The Journal

The Northeast Georgia History Center's weekly newsletter

[negahc]

December 2021

Well, friends, here we are again at the end of another year... I would say "historic" year, but aren't all years historic?  The last couple of years, however, have certainly brought forces into play that have affected us all. We've lost two board members to COVID this year, Jackie Cooley and Jack Frost, and they are dearly missed. Like everyone else we've had our struggles, but the History Center has come through stronger than ever. We finally had our held-over Taste of History honoring some amazing local women and celebrating the 19th Amendment. We've seen the return of school groups to the History Center for tours, Family Days live and in-person, and our virtual offerings have become more popular than ever. We celebrated the acquisition of the amazing photographic collection of N.C. White (and an exhibit to boot!). Our supporters and donors have made all the difference in 2021. Funding from the Ada Mae Ivester Education Endowment, the Cottrell Foundation, and the all-new Jack & Janice Frost Endowment have provided core funding to our mission.  

But there are two assets that have made this year a remarkable success. The first is the staff that I have here with me: Libba, Marie, Lesley, Diana, Ruth, CJ, and Andrews. These people know how to make all the magic happen, and the History Center would not even be here if it wasn't for all they do. The second, however, is YOU, our members, our viewers, our supporters, our fans. Without you folks who enjoy learning about history, we'd have no reason to exist; but because you ARE here, and because you believe in what we do, 2021 has proved to be our best year ever... and, it seems, the best is yet to come!

Happy Holidays!

Glen Kyle, Executive Director

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of December! Every second Wednesday of the month we host free livestream program for the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Click here to view our entire December lineup.

Second Annual Telethon: We are so excited for our Second Annual 24 Hour Telethon starting on Friday, December 3rd! This virtual fundraiser will showcase 24 hours of fascinating history programs plus raffles, donation rewards, trivia, and more all to raise $3,000 for the History Center. View our announcement video at this link.

The entire schedule of programs is available at the link below. https://bit.ly/telprogram21

Ron Stowe gave a great presentation on his experiences as a pilot for Delta Airlines, as well as sharing some company history.  As the south's oldest and most prestigious airline, Delta has played a huge role in Georgia business and transportation history, and it was fantastic having an "inside view" from someone who was with the company for over 40 years!

There will be no forum in December, but be on the lookout soon for our 2022 Forum lineup!

The November Family Day about the Great War such a success! It was our first regularly scheduled onsite Family Day since November of 2020. Can you believe it? But after a year away, and even on a chilly day, we had one of the most well attended Family Days in years. Throughout the day, 85 people came to learn about the Great War through our interpretive programs and crafts. We hope you all had a great time and we can’t wait to see you in December!

The classic Christmas tale by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, is beloved by many today just as it was when it was published in 1843. In fact, the celebration of Christmas as we know it today truly took shape in the 1840's in England, as that is also when the Royal Family put up the first Christmas Tree in Buckingham palace. Many of our treasured holiday traditions stem from the early Victorian Era.

Come learn about these traditions and their origins during our free Family Day at the Northeast Georgia History Center on December 12th from 1-5pm.

In the month of November, the History Center was happy to welcome NINE tour groups through our doors. Some of the highlights were when a Girl Scout troop met Juliette Gordon Low in person, an AP Human Geography class from Gainesville High School toured our Land of Promise Galleries, and Fideles Christian School participated in our 18th century life tour, where they had a blacksmithing demonstration and played games from the time period.

If you would like to schedule a school tour with us, visit https://www.negahc.org/onsite

Dr. Gillespie has been at the University of North Georgia for a while. She has established a reputation as not only a great scholar and teacher, but someone who can find lesser-known narratives from our past and make them live again.  Her most recent book, which was highlighted in a 'virtual launch' with the History Center, continues that tradition.  The Citizenship Education Program and Black Women's Political Culture tells the story of thousands of women who worked together to overcome Jim Crow laws and ensure the right to vote to tens of thousands of African Americans across the country.

The virtual book launch on November 16th was a wonderful live event, but can be viewed NOW at this link. We invite you to watch, to learn about these incredible women, and join us in wishing Dr. Gillespie a heartfelt congratulations for her most recent accomplishment!

This November we had webcasts and livestreams with our newest historic characters! Students met Sacagawea of the Lewis & Clark Expedition as well as Mary Musgrove, the official translator of the Georgia Colony under James Oglethorpe. Sacagawea and Mary Musgrove are portrayed by Nicole Castoreno, who is a member of an Apache tribe herself. Teachers and students also met Lewis & Clark! Portraying Merriwether Lewis is Kevin Moxely, who also portrays our Revolutionary War Soldier. Digital Members met President Abraham Lincoln portrayed by Robert Peale during our November 5th livestream and learned about his early life growing up and as a senator. 

