List of Events

Kids Discover Lopez Exhibit Public Opening

Andrew Wahl — 2012-04-02T19:05:00Z

Lopez Island Historical Society is developing an exhibit to provide engaging, safe, hands-on activities to stimulate kids’ interest in Lopez history. The exhibit will feature many images and artifacts from our collection, and will have both supervised (by trained docents) and self-directed activities. The Kids Discover Lopez focal point will be a hands-on display that encourages kids to design their own exhibit, with a selection of colors, maps, photos and other images that can be arranged to tell each young visitor's individual story.

MOHAI's History Is____ Youth Awards Party

Chase Clancy — 2011-12-21T17:52:39Z

The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) invites you to celebrate the young participants of our second annual History Is___ Film Competition. Get a sneak peek at the winners in each of the History Is___ Youth categories, and celebrate with cupcakes and light refreshments. The whole family is invited! Ticketing information will be available in March 2012. For more information about this event or the History Is____ Film Competition, visit: www.seattlehistory.org/film/

(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

What Is That?: Unusual and Offbeat People, Places, Things, and Events in Washington State

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:35Z

Program Description:
Why does downtown Winlock feature a statue of the world’s largest egg and why is there a drive-through stump displayed at a rest-stop on I-5? Washington is notorious for its offbeat and unusual landmarks. This presentation will explore the cultural, economic, artistic, historic and philosophical influences on local and state history by exploring iconic and unusual objects, events and stories. Learning the often-forgotten or untold story behind an artifact or event leads to a discussion of history and community identity, and brings added meaning and context to objects and events within a community.

Speaker Biography:
Award-winning author and radio producer Harriet Baskas has written six books, including Washington Curiosities and Washington Icons. Harriet is the president of Reel Women Productions and is a columnist for USATODAY.com and MSNBC.com. She has managed three Pacific Northwest public radio stations: KBCS-FM (Bellevue), KBOO-FM (Portland, OR), and KMUN-FM (Astoria, OR). Harriet holds a Masters degree in Communications from the University of Washington.

Skagit River Poetry Festival: A Poet’s Table Dinner

Andrew Wahl — 2012-02-10T02:40:00Z

Enjoy luscious local cuisine, fine wine, poetry, and conversations with the poets seated at your table.

This event is part of the 7th biennial Skagit River Poetry Festival, with readings, conversations and workshops, and will be May 17-20, held in historic La Conner, Washington. The Skagit River Poetry Project is an ongoing project throughout the school year at various schools in Skagit and Whatcom school districts.

Cost: $75.00

(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

What Is That?: Unusual and Offbeat People, Places, Things, and Events in Washington State

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:31Z

MOHAI's History Café: History Is___ Film Competition Winners!

Chase Clancy — 2011-12-21T18:04:22Z

History is…inventive, dangerous, and always changing. This month's History Café features the award-winning films from MOHAI’s 2012 History Is___ Film Competition. Meet the filmmakers, see some of the winning films, and explore how we define history, both as individuals and as a society.

Free

(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

The Poetics of Place- Expressing Your Sense of Place through Poetry (Workshop)

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:39Z

Program Description:
While many appreciate the beauty of a good poem, few of us are able to grasp the difficult process of writing poetry. In this hands-on poetry-writing workshop, award-winning published poet Judith Roche will offer her extensive experiences reading, writing and teaching poetry. Participants will learn to express the “feel” of their natural surroundings – whether they are the lush farms of the Palouse or the evergreen forests of the Olympic Peninsula – and learn the building blocks for successful poetry writing. Judith will help build skills to use memories, experiences and sense of place as a basis for writing poems. To enlighten and inspire participants to the expressive nature of poetry, she will also offer examples of her own work that of local poets.

Bio:
Although born a city girl, Judith Roche has always had a deep love for the land. This love has permeated her work, which has been published in The Seattle Times, the American Voice, and the Crab Creek Review, among others. She has been the recipient of many awards, including a 1998 and 2007 American Book Award, a Seattle University Distinguished Northwest Writer Award and a Golden Umbrella Award. A nature enthusiast, Judith has a passion for the importance of salmon to human populations; she has edited an anthology on Pacific Rim salmon and participated in a public art project responding to the plight of endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest. For 30 years, Judith has taught a variety of students from incarcerated youth to college students and adults, and passionately believes that art saves lives.

