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CAFe Speaker Series: “From the Archives: Jim Henson at Maryland”

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Research Talks/Events

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Location: In Person: HBK Lobby, HBK 3210 and Virtual

UMD students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—join us for the CAFe Speaker Series. (Registration Required)

Thank you to the collaborative forces that brought this talk together: Dr. Chad Infante, The Henson Working Group, The Children’s Media Working Group, UMD Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Library, Special Collections in Performing Arts, and The Department of English, and the School of Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies.

Program, Times, and Locations:

  • 12:30 PM: Archival Showcase Event—Hornbake Lobby (Light refreshments and ice cream)
  • 2:00 PM: Susie Tofte Talk “From the Archives: Jim Henson at Maryland”—Hornbake Lobby and
    Virtual
  • 4:00 PM: Center for Archival Futures Q&A with Susie Tofte—Hornbake 3210 (Instruction Room)

Abstract:
In the sixty-five years since Jim Henson (1936-1990), best known as the creator of the Muppets, graduated from the University of Maryland, it has become clear that his student experience both in the classroom and in his extra-curricular activities had a profound impact on his creative and professional development, laying the foundation for a remarkable career. Using archival materials from The Jim Henson Company Archive, including original artwork, photography and video clips, this presentation will explore Jim’s time at the University of Maryland and his early work on local Washington television.

Bio:
Susie Tofte is the Director of Collections and Archivist at The Jim Henson Company. In this capacity, she has contributed to numerous publications, public programs, museum exhibits, and documentaries related to the life and work of Jim Henson. In 2019, Tofte was co-curator of the exhibit, Inspired! Jim Henson at Maryland at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Prior to her work at the Jim Henson Company, she was an archivist at Sesame Workshop for 7 years. While there, she curated the exhibit “Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of Sesame Street Helping Kids Grow Smarter” at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Tofte holds a BA in history from Northwestern University and an MA in history and a Certificate in Archival Management from New York University.

Speaker(s): Susie Tofte, Director of Collections and Archivist, The Jim Henson Company

Register Here!