Our latest historic character addition is Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War General who defected to the British. Arnold is portrayed by seasoned living history interpreter Richard Burke. We are thrilled to have such talented and enthusiastic professional actors on our team of interpreters!

We want to thank everyone who came to the “Books and Bites” event for best-selling author, Karen White. The event was a wonderful success with a great author, presentation, audience, and lunch.

Karen White has written over 25 novels including the Tradd Street series, The Sound of Glass, The Night the Lights Went Out, Along Time Gone, The Last Night in London, and Flight Patterns to name a few.

Congratulations to Karen and her new book!

And a special thank you to our sponsor Lanier Law Group, LLC, for helping make the event such a success.

We are extending our November raffle to December 4th so it can be included in our Second Annual Telethon! You'll have a chance to win a hardcover copy of Remnants of America's Southeast Aboriginals which explores ancient Native American cultures through detailed photography and illustrations. 

The winner will be announced at the conclusion of our telethon on Saturday, December 4th. Instructions on how to enter the raffle will be displayed during the telethon.

In our latest episode of our podcast Then Again: Six Wives, Bloody Mary, Queen Elizabeth... all part of English history, and tied closely to the Reformation. But how, exactly? Dr. Johanna Luthman takes us into the world of Tudor England and shows how religion, politics, and personal desires combined to create one of the most (in)famous periods in the British past.

Know someone you think we should interview? Email us at [email protected]!

Listen now at thenagainpodcast.com!

The N.C. White exhibit is now open to the public! We love hearing the stories of visitors who come in to see if they recognize a familiar face. We have over 80 photographs of people from Northeast Georgia that need to be identified within the exhibit. Stop by the History Center today and see if you can help us learn more about these men and women!

The museum shop is open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our shop at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

November 2021

Take two!  Join us on November 9 at 7 pm in the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center as retired pilot (and History Center Board Member!) Ron Stowe presents "We Loved to Fly and it Showed: A History of Delta Air Lines." Who better than someone who spent their entire career to share with us the history, culture, and achievements of the South's greatest airline?  

Admission is $3, or FREE for members!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 [phone]

Our Director of the Cottrell Digital Studio Libba Beaucham has been with the History Center for four years now! You may know Libba as the host of our LoFi History livestream, the voice behind our livestream Q&A and in the chat, and as the historic characters she portrays for schools. Libba joined the History Center with a unique set of skills: a degree in theater, scriptwriting experience, photography and videography, and previous museum experience as the Director of Communications at the National Civil War Naval Museum. She also had experience working at a children's literacy program in New Haven, Connecticut which led to the creation of our own children's reading program here at the History Center called Gainesville Reads. Here's Libba herself speaking on her work here at the History Center: "In the four years that I have been here, I have seen tremendous growth in our outreach to students, teachers, families both online and in-person. I'm especially proud of our team for offering livestream programs during the pandemic when people needed connection and engagement through a difficult and isolating time. Everything we do here at the History Center is fueled by our love of learning about and understanding the past, and I feel fortunate to work with such a great team of staff members, board members, volunteers, and interns that go above and beyond to provide great programs to the public."

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of November! Every second Wednesday of the month we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Click here to view our entire November lineup.

World War I, also known as “The Great War,” began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. It was a war unlike anyone had seen before. Modern advances and new military technologies combined with the centuries old trench warfare led people to believe that this was the "war to end all wars," and no one was untouched by its wrath. Come learn what life was like for those fighting in and living through this event at the Northeast Georgia History Center on Sunday, November 14th from 1-5pm.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we debuted our new mobile Spanish Language Exhibit Guide! We were thrilled to have a group of 20+ students from Panama visit the exhibit and use our new guide. Practice your Spanish skills and learn about our region’s rich history at www.negahc.org/espanol

Our Homeschool Connection World History students have been having a blast learning about the past every Tuesday afternoon. So far, we have learned about ancient history and made the transition to the Middle Ages at the end of October. A highlight from the past month is when we had our first time travel mission back to Ancient Rome where we discovered Glen had joined the Legions of Julius Caesar during the time of the Frist Triumvirate. In November we will be learning about The Rise of Islam, The Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Empires, Medieval Japan, and Europe during the Middle Ages.

On Friday, October 29th we premiered a dramatization of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, abridged, as well as an interview with Dr. Jill Galvan who specializes in Victorian Gothic Literature. Anyone can now watch the short film on our YouTube channel at the link below. This psychological thriller from 1892 was in large part a response to the now debunked "rest theory" of the 1800s and early 1900s which would force women with mental health problems such as post-partum depression into isolation with nothing to stimulate their mind. In this short story, a young woman is forced to undergo this treatment by her physician husband and secretly writes in a diary about the visions she begins to have as she stares at the yellow wallpaper surrounding her.

