Humorist and folklorist Donna Ingham takes the ancient art of storytelling and gives it a Texas twist to entertain audiences of all ages. The author of a half dozen books about Texas, she will be presenting a program at the Menard Public Library on June 4 at 1 p.m.
One of her books, Texas Myths & Legends, is the second edition of one originally titled Mysteries & Legends of Texas. The newer edition, published in 2016, has two additional chapters. Both editions have a chapter on “The Lost San Saba Mine,” with several mentions of Menard and the Presidio de San Saba.
“I’m pretty sure I made an author’s visit to Menard back in 2010 when the first edition of the book came out,” Ingham said. “It’ll be good to be back as part of a rural outreach tour underwritten by the Texas Commission on the Arts.”
In addition to history and folklore, her storytelling repertoire includes personal and family narratives, tall tales, and outright lies. She has the dubious distinction of having been named the Biggest Liar in Texas four times.
A retired college English professor, Ingham has been touring as a professional storyteller for almost 30 years, appearing at festivals and conferences throughout the United States and in Ireland. She also works in schools and libraries across the state of Texas and offers workshops on storytelling and collecting family and community stories.
She is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award for “outstanding contributions to the art of storytelling” and a National Storytelling Oracle Regional Excellence Award for “exceptional commitment and exemplary contributions to the art of storytelling.” She is past president of the Tejas Storytelling Association and the Texas Folklore Society and is listed as a Texas Touring Artist with the Texas Commission on the Arts and on the Mid-America Arts Alliance Regional Touring Program.