The 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike and Italian Hall Book Project: Copper Country Historical Collections

Showing posts with label Copper Country Historical Collections. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Tumult and Tragedy ABC 5 and 10

Link to short ABC 5 and 10 on-line article about "Tumult and Tragedy" exhibit:

http://abc10up.com/mtuarchives-premiers-new-exhibit-about-1913-strike/

As you'll note, a list of presenters that will give public talks on an aspect of the exhibit's main themes is included in the article.

I'm (Gary) giving a talk on writing the interpretive text for the exhibit on Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 7 pm in the Park's Visitor Center in Calumet. I'm really looking forward to that event.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Premier of 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike Traveling Exhibit

Original artwork by graphic designer Mike Stockwell for "Tumult and Tragedy" a traveling exhibit on the 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike.

On November 1. at 6.30 pm, Michigan Tech's Copper Country Historical Archive is premiering a traveling exhibit titled "Tumult and Tragedy" on the first floor of the JR Van Pelt Library.

I (Gary) had the great and very fortunate opportunity to be the Project Historian for this traveling exhibit. I can truly say it was a pleasure working with Project Manager Erik Nordberg and Project Designer Mike Stockwell of Cranking Graphics. I really think we have put together a comprehensive look at the strike that includes not only information and interpretation about the actual strike, but also events that preceded the strike and consequences of the strike.

In this traveling exhibit, we included primary quotations from historical actors, text, historic photos, drawings, and maps to give the most well-rounded portrayal of the great complexity of the strike and the people who lived through it.

The traveling exhibit will move throughout the Copper Country and at each new exhibit installation there will be a featured speaker presenting on an aspect of the strike's history associated with the exhibit's content.

For more information on the exhibit, the exhibit opening on November 1, and the presentations take a look at the Archive's blog: http://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/2012/10/26/archives-premiers-new-exhibit-about-1913-strike/.

Terrible News at Michigan Tech's Copper Country Archive

Bad news to report on the heritage preservation front. The Copper Country Historical Collections are closed until further notice due to a fire and the resulting water damage of the zoned fire suppression system.

Full information is detailed on the Archive's blog: http://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/2012/10/27/archives-closed/

Monday, July 23, 2012

Aaron's Talk at the Tech

Ninety nine years ago today, thousands of mine workers from Michigan’s Copper Country went out on strike, paralyzing the region’s mines and inaugurating one of the era’s most important labor conflicts. The strike lasted more than 9 months and was fought between an inter-ethnic group of workers and huge corporations like Calumet and Hecla.

The Copper Country’s labor history in the years leading up to the strike was the topic of a talk entitled “Class Conflict in the Copper Country” by Aaron Goings on July 17 at Michigan Tech’s Van Pelt Library.

Goings explored the “long history” of the region’s labor movement from its early formation among members of the Knights of Labor through the organization of dozens of trade unions during the early 20th century. He also discussed the influence of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies), among the region’s workers.

The talk concluded with Goings discussing the similarities between the 1913-1914 Copper Country Strike and contemporary labor conflicts. He also highlighted the strike’s significance to Progressive Era unionists and radicals.

Around 75 people turned out to hear Goings’ presentation. The talk, as well as Goings’ visit to the Copper Country, was made possible through a travel grant from the Friends of the Van Pelt Library.

Gary Kaunonen

Gary Kaunonen did his undergrad at MSU-Mankato; then a Masters at Michigan Tech, studying Industrial History and Archaeology. Research interests: immigration, labor and social history, industrial communities, material culture of the working class, social justice, public history, and working class rhetoric. His Master’s thesis was on Finnish American labor history in Michigan. He is the author of two books published by Michigan State University Press, one of which won the 2010 Historical Society of Michigan Book Award. He also co-authored "Industrial Calumet" for the NPS, which won an award from Association of Partners for Public Lands. Before academic life, Kaunonen worked in industrial jobs in a foundry and welding shop. Recently, he's worked for Keweenaw National Historical Park, as a freelance historian, as the Archivist, Historian and Collections Development Coordinator at the Finnish American Historical Archive, and adjunct faculty at Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. Currently he is the Assistant Director of Michigan Tech's Writing Program, a Graduate Teaching Instructor, and a PhD student at Michigan Tech in the Rhetoric and Technical Communication program.

Aaron Goings

Aaron Goings is an assistant professor of history at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington, where he teaches courses on research methods and United States Social History. A longtime resident of Grays Harbor, Washington, Aaron’s interest in the Copper Country stems from his earlier studies of Finnish-American labor history in the Pacific Northwest, and the similarities between the ethnic and labor history of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. His scholarly interests include labor and the left, Pacific Northwest History, and history of the lumber industry. His dissertation "Red Harbor: Class, Violence, and Community in Grays Harbor, Washington," was completed at Simon Fraser University in 2011. He credits his interest in labor and radical history to his working-class upbringing, which included many hours on picket lines and participating in Labor Day parades. Aaron notes that in Grays Harbor people still consider it to be a major offense to cross picket lines.

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