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What's New

Women's History Month

During March 2012 the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council featured the roles played by area rural and urban women in agricultural politics over the past century. If you missed the programs on March 8th and 22nd, check out the following newsy accounts by Mlive’s Garret Ellison and the Rapidian’s Sharon Hanks. Reward our news outlets for attending to local history! http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/03/how_female_leaders_changed_the.html and http://therapidian.org/join-us-thursday-night-learn-about-early-years-fulton-street-farmers-market and http://therapidian.org/women-fruit-ridge-and-their-essential-role-growing-economic-powerhouse-are-recalled-thursday-evening

Our finale event took a last look at dozens of enterprising women farmers and producers whose stories continue to squash myths that only men are farmers. The presentation was based on the upcoming book whose launch is announced immediately below! Mark your calendars, then scroll on down for pictures from the finale event at the Women's City Club.

Book Launch Party!

Art of the Table, 608 Wealthy St. SE

Friday, May 18th, 4:00-8:00pm

At the GGRWHC Women's History Month finale, gifted storyteller Jaye Beeler and award-winning photographer Dianne Carroll Burdick gave us a sneak peek at their new book, Tasting and Touring Michigan’s Homegrown Food: A Culinary Roadtrip. Now they invite us to help launch it into the world on May 18th. Revisit Michigan’s amazing agricultural landscape through its photos and meet even more enterprising women tastemakers through Jaye's stories. Visit the website (http://tastingandtouringmi.com/) and get the book!

Pictures from the GGRWHC Women's History Month Finale

Sarah Wagner, chair of GGRWHC Oral History

Committee, with presenter Jaye Beeler in the

background

 

 

Jo Ellyn Clarey, GGRWHC President with

Diana Barrett, Grand Rapids Historical Commission

Speakers Jaye Beeler and Dianne Carroll Burdick

Documentary Filmmaking

Document local women's history! We've got the material--you take the Grand Rapids Public Library's workshop on documentary filmmaking and we'll talk!

Documentary Filmmaking

Thursday, June 28, 2012, 7:00 pm

Main Library – 111 Library St NE

In this workshop, independent film producer Rich Brauer discusses the art of good documentary films, including storytelling, technical expertise and artistry. Brauer will discuss his award-winning commercial and educational films and ways you can get involved in the film industry.

Related Documents:

National Women's History Project May Highlights and Birthdays

Related Documents:

Abigail Adams: Another American Farm Woman

Unaware that Abigail Adams kept the farm running and witnessed the American Revolutionary War on her doorstep, while John was in Philadelphia trying to get Congress to declare independence? Husband-and-wife acting team Gary E. Mitchell and Mary Beth Quillin present her story in My Dearest Friend.

Chronicling the famous story of the lives of John and Abigail Adams, this play reaches into areas not covered in history class. Indeed, consider booking the play--then read the Adams' letters written during their long separations and discover how forward-thinking they were in matters of equality for women and the issue of slavery. For more information and taped segments, see http://www.gemtheatrics.com/my-dearest-friend.html

SEEKING INFORMATION about black women farmers in West Michigan, past and present

Learn how the founder of the Black/Land Project (http://www.blacklandproject.org/todays-black-farmer/), Mistinguette Smith, uses race and gender to study people, land, and policy connections. Last October while Smith was the Twink Frey Social Activist Scholar at the UM's Center for the Education of Women, she interviewed black women in eastern Michigan and began a documentary entitled Black/Land: Women's Voices. In March Smith will be in Flint: http://www.blacklandproject.org/events_page/blackland-project-comes-to-flint-mi/ We will be following Smith's work and hope to host her in the future. In the meantime, please tell us about black women farmers in West Michigan!

MEET TODAY'S GRAND RAPIDS STUDY CLUB And Learn about Its History

The GRSC began in 1901. Today it is the state's oldest continuing literary and study club begun for African American women. Aquoinette L. Blair visited the group in October and has posted video clips of the current group on www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3VjvXV3xns

Visit the GRHC website to learn more: www.grandrapidsstudyclub.org

SEEKING INFORMATION about the women's movement in West Michigan during the 1970s

SEEKING INFORMATION about the women's movement in West Michigan during the 1970s --- personal memories, photos, possible contacts, etc. GVSU Prof. Barbara Roos is working with Margo Greenlaw at the University of Hartford to develop a video documentary and a website on this topic. The short documentary will be designed for classroom use. The website will offer additional in-depth information about the strong feminist movement that existed in this area during "second-wave" feminism. Information about the organization Aradia would be very welcome.

Please contact: Barbara Roos <roosb@gvsu.edu> Thank you!

National History Day Wins National Humanities Medal

For the first time ever, a K-12 education program received the prestigious National Humanities Medal. Awarded by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on Monday, February 13, the award honors achievements in history, literature, education and cultural policy. National History Day is a year-long academic program focused on historical research by American students. It was awarded the 2011 medal for being “a program that inspires a passion for history. Each year more than half a million children from across the country compete in this event, conducting research and producing websites, papers, performances, and documentaries to tell the human story.” (http://www.nhd.org/About.htm)

Michigan History Day is operated statewide by the Historical Society of Michigan. See: www.hsmichigan.org.

Girl Scouts Celebrate 100 Years

The Girl Scouts are celebrating their 100th anniversary by declaring 2012 to be the Year of the Girl. According to their press release "This is an exciting and historic time for us," said Gloria Lara, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore. "It's the Year of the Girl, and we're proud to be not only celebrating our rich history, but our bright future. To read more about the celebration plans for this year, click on the link below.

Related Documents:

Great Lakes History Conference Call for Papers

Interested in presenting at the Great Lakes History Conference next October? The conference topic is: “Born in Revolution”: History, Gender, and the Power of Conflict.

Click on the link below to find get more information.

Submission deadline is May 1, 2012.

Related Documents:

Put On Your Boots and Walk for History!

Legacy Landmarks: Walking with Women Who Left their Mark on Grand Rapids isa brochure produced for Legacy 2010 by Marcie Beck. The walking tour includes a selection of historical landmarks important to women in the downtown area--the Ladies Literary Club and St. Cecilia's, certainly; but 22 Prospect? Find out why! The brochure has been reprinted by the Grand Rapids Public Library and is available in its downtown branch. It is also available for upload here: http://www.ggrwhc.org/uploads/files/LegacyLandmarks-brochure.pdf. 

Here is some 2010 publicity:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/new_grand_rapids_walking_tour.html

Glance at the Past

The Grand Rapids Historical Commission's Glance at the Past is a full-color, 64-page album of historical Grand Rapids sites, events, and people--snapshots and stories about what it was like to live in early Grand Rapids. Each of the thirty, little-known stories about the city are accompanied by one or more historical photographs; thirteen include QR-codes that allow smart-phones to bring up audio podcasts, additional photos, and facts about the city. It is available at Schuler Books & Music and some ArtPrize® venues, as well as online: http://historygrandrapids.org/publications.php Check it out in the Grand Rapids Press:

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/09/new_book_shares_surprising_det.html

Have You Been Receiving The E-newsletter?

Click here to view past newsletters. If you haven't been receiving them and would like to, email info@ggrwhc.org to put your name on the e-mailing list.

GGRWHC Annual Meeting & Bylaws

Related Documents:

Brochure| Map

Our Mission

The Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council is dedicated to educating the community and celebrating the legacies of local women, preserving knowledge of their past, and inspiring visions for their future.