The narration of our short film was recorded by professional voiceover actress Melissa Manning. Portraying the wife, Jane, is our Director of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center Marie Walker. Portraying the physician husband is Steven Bartlett who has been a living history interpreter with us this past year (and just happens to be Marie's fiancée!) The film was shot and edited by our Director of the Cottrell Digital Studio Libba Beaucham.

Watch now on our YouTube channel: The Yellow Wallpaper

Enjoy an hour with author Karen White as she returns to the house on Tradd Street for one last time in her seventh and final book in the series. Set in Charleston, South Carolina, this series has been a delightful blend of old houses, quirky family members and, yes, ghosts!

Karen White has written over 25 novels including the Tradd Street series, The Sound of Glass, The Night the Lights Went Out, Along Time Gone, The Last Night in London, and Flight Patterns to name a few.

This is a free event. So come have a bite to eat, something to drink, and enjoy an hour with author Karen White at the History Center. RSVP: 770-297-5900

Congratulations to our October raffle winner, Cheryl Vandiver! You will receive a copy of Haunted North Georgia. Thank you to everyone who entered the raffle and helped us raise donations to support the History Center.

Our November raffle celebrates Native American Heritage Month. Explore the fascinating history of early Paleo and Mississippian cultures in Remnants of America’s Southeastern Aboriginals by Maury E. Miller III. Raffle entries are $5. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

Enter the November raffle at bit.ly/nov21goal

In our latest podcast episode, Dr. Esther Morgan-Ellis joins us to explore the ways in which music has played and continues to play an essential role in Appalachian culture and history. The origins of traditional Appalachian instruments, the varied forms of song and dance, and the popular tunes that have lasted through the years will be discussed in this episode.

Know someone you think we should interview? Email us at [email protected]!

Listen now at thenagainpodcast.com!

Our free children's reading program, Gainesville Reads, has had much to celebrate! Our students are showing great progress in strengthening their reading and critical thinking skills. We wanted to share one parent's comments on how this program has helped her child, James, who has been a joy to work with in our program.

James joined Gainesville Reads in 2020 through our virtual program when he was reading below grade level. He, like many students, showed an eagerness to learn but needed support to reach his appropriate reading level. During our virtual program, students read stories together with our virtual tutor Mr. Matt and then play an "Adventure Game" in which they create their own story and learn new vocabulary words. Students are also provided access to a great literacy computer program called Lexia that they play at home.

James has been one of our "Lexia Champions" and has progressed through many skills! We were thrilled to learn that James just received his progress report for this school year and is he now reading at grade level! His mother told us, "We are so excited to see that he has made a complete 180 from last year and is now reading on his grade level.  I honestly don’t think we would be at this point without the help of your program.  He truly looks forward to Tuesday evenings with Mr. Matt and his group.  This is a phenomenal program and we just can’t thank you all enough for hosting this."

We can't wait to share more of our student success stories with you in the months to come!

Become a Volunteer Tutor at www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads

The N.C. White exhibit is now open to the public! We love hearing the stories of visitors who come in to see if they recognize a familiar face. We have over 80 photographs of people from Northeast Georgia that need to be identified within the exhibit. Stop by the History Center today and see if you can help us learn more about these men and women!

The museum shop is open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our shop at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

October 2021

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of October! Every second Wednesday of the month we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Click here to view our entire October lineup.

We're excited to announce our new livestream schedule and format! We are now producing one free livestream for the public on the second Wednesday of every month at 2 PM ET. Our Members-Only programs will continue every Friday at 2 PM ET, but Members can look forward to special guests and interviews with topic experts during this season of programming. We will also host our fun "LoFi History" livestream on the first Tuesday of every month at 4:30 PM ET. Check out the entire schedule at www.negahc.org/events.

Our website has received a makeover! We've grown quite a lot since our last website update, and our new website reflects that growth. We now have a Members Portal, Homeschool Connection Portal, easy-to-access event details, and much more. Please click around and let us know what you think! Our website address is still the same: www.negahc.org.

Our Homeschool Connection program is off to a great start. This year, we have a World History Course with over 22 students enrolled! We began by learning about pre-historic time and have been moving right along in our curriculum. Last month the students learned about early civilizations in Mesopotamia such as Sumaria, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient China. We also debuted our new Homeschool Connection Portal as part of the new History Center website. Homeschool Connection students can now log on to a portal designed just for them and download worksheets, vocabulary lists, and Kahoot quizzes. They can also go back and view past lessons at any time.

Enjoy an hour with author Karen White as she returns to the house on Tradd Street for one last time in her seventh and final book in the series. Set in Charleston, South Carolina, this series has been a delightful blend of old houses, quirky family members and, yes, ghosts!

