History Hounds™ Lecture Series
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Or call (800) 692-1828.
If you enjoy “sniffing out” and exploring Michigan’s most fascinating historical facets, join us for our evening series of in-depth lectures. The Historical Society of Michigan’s History Hounds™ Lecture Series allows attendees to delve into Michigan’s history and dig up a bone or two of new appreciation to take home.
- History Hounds is FREE for members of HSM. If you are not a member but would like to become one, see our membership page.
- Nonmembers are welcome to enjoy a lecture for $7.
- An HSM member organization has the option to live-stream the lecture for free for its members.
- Lectures start at 7 p.m. at the Meijer Center for Michigan History (Home of the Historical Society of Michigan) 7435 Westshire Dr., Lansing, Michigan. The lecture and Q&As usually last about an hour.
- Registration for each History Hounds lecture closes at 3 p.m. the day BEFORE the scheduled talk. Seating is limited. Walk-ins are welcome as long as seats are still available.
- Participants can “attend” remotely, if they prefer. If you can watch and listen to a video on YouTube or Facebook, you have all the technology you need to join us remotely.*
- For in-person attendees, light refreshments will be available.
- Registration is available for the next two History Hounds.
*Instructions on how to remote-in to the workshop will be sent to attendees several days before each History Hounds program.
Wednesday,
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Remember When You Were a Kid? The Faygo Storywith Joe Grimm, Michigan State University
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This session will definitely tickle the taste buds and memories of Faygo lovers everywhere. Founded by a family of Jewish Russian Americans, Faygo weathered the booms and busts during the twentieth century and became the last company standing in Detroit’s “pop alley.” Be prepared to take a “pop” quiz too! |
Wednesday,
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Manoomin: Wild Rice in Michiganwith Barb Barton, Author
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The Anishinaabek believe it to be sacred. Loggers and industrialists considered it a hindrance. Manoomin, or wild rice, is native to Michigan, but today, it is a rare sight to be seen. In its cultivation, decimation, and subsequent revitalization, wild rice offers a fascinating story of Michigan’s natural and cultural history. |
Wednesday,
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“Out of This World” Michigan Women in Spacewith Nicolle Zellner, Albion College
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Women, too, have been a part of space exploration. In fact, 13 female pilots—two from Michigan—endured the same physical and psychological tests given to the original “Mercury 7” astronauts during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Come learn about Michigan’s female astronauts and other “out of this world” Michigan women.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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The Not So Open Road: Detroit’s Green Bookwith Jamon Jordan, Black Scroll Network, History & Tours
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After being turned away from hotels, restaurants, and gas stations during a journey, African-American postman Victor Hugo Green, along with the help of other mail carriers, created the “Green Book,” which listed U.S. businesses that welcomed African-American travelers. Come hear how Detroit’s Green Book opened the road for African Americans in Michigan.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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Idlewild: A Respite From Racismwith Morris Thomas, Michigan State University
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Established in 1912, Idlewild welcomed African Americans with no restrictions at a time when segregation was rampant. The small town eventually became one of the most popular African-American resorts in the Midwest. Join us and journey back to the decades when Idlewild offered rest, relaxation, and a respite from racism.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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Yooper Talk, Eh?with Kathryn Remlinger, Grand Valley State University
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The U.P.’s unique history and cross-section of several cultures has enabled its residents to develop their own dialect over time, providing the area with its own identity through language. Join us as we unravel what it means to talk like a “Yooper” and identify with Michigan’s one-of-a-kind region—the Upper Peninsula.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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The Birch-Bark Booklets of Simon Pokagonwith Blaire Topash-Caldwell, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
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During the late nineteenth century, Potawatomi writer and activist Simon Pokagon became a leading spokesman for the Indigenous people of southwest Michigan. Pokagon’s stories, which he published in a series of birch-bark books, refuted anti-Native prejudices and advocated for the environment and Native-American rights. Come learn about the life of this Potawatomi leader.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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Dreamers & Schemers: The Railroad Comes to Michiganwith Paul Trap, Lexington Group in Transportation History—Michigan Chapter
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Michigan’s leaders as well as dreamers and schemers struggled to overcome the challenges of finances, terrain, and politics in order to build a functional railroad network. This presentation will highlight aspects of Michigan’s railroad history prior to the Civil War, when the state floundered as it tried to adapt advanced transportation technologies.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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A Bomber an Hour: The Willow Run Plantwith Ralph Hotton, Yankee Air Museum
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During World War II, Ford Motor Company’s Willow Run bomber plant near Belleville, Michigan, turned out a B-24 Liberator every hour. Built in 1941 and designed by architect Albert Kahn, it was the world’s largest factory under one roof. Come learn how Willow Run helped turn America into the Arsenal of Democracy.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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Trailblazing Women at the State Capitolwith Valerie Marvin, State of Michigan
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By tradition, state capitols were a male-dominated realm. But, when the new Michigan capitol opened in 1879, state librarian Harriet Tenney controlled almost an entire wing. Later, female workers and legislators joined the ranks at the statehouse. Learn about these trailblazing women and the rules that both limited and inspired their successes.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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PBB: The Poisoning of Michiganwith Edward Lorenz, Alma College (Ret.)
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In 1973, workers at a St. Louis, Michigan, factory accidentally mixed a flame-retardant chemical, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), into livestock feed. Millions of affected farm animals were destroyed, but not before Michiganders had consumed PBB in contaminated milk, meat, and eggs. Join us to learn about this tragic episode in Michigan’s history.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Wednesday,
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Pedaling Beyond the Petticoats: Women Cyclists in the Gilded Agewith Roger Gilles, Grand Valley State University
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The bicycling craze of the 1890s led to a wildly popular—if brief—era of women’s professional bicycle racing. Society discouraged women from engaging in athletics, but some bucked the norms and jumped on their bikes. Learn how these speed and endurance contests helped pave the way for professional women’s sports.
Registration for this History Hounds will be available soon. |
Refunds will not be issued for cancellations less than one week before each lecture.
