“An Army of Women:” A Diverse Midwest in World War I Women’s Registration Cards

Pew Campus, Grand Valley State University 401 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

Part of the 2022 Midwestern History Conference, please register (free) to attend. *Session begins at 10:20 AM Chair: Robert Franciosi, Grand Valley State University Panelists: The Importance of the Midwest and a Survey of Race and Ethnicity Jo Ellyn Clarey, Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council A Close Look at African American Women Outside a […]

Hollyhock Lane 4th of July Parade

Ottawa Hills neighborhood, Grand Rapids, MI

Annual Ottawa Hills Hollyhock Lane 4th of July Parade. You are invited to join us as we continue the tradition of marching in the Hollyhock Parade. Meet us at the corner of Calvin and Alexander at 8 AM and join the fun with bands, bicyclists, candy, and placards. To quote a past participant: this event […]

50 Years Later: A Look Back at the Fight Over the ERA in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

After the passage of the 19th Amendment, a broader Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) for women was introduced in Congress. Nora Salas and Ruth Stevens will provide a local perspective on the political tempest generated by the seemingly straightforward language of the ERA with an eye to how the debate over the ERA has relevance today. […]

The Second Surge: Women Running for Public Office in the 1970s

St. Cecilia Music Center 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

Speaker: Jo Ellyn Clarey Suddenly in the seventies, Kent County women broke through a barrier that had limited their runs for public office mostly to local school board races. They ran for virtually every position on local, county, and state levels, as well as for U.S. Congress. Now, in 2023, celebrate women's spectacular showings in […]

The Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters: Serving People on the Margins of Society

Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

Elizabeth Chamberlain, an adjunct professor of history at Aquinas College, will examine the late twentieth-century activism of the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters; the ways in which communities perceived their social justice activism; and the opposition they sometimes faced because of their activism. Co-sponsored by the Grand Rapids Historical Society. Ryerson Auditorium at the Grand Rapids […]

GR History Detectives

Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

The GGRWHC is a proud sponsor of this popular event. One day, six programs, one location. The 15th annual History Detectives program will highlight stories of the people who helped shape West Michigan. Order lunch via Eventbrite.