January 9 , 2019 I www.ggrwhc.org   I 616-574-7307
HISTORY DETECTIVES 2019:
All History! All Day!
Saturday, January 19 from 9:30am - 4:00pm

GGRWHC, with a consortium of local history organizations, brings back History Detectives at the Grand Rapids Public Library! 

GGRWHC is proud to sponsor Sophia Ward Brewer’s presentation:

Undercurrent: African American Women in Turn-of-the-20th-Century Grand Rapids

Still an undercurrent in accounts of reform movements coming out of the nineteenth century, the cultural and political contributions of African American women have received little attention. Sophia Brewer will bringing this story home by recounting how a small community of African American women in Grand Rapids made their mark on local history. Introducing these local movers and shakers, she will uncover who they were, reveal where they came from, and describe how they impacted their period’s fight for civil and women’s rights. Just beneath the surface, these African American Grand Rapidians made local waves that swelled into national consequence.

Join us for Sophia's presentation at 10:30am, or stay for the whole day of local history programming featuring:

9:30am - Lawrence C. Earle Is Grand Rapids' First Artist
Don Bryant - Sponsored by the Western Michigan Genealogical Society
For over five decades Grand Rapids’ first artist dedicated his fascinating life to art and to motivating others.  

10:30am - Undercurrent: African American Women in Turn-of-the-20th-Century Grand Rapids
Sophia Ward Brewer - Sponsored by the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council
How a small community of African American women in Grand Rapids made waves in history, waves that swelled into national consequence.

11:30am - What Did They Know and When Did They Know It? Grand Rapidians and the Holocaust
Rob Franciosi - Sponsored by Kutsche Office of Local History at Grand Valley State University & Grand Rapids Public Library
Contrary to popular myth, average Americans including Grand Rapidians read a lot of Holocaust history reported in their daily papers as it was happening.

1:00pm - Hot Spots in a Cool City: Evening Entertainment in Grand Rapids, 1940-1970
M. Christine Byron - Sponsored by the Grand Rapids Historical Commission
In the mid-twentieth century Grand Rapids already offered a “cool” range of evening entertainment at cocktail lounges, music venues, dining-and-dancing spots, and movie theaters. 

2:00pm - Fresh Air, Thrift, Exercise and Innocent Delight: School Gardening Programs in Progressive Era Grand Rapids
Jayson Otto - Sponsored by the Grand Rapids City Archives
In the early 20th century, Grand Rapids became a model for school gardening programs when every grade school had its own.

3:00pm - WWII: When Patriotism Was the Norm
Sandra Warren - Sponsored by the Grand Rapids Historical Society and the Grand Rapids Public Museum
How Grand Rapids South High students bought a B-17 Bomber to aid the war effort during World War II.

For more information about the day, including reserving a boxed lunch, visit https://www.grpl.org/historydetectives/

GGRWHC |   www.ggrwhc.org   | 616-574-7307
Hats off to the historical women who've shaped West Michigan!
Please take a moment to forward this message to others you know who may be interested in women's history. If you've received this message as a forward, consider joining our mailing list in order to receive future updates about programming.

Thank you for your interest in preserving and celebrating the history of the many phenomenal women who've helped to shape West Michigan!  If you aren't already a supporter of the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council, consider investing in our work as a volunteer or with an annual donation .  Visit our  website  for more information and the ability to donate online.