The Mid-Columbia Literary Festival: Judith Roche

Andrew Wahl — 2012-02-10T01:55:00Z

While many appreciate the beauty of a good poem, few of us are able to grasp the difficult process of writing poetry. In this hands-on poetry-writing workshop, award-winning published poet Judith Roche will offer her extensive experiences reading, writing, and teaching poetry. Participants will learn to express the “feel” of their natural surroundings – whether they are the lush farms of the Palouse or the evergreen forests of the Olympic Peninsula – and learn the building blocks for successful poetry writing. Judith will help build skills to use memories, experiences, and sense of place as a basis for writing poems. To enlighten and inspire participants to the expressive nature of poetry, she will also offer examples of her own work and that of local poets.

The 2012 Mid-Columbia Literary Festival is sponsored by Columbia Basin College and its partners. LitFest 2012 will host an impressive list of authors covering a wide range of styles and approaches. They will include author presentations, book signings, workshops, readings, and much more.

(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

Skagit River Poetry Festival: A Celtic Night: Poetry, Storytelling and Music

Andrew Wahl — 2012-02-10T02:45:00Z

This event will feature Irish poet Tony Curtis, storyteller Will Hornyak, and music by Randal Bays, Davey Mathais and Susan Waters.

Cost: $25.00

(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

Trailblazing Photojournalist: Margaret Bourke-White

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:21Z

Program Description:
A recognized specialist in Women’s Studies and Political Science, Lynne Iglitzin vividly tells the story of photographer, Margaret Bourke-White who, early in the 20th century, pioneered new techniques in photojournalism and opened the door for women in photography . Drawing on Bourke-White’s autobiography, letters and biographical information, Iglitzin brings to life the photographer’s determination to fulfill her goals. We see Margaret’s striking photography in the factories and steel mills of Cleveland - where no woman had gone before. Her sensitive pictures during the 1930s vividly illustrate the impact of the Depression in American social history. As the pre-eminent photographer for LIFE Magazine, Bourke-White's powerful photographs from the 1940s brought images of World War II directly into the living rooms of Americans everywhere. It is not surprising that Margaret Bourke-White became one of the most famous women of the 20th century. Her story shows a woman determined to realize her dreams--and is a compelling tale in the history of women and photojournalism.

Bio:
Lynne Iglitzin was Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington for many years. She is the author of several books, including Women in the World and Violent Conflict in American Society. She is serving her second term on the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, and for the past four years has been a Frye Art Museum Gallery Guide. She has chaired the Seattle Human Rights Commission, and also served as a member of Seattle's first citizen's Police Review Board. Lynne is a former board member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State, and the Northwest Women’s Law Center. She is a founding board member of Youth in Focus, a program promoting photography as a tool for motivating youth. . Lynne holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College.

Skagit River Poetry Festival: Carolyn Forché, Tony Hoagland, Patrick Lane, and The Fugitives

Andrew Wahl — 2012-02-10T02:55:00Z

Forché, the celebrated “poet of witness,” performs with B.C.’s award-winning poet Lane, renowned poet Tony Hoagland and the Fugitives, a dynamic young word-and-song quartet from Vancouver.

This event is part of the 7th biennial Skagit River Poetry Festival, with readings, conversations and workshops, and will be May 17-20, held in historic La Conner, Washington. The Skagit River Poetry Project is an ongoing project throughout the school year at various schools in Skagit and Whatcom school districts.

Cost: $25.00
(This is a Humanities Washington-grant funded program.)

The Civil War in Washington Territory

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:28Z

Program Description:
If “war” just means “battles,” there wasn’t really a Civil War here. But if the war was about issues, too, then Washington Territory participated fully in the Civil War. And during the 150th anniversary of the war, Washington people can participate in the national conversation about the Civil War and its meaning. From Walla Walla to Bellingham, territorial settlers brought their convictions with them, like they brought garden seeds and rifles – in fact, they brought the war here with them, in their minds. This presentation will consider territorial attitudes toward race and slavery, agitation for northwest secession, and federal suppression of freedom of the press, as well as resignations to “go south,” from Washington Territory’s governor to many of the military officers stationed here, following their states out of the union.

At a territorial picnic, July 4, 1863, a crowd gathered around the dessert table, staring at a beautiful frosted cake decorated with the Confederate flag. At the heart of the Civil War, an anonymous territorial woman had strong pro-Southern convictions. The Civil War was a conflict over such principles, and Washington Territory was part of it. Let’s talk about that!

Bio:
Dr. Lorraine McConaghy is a public historian who has devoted her professional life to researching and teaching Pacific Northwest history in a museum setting. At Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry, she has curated a series of successful projects, including the museum’s core exhibits Metropolis 150 and Essential Seattle, as well as Blue vs. Gray: Civil War in the Pacific Northwest. McConaghy teaches in the Museum Studies program at the University of Washington, and her work has been honored by the Washington Museums Association, the Oral History Association, the National Council on Public History and the American Association for State and Local History. In 2010, she received the Robert Gray Medal, the highest honor awarded by the Washington State Historical Society. Her particular research interest is Washington Territory during the antebellum and Civil War periods. University of Washington Press published her Warship Under Sail: Sloop-of-War Decatur in the Pacific West in 2009, and she is currently working on two projects concerning Washington Territory during the Civil War.

