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Coming Up in Fall 2026
Celebrate America's 250th Birthday in Philadelphia!
Founders in Philadelphia: Franklin, Jefferson, and a New Nation
Welcome to Mind Inclined, a free platform for people who love to learn. Join author, professor, and college president Mark Canada, Ph.D., for podcasts, essays, and live lectures on literature, language, and history.
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Mark speaks to academic and general audiences on a variety of topics in literature, history, and more. Lectures may be virtual or in-person and can be booked by emailing Mark.
Upcoming Lectures
Philadelphia trip celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
Fall, 2025
Philadelphia, PA
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with this three-day tour of Philadelphia. We will visit Independence Hall and National Constitution Center, see the Liberty Bell, trace Benjamin Franklin’s momentous (and humorous) arrival in the city as a runaway teen, eat and drink at an eighteenth-century tavern, watch a demonstration of colonial printing (as Franklin did it in his early career), and see and do much more.
Benjamin Franklin and the Road to Revolution
May 13th, 2026
6 p.m.
Kresge Auditorium, IU Kokomo
If you have questions, contact Mark's team at office@mindinclined.org
We know him as one of our nation’s founders, but Benjamin Franklin spent most of his life as a devoted British subject, even laboring to protect what he called “that fine and noble china vase, the British Empire.” What put Franklin on the road to Revolution, and what did he contribute to the cause? In this lively lecture, Dr. Mark Canada, a Franklin scholar and chancellor of Indiana University Kokomo, will share fascinating insights into Franklin’s work (including America’s first political cartoon) and personality while illuminating the years leading up to the American Revolution.
The Other Benjamin Franklin: A Revolutionary Before the Revolution
September 10th, 2026
6 p.m.
Kresge Auditorium, IU Kokomo
If you have questions, contact Mark at mark.canada@mindinclined.org
When Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, he was 70 years old—a Founding Father, yes, but also old enough to be an actual father of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Like all of us, however, Franklin was once young. Unlike most of us, he also pioneered the study of electricity, invented the lightning rod and even a musical instrument, transformed his city with civic innovations, and penned some of the greatest literature of his age. (He also ran away from home, made his share of mistakes—which he called “errata”—and generally lived a fascinating, often humorous life worthy of a book—which he himself wound up writing.) In this lecture, we will trace this life over the decades before the American Revolution, catching a glimpse of the revolutionary personality of our funniest Founding Father.
American Patriots in Paris
In 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There undoubtedly will be plenty to see and do here in the U.S., but it’s worth remembering that three of our best-known founders were doing some of the most important work someplace else. Between 1776 and the signing of the peace treaty in 1783, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were conducting diplomatic work with the French. Franklin, in particular, played an instrumental role in securing French support for the Revolution, support that tipped the scales and helped the Americans defeat superior British forces. Join Chancellor Mark Canada, who is an expert in Franklin, and historian Chris Young, who specializes in the Early Republic, for this enriching and fascinating look at American Patriots in Paris.
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Tim
One of the best
Huge Poe fan and you could absolutely tell Mark has a passion for the subject matter. Plus he's a great narrator! Would highly recommend this for anyone interested in learning more about Poe in a short amount of time.
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Who is Dr. Mark Canada?
Mark Canada, Ph.D.
elevating minds for over 25 years
As an award-winning professor, he has taught everything from the Book of Genesis to Toni Morrison's Beloved. Now the chancellor of Indiana University Kokomo, he collaborates with faculty and staff to elevate students' lives through experiential learning. For more than a decade, he has been extending his influence beyond the classroom to elevate minds and lives through lectures, articles, and books, including the Audible Original Ben Franklin's Lessons in Life.
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