Karen White has written over 25 novels including the Tradd Street series, The Sound of Glass, The Night the Lights Went Out, Along Time Gone, The Last Night in London, and Flight Patterns to name a few.

This is a free event. So come have a bite to eat, something to drink, and enjoy an hour with author Karen White at the History Center. RSVP: 770-297-5900

And the winner of our September raffle is...Julie! Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who helped us exceed our monthly donation goal and reach $300: Counte Cooley, Kathleen Mccook, Amy Beaucham, Eric Falls, and Anonymous Donors.

This month we are raffling off a copy of Haunted North Georgia which explores the many spooky tales of ghosts and hauntings in the North Georgia region. 

Enter the October raffle at bit.ly/oct21goal

Preston Burt from Southern Fried Gaming Expo and the Wayback Attack podcast joins Glen in exploring the history of pinball. This nostalgic arcade game goes back arguably hundreds of years, but most of us are familiar with the digital age of pinball with themed games like The Addams Family, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars. Learn all about pinball and its rise to fame in popular culture during this episode!

Know someone you think we should interview? Email us at [email protected]!

Listen to previous episodes at thenagainpodcast.com!

Gainesville Reads, our free children's reading program, continues to bring the joy of reading and learning to the History Center with each of our wonderful students and tutors! Students are already showing progress, and recently, we had several celebrations. Kayden, Bailee, and Manny were proud to announce they have completed a level in our literacy game Lexia! Completing an entire level requires proficiency tests in 6-10 skills such as metaphor, Greek and Latin prefixes, vowel combination words, passage comprehension and more. Great work, students!

We are still in need of volunteer tutors. Being a volunteer means spending just one hour per week to help an elementary grade student become a confident reader. Our kids are waiting for you! Learn more at www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads

We had a great time celebrating the launch of Dr. Ben Wynne’s latest book, Something in the Water: A History of Music in Macon, Georgia, 1823-1980. We learned about the Pickens Sisters, Cher and Greg Allman’s life in Georgia, and set some of the record straight about the legendary Little Richard. Dr. Wynne is a frequent guest here at the History Center, and it is always a pleasure to have him visit.  Click here for more information about Something in the Water.

If you would like to watch the livestream, visit our YouTube channel.

Brought to you by the Cottrell Digital Studio at the Northeast Georgia History Center.

We're so glad to hop in our time machine with students again! So far, students have met General James Oglethorpe, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Sacagawea. We have also added more characters this year including abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth, President George Washington, and more!

Webcasts are FREE to all Georgia educators and homeschool groups. More info at www.negahc.org/digital

The N.C. White exhibit is now open to the public! We love hearing the stories of visitors who come in to see if they recognize a familiar face. We have over 80 photographs of people from Northeast Georgia that need to be identified within the exhibit. Stop by the History Center today and see if you can help us learn more about these men and women!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 [phone]

The museum shop is open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our shop at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

Steve Gurr................Katherine and Donald Fuller

Brian H. Gracey........Margaret M. Hunter

Beth Steed...............Cathy Herdener

Scott Begnaud.........Cathy Herdener

[negahc]

September 2021

Another Chautauqua in the books!

With the premiere of a remarkable video highlighting the life of Emmet Ethridge Butler, the 2021 Season of the New Gainesville Chautauqua came to a close. Despite having skipped the 2020 season due to COVID, and with a looming resurgence on the horizon, good crowds were very pleased with one of the History Center's most unique and popular live programs. 

This year's theme, "Healthcare Heroes," highlighted figures of local and national prominence; in addition to Dr. E.E. Butler (portrayed by Mustapha Slack), visitors were able to meet Dr. Mary Walker and Dr. Crawford Long (portrayed respectively by Sue McCranie and Andy Garrison).  

We also owe a debt of gratitude to Erin Buckalew, Realtor, who made this year's program possible with her generous sponsorship!

So, while it's a long year to wait, let's hope that next summer we'll be able to gather together again for another great season of the New Gainesville Chautauqua!  Stay tuned for details....

We're excited to announce our new livestream schedule and format! We are now producing one free livestream for the public on the second Wednesday of every month at 2 PM ET. Our Members only programs will continue every Friday at 2 PM ET, but Members can look forward to special guests and interviews with topic experts during this season of programming. We will also host our fun "LoFi History" livestream on the first Tuesday of every month at 4:30 PM ET. 

Check out the entire schedule at www.negahc.org/events

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of September! Every second Wednesday of the month we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Click here to view our entire September lineup.

Our website has received a makeover! We've grown quite a lot since our last website update, and our new website reflects that growth. We now have a Members Portal, Homeschool Connection Portal, easy-to-access event details, and much more. Please click around and let us know what you think! Our website address is still the same: www.negahc.org.

