Dakota Institute, a columnist for the Bismarck Tribune, and Theodore Roosevelt scholar in residence at Dickinson State University.

Martin Murie

Episode(s): 5, 6

Martin Murie is the son of conservationists Olaus and Mardy Murie and nephew of Adolph Murie. He grew up in Jackson, Wyoming; served in the U.S. Army; studied at Reed College and the University of California, Berkeley; and taught life sciences at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara, and Antioch College. He is the author of Losing Solitude, Windswept, and Red Tree Mouse Chronicles.

Carl Pope

Episode(s): 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Carl Pope is the executive director of the Sierra Club and has worked with the organization for almost 30 years. Since taking over as executive director, Pope has helped the Sierra Club protect almost 10 million acres of wilderness and has overseen the growth of the club's membership by 150,000 to 700,000 members. Pope served two years with the Peace Corps in India after graduating from Harvard.