Finding Aunt Phoebe: My Search for the True Life of Phoebe Goodell Judson

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:20Z

Program Description:
Phoebe Goodell Judson, the 2009 Legacy Award Winner for the YWCA’s NW Women’s Hall of Fame, is the subject of Mary Michaelson’s research and programs since 2004. “Aunt Phoebe,” as she was affectionately known in her lifetime, co-founded the town of Lynden, Washington, with her husband Holden Allen Judson in 1870, where she lived until her death in 1926 at age 94, less than two months after self-publishing her memoir, A Pioneer’s Search for an Ideal Home. Mary Michaelson’s innovative research into the life of Phoebe Goodell Judson has revealed many surprising facts about this remarkable woman. Assumptions which have been made are now proven to be inaccurate, based upon newly discovered primary source documents. Mary is not content to accept the version which appears on the page and her dogged determination to discover “the story behind the story” has helped to solve many mysteries which have puzzled previous researchers and scholars. Such methods have also revealed new questions, which she continues to investigate, utilizing both standard research methods and serendipitous occurrences which she likes to call “co-inky-dinks.” Mary’s programs, ranging from PowerPoint slideshows to lectures and readings, cover a wide range of topics concerning Phoebe Goodell Judson, her life and times and other related topics.

Says Mary, “If you just read Phoebe Judson’s book without my program, you will close the covers and say to yourself, ‘What a great book! She was a remarkable woman who led such an interesting life!’ But if you experience any of my programs, you will realize that her true life was ten times more interesting than the life she describes in her book!” Mary’s talks are adaptable to a number of related topics and may be adjusted to audiences ranging from seniors to young children. A lively, interactive question and answer session, attractive handouts and hands-on displays are always a part of these most interesting and informative programs.

Bio:
Mary Michaelson is the sole proprietor of “Aunt Phoebe’s Corner,” a company which conducts historical research about Phoebe Goodell Judson and other pioneers in the Pacific northwest, as well as other related subjects. She is the editor/author of Memory Book, Friends of Aunt Phoebe Reunion, published in 2006 by the Lynden Pioneer Museum, of which she has been the Assistant Curator since 2004. She is also president of The Friends of Aunt Phoebe Reunion, a non-profit group of other historians and researchers, as well as descendants of the Judson and Goodell families. As Fund Advisor for the Holden and Phoebe Goodell Judson Memorial Statue Fund, she works closely with Whatcom Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) in Bellingham, with the goal of creating a life-sized, bronze statue of the Judsons to be placed on the grounds of Lynden’s new City Hall. Ms. Michaelson is a frequent speaker on various subjects of historical interest both in Whatcom County, as well as throughout the Pacific northwest. She is presently writing her second book, Finding Aunt Phoebe, My Search for the True Life of Phoebe Goodell Judson.

What Is That?: Unusual and Offbeat People, Places, Things, and Events in Washington State

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:29Z

Climbing Gold Mountain, Fum Sahn: Chinese Pioneers in the Western Frontier

Zaki Abdelhamid — 2012-05-16T22:44:17Z

Program Description:
Many Americans, including those of Chinese heritage, are unfamiliar with the tremendous role Chinese pioneers played in settling the Western frontier. Chinese pioneers were railroad workers, loggers, miners and even cowboys in the West’s rural communities. Despite frequent hostility and adversity, Chinese pioneers persevered and thrived. Their success is strikingly relevant today, in an era when immigration continues to be a divisive topic. This presentation offers an opportunity to enlarge contemporary views with past immigrant experiences. Having married into a family with four generations of Chinese-American family history, Rebecca Hom has had close experiences with the history of Chinese pioneers, has gathered numerous oral and written accounts of Chinese pioneer families’ experiences. Through the art of storytelling, Rebecca brings these personal stories to life, opening eyes to the often forgotten contributions of Chinese pioneers in settling the West.

Bio:
A workshop leader and professional storyteller for more than 20 years, Rebecca Hom has presented to a wide range of groups and in a range of settings, from toddlers to seniors, from parenting workshops to diversity conferences, In 2009, the live performance video, Rebecca Hom: Plenty Live! was selected as a Storytelling World honoree for adult listeners. Hom has been an award-winning member of Toastmasters, Alaska Press Women, and the Alaska State American Historical Society. She has travelled extensively throughout both China and the West, gathering research about early Chinese-American settlers.