We had a fantastic time celebrating Family Day and learning about the Olympics, ancient and modern. We had many activities including an ancient Greek Dance Lesson, a tour of our special exhibit on the 1996 Olympics, and a craft where guests could make their very own Olympic torch. We were also very excited to have Gainesville Gymnastics visit and show us some tumbling moves. 

The Olympics have always been a time for people to come together and compete, and we were so happy to have visitors back onsite for this event!

We’ve had a great start to the school year at Gainesville Reads despite the challenges of COVID. Though masks are on at all times, we can still see the smiling eyes of our students and the excitement they express when they achieve a new goal or learn a new skill.

We are still in need of tutors for this program. Our waiting list is growing. These kids deserve support and mentorship after such a challenging time in their young lives. 

If you are available for one hour per week to tutor a child, please visit www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads for details.

The Northeast Georgia History Center will be hosting a World History Course as apart of the Homeschool Connection Program this year. 

Homeschool Connection provides live weekly history lessons and additional recourse materials for students in grades 3-8 via Zoom from September 2021-May 2022. Our World History Course will start with the Stone Age and end at the present day. We held our student orientation and social on August 31st and had a great time. As of right now we have sixteen families signed up for this course, and we are looking forward to a year full of learning and time traveling adventures!

The winner of our August raffle is...Eric Falls! Congratulations, Eric! You will receive an 8x10 print photograph from our N.C. White Studio Collection. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our goal!

This month we are raffling a great prize for young ones (or those who are young at heart!) Every $5 you donate enters you into the September raffle for your chance to win an All-American Sampler beginner's cross stitch pack, a Colonial style handkerchief doll, and a stuffy of our mascot Franklin D. Roostervelt.

Enter the September raffle at bit.ly/sept21goal

Our podcast, Then Again, is returning on Friday, September 3rd after a brief hiatus. Our next episode will explore the history and technique of quilting. Artist and quilter Sarah Atlee discusses her work and methods with Marie during this fascinating conversation about a medium of expression and preservation that continues in new ways to this day.

The quilt pictured above is by Sarah Atlee! View more Sarah Atlee’s work at https://www.sarahatlee.com/

Know someone you think we should interview? Email us at [email protected]!

Listen to previous episodes at thenagainpodcast.com!

The N.C. White exhibit is now open to the public! We love hearing the stories of visitors who come in to see if they recognize a familiar face. We have over 80 photographs of people from Northeast Georgia that need to be identified within the exhibit. Stop by the History Center today and see if you can help us learn more about these men and women!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 [phone]

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

August 2021

The Fadeless Photographer: The N.C. White Studio Collection, is now open at the History Center. Learn about Nathan Carrel White and his son Nathan Carrel White, Jr., pose for a photo in our N.C. White replica studio, and see photographs taken of Northeast Georgians from the 1900s-1940s. Maybe you will recognize someone you know!

On July 23rd, we held a private opening for members only. We had a great crowd and received rave reviews from our members! We want to thank each and every donor, board member, intern, and staff for making this exhibit come to life. We hope you enjoy the collection as much as we do!

N.C. White Donors

Don & Dot Pirkle

Ann Alexander, Rick Benton, Dr. Pat Burd, Carole Ann Daniel, First Financial Services, Linda Fowler, Cathy Herdener, Martha Jacobs, Lawson Air Conditioning and Plumbing, Sissy Lawson, Memorial Park Funeral Homes, Fletcher Miller, Betty Norton, Kathy Kirkpatrick Oates, Jim Ostervold, Lydia Sartain, Ann Skleder, Beckie Smith, Brian Steines, and Cheryl Vandiver.

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of August! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Click here to view our entire August lineup.

The Northeast Georgia History Center is pleased to announce the success of the second Chautauqua program for the 2021 summer season. Our theme for this year is Healthcare Heroes, and on July 13th we heard from Dr. Mary Walker. Mary Edwards Walker, M.D., commonly referred to as Dr. Mary Walker, was an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, a prisoner of war, and a surgeon. To date, she is the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Dr. Walker was wonderfully portrayed by Susan McCranie who frequently interprets for History Center events.

Our third and final Chautauqua program will take place on Tuesday, August 10th from 7pm-8pm, with the live screening of the Cottrell Digital Studio Production: The Life of Dr. E.E. Butler, portrayed by Mustapha Slack. If you live in Gainesville, Georgia, you might be familiar with E.E. Butler Parkway as the main road that welcomes you into the city. The road was named after Emmett Ethridge Butler, the first black physician to receive privileges to practice medicine in Hall County. Come join us on August 10th at 7pm to learn about the man and his legacy.

This performance will be a film premiere and conclude with a live Q&A between historian Glen Kyle and the audience. E.E. Butler will be portrayed by Mustapha Slack with a brief dance performance by Kat Nagar.

