The premiere living history presenter portraying Ulysses Grant will give a program on Grant’s two terms as U.S. president in the historic Hayes Home on Friday, May 16.
Curt Fields, Ph.D., who has portrayed Grant both as the Civil War general and president in 22 states, will discuss the successes and failures of Grant’s two terms as president, which spanned 1869–1877. Grant was Rutherford B. Hayes’ presidential predecessor.
Fields will interpret Grant throughout the program and remain in character as Grant during a question-and-answer session following the talk.
After the Q & A, Grant will join Rutherford B. Hayes living history presenter Paolo DeMaria on the verandah of the Hayes Home for an informal chat and photo op with attendees.

The program is from 6–7:30 p.m. Tickets are required, and advance tickets are recommended. They are available online here.

Tickets for non-members are $15 per person ages 13 and older and $7 ages 6-12. Tickets for Hayes Presidential Library & Museums members are $12 per person ages 13 and older and $5 ages 6-12. Kids ages 5 and younger are admitted for free.

Fields is coming to Spiegel Grove as part of a tour of the Cleveland area in May arranged by the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable, which is sponsoring his tour and appearances. Paolo and Patty DeMaria are co-sponsoring Field’s appearance at Hayes Presidential. Fields will be visiting the Cleveland area for the third time in five years for the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable. His past visits resulted in record-breaking attendance at all venues. “He impressed us so much that we brought him back,” said Steve Pettyjohn, past president of the Civil War Roundtable. “When he shows up at national meetings, it’s like, this is him. This is Grant.” The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable is coordinating his visit with other organizations, including schools, in order to share his interpretation of this important figure in U.S. history. On Friday, May 16, the Civil War Roundtable is working with Hayes Presidential to have Fields speak at Fremont Middle School.

Fields has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Memphis. He later earned a master’s degree in secondary education and Ph.D. in educational administration and curriculum from Michigan State University. He has been a long-time adjunct sociology professor at the University of Memphis and in education for Belhaven University, Memphis campus. He is an educational consultant and living historian. As a living historian, Fields portrayed Gen. Grant at the 150th sesquicentennial observations of: Fort Donelson and Shiloh, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi and at the 150th anniversary of Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia in 2015. He also portrayed the general at Appomattox in 2012, 2013 and 2014. He portrays Gen. Grant in the visitor center film that is shown at Appomattox Court House National Historic Park. Fields has appeared with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra in Vicksburg National Military Park.
He was featured as Gen. Grant, and as a Grant authority, in a Discovery Channel three-part documentary on U.S. history. Fields portrays Gen. Grant, giving his life story, on the Civil War Trust website in the 1 in4 series of biographies and significant places and events the distinguished Civil War Trust has established. This may be seen at Civilwar.org and select 1in4 at the top of the page.
In addition to an impressive list of accomplishments, including his award-winning presentations as Grant, he also served as a Memphis, Tennessee, police officer for four years; was a Memphis Police hostage negotiator and received the Life-Saving Medal from the City of Memphis for actions in the line of duty.