Photo Gallery
Native American Exhibit and Oral History Celebration (11 Photos)
The Gi-gikinomaage-min ("We are all teachers"): Defend Our History, Unlock Your Spirit Project is dedicated to documenting the urban Native American experience in Grand Rapids. On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, community and project team members gathered in the Grand Rapids Public Museum for guided tours of the Museum's Native American exhibits, a reception, and oral history celebration. This effort is a collaboration among GVSU's Kutsche Office of Local History, Native American Advisory Board, Office of Multicultural Affairs, GVSU Libraries' Special Collections & University Archives, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and the Grand Rapids Public Library. It is supported in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Growing Community: Community Training (5 Photos)
The "Growing Community" project is supported in part by a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. A collaboration among GVSU, El Centro Hispano de Oceana County, and the Oceana County Historical and Genealogical Society, its goal is to collect stories and digital copies of photos, letters, scrapbooks, and related materials that will tell the history of Oceana's agricultural communities for the first time.
On Monday, May 16, 2016, project team members held a community luncheon and training session in the Hart Community Room. Many thanks to Penny Burillo, Eva Berumen, Walter Urick, Courtney Sherwood, Kassie O'Brien, Nora Salas, Andy Schlewitz, Bri Luginbill, and all of the community members who made this event such a success.
Upcoming events include an all-day Community History Harvest event on Saturday, June 18 in the Hart Community Room and Hart Public Library.
Growing Community: Shelby Middle School Oral Histories (40 Photos)
The "Growing Community" project is supported in part by a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. A collaboration among GVSU, El Centro Hispano de Oceana County, and the Oceana County Historical and Genealogical Society, its goal is to collect stories and digital copies of photos, letters, scrapbooks, and related materials that will tell the history of Oceana's agricultural communities for the first time.
Launched in January 2016, project team members spoke with Shelby Middle School students about their memories growing up in Oceana County in April 2016. Many thanks to Penny Burillo, Eva Berumen, Courtney Sherwood, Kassie O'Brien, Bri Luginbill, Kevin Joffre and all of the community members, students, teachers, and staff who made this event such a success.
Upcoming events include an all-day Community History Harvest event on Saturday, June 18 in the Hart Community Room and Hart Public Library.
Our Asian Pacific American Community Exhibit Opening (106 Photos)
On Monday, April 25, 2016 we celebrated the opening of the Asian Pacific American Community exhibition and archive by thanking the individuals and families who so generously shared their stories and portraits. The event was held in Herrick District Library's Auditorium. This project was a collaboration among GVSU's Kutsche Office of Local History, GVSU's Meijer Campus in Holland, Herrick District Library, Holland Museum, the City of Holland, Latin Americans United for Progress, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, with assistance from Integrated Fabrics, LifeQuest Church, and the Cambodian Fellowship Christian Reformed Church.
7th Annual Local History Roundtable (316 Photos)
Held on Thursday, March 24, 2016 in GVSU's Mary Idema Pew Library and Kirkhof Center (Allendale, Michigan), the 7th Annual Local History Roundtable focused on the theme "Changing Communities." More than 600 people participated in the events held throughout the day, making it the largest Roundtable event to date. Highlights included presentations by Professor Todd E. Robinson (Department of History, UNLV) and author of Grand Rapids' 2016 "book of the year," Mr. Tim Gleisner, head of the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History Department, and Professor Delia Fernandez (Department of History, MSU) as well as panel discussions on changing communities in Holland and Grand Rapids. Tours of the Mary Idema Pew Library and GVSU's Special Collections were offered in the afternoon. An evening dinner and business meeting was held for local history professionals.
Todd Robinson Community Discussion at LINC Up (127 Photos)
Held at LINC UP on Thursday, March 24, 2016, Professor Todd Robinson, author of Grand Rapids' book of the year, A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan, spoke to a crowd of over 250. This event was organized by the GVSU Kutsche Office of Local History in partnership with LINC-UP, GVSU's College of Community and Public Service, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Community Service Learning Center.
Asian New Year Celebration (92 Photos)
This event, sponsored by the Asian Student Union, took place on Thursday, February 4, 2016 in the GVSU Kirkhof Center. GVSU's Kutsche Office of Local History collected stories and oral histories from attendees prior to the event as part of the Our Asian and Pacific American Community Project. Partners in that effort include Herrick District Library, the City of Holland, Latin Americans United for Progress, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, and the Holland Museum.
Nuestra Comunidad Hispana (77 Photos)
Focusing on Holland, Michigan's Latino communities, this project collected nearly 50 oral histories between August and October 2015. Those materials are permanently archived in the Herrick District Library. Everyone who participated in the project received a free copy of their photograph and oral history at a special reception held December 7, 2015 at Herrick District Library. These photos are from that reception.
Campus Dialogue: GVSU and the Urban Native American Experience (24 Photos)
The "Walking Beyond Our Ancestors' Footsteps: An Urban Native American Experience" exhibition concluded its run at GVSU on November 18, 2015 with a campus dialogue focusing on GVSU's role in shaping the 20th and 21st century experiences of Native Americans in and around Grand Rapids. This event was a part of the 2015 Native American Heritage Month celebrations and the Gi-gikinomaage-min Project. It was held in the Multipurpose Room of the Mary Idema Pew Library on GVSU's Allendale campus.
American Indian Community Dialogue (2015) (50 Photos)
On Tuesday, November 17, 2015, the Gi-gikinomaage-min (We are all teachers): Defend Our History, Unlock Your Spirit Project team held its second annual American Indian Community Dialogue. As last fall, this meeting was held at the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Pottawatomi Northern Health Center in downtown Grand Rapids. The meeting gave the project team an opportunity to report back to the community about the work they have been carrying out over the past year. Community members provided suggestions to guide the project's work through 2016.