Tickets are $5 each for non-members at the door by cash or card and FREE for History Center members!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501

Sponsored by Erin Buckalew, REALTOR

Virtual summer camps at the Northeast Georgia History Center have come to a close for the season. We hosted 3 different week long camps for our Young Historians. Our first camp was Colonial & Revolutionary America, our second camp was World War I, and our third camp was World War II. 

In total, 42 campers from all over the country attended this year. The campers really enjoyed making period crafts, “time traveling” to meet historical figures, and making period recipes!

You all helped us exceed our July donation goal! Thank you to everyone who donated. We reached $300 this month! We are also excited to announce our raffle winner who will receive a WWI "Red Baron" model airplane. The winner is...Rosann Kent! Congratulations, Rosann!

This month, we are raffling off an 8x10 print from our N.C. White photography collection. This is a photograph that was produced from one of the glass negatives in the collection that spans the 1900s-1940s. You'll have your choice of print from the photographs above.

Enter our August raffle at bit.ly/august21goal

We now have over 80 episodes of our podcast Then Again! We're taking a podcast break to record even more great episodes with new guests, so we hope you'll go back and enjoy our past episodes in the meantime. Know someone you think we should interview? Email us at [email protected]!

Listen to previous episodes at thenagainpodcast.com!

Beatrix Washell is our summer Historic Photography Intern! She's been taking beautiful photos of locations in Northeast Georgia with historic significance. Here's more about Beatrix and a few of her latest photos! Beatrix Washell is a senior at the University of North Georgia. She is currently working on her BFA in studio arts and minoring in psychology. While her primary focus is in photography, she enjoys working with a variety of art mediums such as printmaking, ceramics, drawing, etc. She and her family currently reside in Cleveland, Georgia.

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

July 2021

An Event Eighteen months in the making!

On June 24, the History Center celebrated the centennial of the 19th Amendment and honored six remarkable women who have shaped our community with their talents, wisdom, and perseverance. Despite the need to postpone and re-imagine the History Center’s annual fundraiser due to COVID, the event was remarkably successful in many ways!

First, it was an opportunity for History Center friends and supporters to spend time and dine together… something we’ve all been looking forward to! Second, it was an opportunity to preserve and share some important history of our region. And third, the event raised over $100,000 to support the History Center, with an additional $18,500 to purchase and preserve the important N.C. White Photography Collection!

Our six honorees were: Healthcare, Ocie Pope & Carol Burrell; Community, Helen Dortch Longstreet & Martha Martin; Education, Beulah Rucker & Martha Nesbitt. To view the video premiered at the Taste of History, please click here. Please enjoy just a few photos of the great times and great event that was the 2021 Taste of History!

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of July! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire July lineup at www.negahc.org/events

The Northeast Georgia History Center is pleased to announce the success of the first Chautauqua program for the 2021 summer season. Our theme for this year is Healthcare Heroes, and on June 8th we heard from Dr. Crawford Long of Jefferson, GA. Dr. Long was an American surgeon and pharmacist best known for being the first to use ether as a surgical anesthetic. Dr. Long was wonderfully portrayed by Andy Garrison who frequent interprets Dr. Long for the Crawford Long Museum.

Our second Chautauqua program will take place on Tuesday, July 13th from 7pm-8pm. We will be hearing from Dr. Mary Walker. Mary Edwards Walker, M.D., commonly referred to as Dr. Mary Walker, was an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, a prisoner of war, and a surgeon. To date, she is the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor.

Dr. Mary Walker will be portrayed by Susan McCranie with a brief musical performance by Glen Kyle and David French.

Tickets are $5 each for non-members at the door by cash or card and FREE for History Center members!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501

Sponsored by Erin Buckalew, REALTOR

Summer camps at the Northeast Georgia History Center are in full swing! We are hosting our Young Historian Summer Camps virtually again this year, with campers from Maine to Georgia, and Pennsylvania to Texas! These live virtual camps are designed for 2nd-6th grade and include interactive lessons, historic character portrayals, hands-on activities, period recipes, and more. 

Based on audience recommendations, we have three subjects for camp this year, each taking place over five days. Our first two camps have already taken place and covered Colonial & Revolutionary America and World War I. The third camp (which you can still sign up for!) will cover World War II.

Our campers have really enjoyed making period crafts and “time traveling” to meet historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin, an American doughboy, and a Suffragist!

It’s not too late to register for World War II camp! Registration will close on July 12th, so get signed up now…for more information, visit negahc.org/summer21

Congratulations to this month's raffle winner, Cindy Randolph! Cindy won a copy of Travels with Foxfire by Phil Hudgins which explores the culture of Southern Appalachia. A big thank you to everyone who helped us exceed this month's donation goal. We raised $230!

This month we are raffling off a "Red Baron" World War I airplane model. During our recent World War I virtual camp, we learned about the Red Baron and "dogfights" between pilots. Manfred von Richthofen, a German fighter pilot known as the "Red Baron," was the deadliest flying ace of World War I. He became known for his scarlet-colored airplanes and ruthless flying style. 

Help us reach this month's donation goal by entering our raffle to win this fun and easy-to-assemble model airplane at bit.ly/july21goal

As we plan for our upcoming Fall livestream programs, we'd love to get your feedback and ideas! Please take this brief survey to tell us what you'd like to see this Fall from the History Center's digital programs. Thanks in advance! 

Take the survey: https://bit.ly/negahcfall21

We're so excited for our free reading program, Gainesville Reads, to come back in this August! Gainesville Reads provides free one-on-one tutoring to elementary grade students in the Hall County area who struggle with reading.

Registration is open for students, and we are accepting applications for volunteer tutors. Details are available at www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads

In our latest episode of Then Again, Glen and Marie explore the ways in which food can teach us about history. They discuss the different ways to interpret historical food and food preparation and their experiences teaching audiences through cooking demonstrations.

Listen now at thenagainpodcast.com!

An exhibit featuring the N.C. White Studio Collection will be opening July 24th! This collection was obtained by chance by Bill Riley, a photographic historian saved thousands of White’s nitrate and glass plate negatives. For decades on the Gainesville square, N.C. White was a portrait photographer taking family photos, soldiers before being sent to war, as well as local historical events in Gainesville. This collection is a unique and remarkable survivor that allows us to see the people and faces of thousands of northeast Georgians from the past, some from over a century ago! New images from the collection will be displayed every few months, enabling us to spotlight and share as many images as possible.  Could some of these images reveal YOUR ancestors? Come by to find out!

I'm Abby Ramsey and I am an Art Marketing major at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. I am a marketing and archives intern working on the N.C. White and Son photography collection and upcoming exhibition. Outside of my position, I love to pursue my own photography and arts. I would love to be a gallerist and my ultimate dream is to own my own art gallery or museum!

Hi, my name is Tommy White and I am an intern working in Archives and Collections for The Northeast Georgia History Center! I am currently enrolled at the University of North Georgia with a major in History and a minor in Art. I enjoy researching and studying many aspects of history, such as the observation of older artifacts, and I always love to allow for my imagination to be visually displaying through drawing.  

My name is Katelyn Leffler and I am an Archives and Collections intern. I am a student at Purdue University working towards a bachelor’s degree in history. When I finish my bachelors I will be going into the graduate program, and I plan to pursue archival work.

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

June 2021

They are our mothers, our sisters, our daughters… but they were not allowed to vote until August 18, 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified. Through timeless struggles, rigorous challenges, and numerous obstacles the women of America have made their mark on history. To celebrate, the History Center is not only recognizing enfranchisement of women throughout the nation, but the achievements of local women from our past AND our present.

On Thursday, June 24th, 2021 as we pay tribute to six remarkable women who have made their mark on our community through leadership, service, and dedication to the improvement of all our lives.

Ocie Pope, a pioneer in the establishment of the nursing profession in northeast Georgia, and Carol Burrell, CEO of Northeast Georgia Health Systems will represent women in the medical profession. Beulah Rucker, famed African-American educator and Martha Nesbitt, longest-serving President of Gainesville State College, will represent women who have done so much to ensure access to an education for everyone. Helen Dortch Longstreet, a Brenau graduate, author, and lifetime activist and Martha Martin, a successful businesswoman and community volunteer will represent how women can not only improve their communities but succeed in roles that were previously considered to be “for men only.”

Individual tickets may be available on a very limited basis; please call the History Center at [phone] to have your name added to the waiting list.

The Northeast Georgia History Center is pleased to announce the return of its summer Chautauqua series. For our 2021 season we will be honoring our Healthcare Heroes past and present.

For our June presentation we will be meeting Georgia’s own Crawford Long. Long is most well known for being the first to use inhaled sulfuric ether as an anesthetic, changing the medical practice of surgery forever. He was a country doctor and pharmacist who spent his career working in Northeast Georgia. During his lifetime there was controversy over his discovery, but in 1879, the National Eclectic Medical Association declared that Long was the official discoverer of anesthesia. Today, "Doctors Day" is celebrated on March 30 every year to commemorate Long's contributions to medicine and a hospital in Atlanta is named after him.

Crawford Long will be portrayed by Andy Garrison, and Dr. Morgan-Ellis will be our musical guest.

Tickets are $5 each for non-members and FREE for History Center members!

The Northeast Georgia History Center 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501

Sponsored by Erin Buckalew, REALTOR

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of June! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire June lineup at www.negahc.org/events

We are thrilled to update you on the progress of the Cottrell Digital Studio's Webcast offerings. Since 2017 when the Cottrell Digital Studio began offering free, live Webcasts, we have served over 10,000 students! This year we have already surpassed the number of Webcasts provided to teachers and students across Georgia and we are on track to double our reach compared to 2020. 

If you are a teacher or homeschool educator in Georgia, we suggest booking your free Webcast as soon as possible! Visit www.negahc.org/digital-programs for details.

We are thrilled to say that we reached our May Donation Goal! Congratulations to Davy Hale, our May raffle winner who will receive a copy of Southern Food & Civil Rights by Frederick Opie. 

Thank you to everyone who helped us reach our May Donation Goal. Your support makes it possible for us to reach thousands of folks with entertaining and engaging history programs.

Our June donation goal is $200. We'll be raffling off a copy of Travels with Foxfire: Stories of People, Passions, and Practices from Southern Appalachia by Phil Hudgins and Jessica Phillips. In Travels with Foxfire, native son Phil Hudgins and Foxfire student Jessica Phillips travel from Georgia to the Carolinas, Tennessee to Kentucky, collecting the stories of the men and women who call the region home.

Enter June Raffle

Every $5 you donate enters you into the raffle. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win! Winner will be announced on July 1st.

This summer we are offering three virtual camps are designed for 2nd-6th grade! These camps include live, interactive lessons, historic character portrayals, hands-on activities, period recipes, and more.

Our first virtual camp is Colonial & Revolutionary America and takes place June 14th - 18th with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration is Closed.

Our second camp is World War I and takes place June 28th - July 2nd with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration is now open: Register Now

Our final camp is World War II and takes place July 20th - July 23rd with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration is now open: Register Now

Tuition is $85. If you are registering a sibling(s), each additional sibling will be 50% off!

If you are a Northeast Georgia History Center Member, you will receive an additional 20% off the total registration price. Become a Member for as little as $5/month or $45/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Our free reading program, Gainesville Reads, celebrated our student’s last week for their great progress over the last semester in our virtual sessions. All of our students made progress in their reading skills and some went above and beyond to earn the designation as a Lexia Champion! Lexia is a science-based online literacy program that gamifies learning and offers data on each student's progress. Congratulations to our Lexia Champions and to our great group of readers for their hard work, creativity, and collaboration this semester.

We are so excited to have Gainesville Reads back at the History Center for one-on-one tutoring. We are seeking volunteer Tutors for this Fall. Tutoring sessions will be held on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4:30-5:30 PM beginning August 11-13th, 2021. For details on this program and our tutor application, visit: Gainesville Reads 2021

In our latest episode of Then Again, long-time museum friend and former team member David French joins us to discuss the creation of his original history-themed board games and how games can be used as an educational tool. 

Listen now at www.thenagainpodcast.com!

Work on the N.C. White Collection has been moving along quite well!

Lesley and her group of interns were working through the nitrate negatives throughout the month of May in hopes of identifying some of the people N.C. White had photographed. The archives at Brenau University was kind enough to loan us some of their yearbooks and we have successfully been able to name many students from the 1920s! We have thousands more to look through, but we hope to identify even more people from North Georgia soon.

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We currently have over 70 items in our online store with many more to come soon.

We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

[negahc]

May 2021

Summer Chautauqua is BACK!

After a hiatus for 2020, we are VERY pleased to announce that the New Gainesville Chautauqua is returning to the History Center!  Given the events of the past year, it has become very clear that some of the most unsung heroes in our society are those who provide care for the ailing.  To that end, we present the theme of this year’s Chautauqua: Healthcare Heroes!

On June 8 you will meet Dr. Crawford Long, a Northeast Georgia native who was the first to use ether as an anesthetic, an advanced that literally changed the course of medicine and surgery… for the better!

On July 13 we’ll come face to face with the only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor, Dr. Mary Walker.  An abolitionist before the Civil War and suffragist after, she served in the Union Army as a surgeon during the course of the war, the only woman to do so.

Finally, on August 10 we will be joined by none other than Dr. E.E. Butler, a famous local physician who, in addition to providing health care to Gainesville’s African American community, was a civic leader and education proponent for all.

Programs start at 7 pm on each date, and doors open at 6:30 pm.  Seating is in our outdoor amphitheater on a first-come, first-serve basis; we recommend cushions, stadium seats, and water! In case of inclement weather, we will move the performances indoors. Admission is $5 per person, or FREE to our members!  If you are not already a member and want to become one, please click on THIS link to find out more.  

We can’t wait to see you at our first big, live event in over a year!

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of May! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire May lineup at www.negahc.org/events

Summer Slowdown - May-August

From May - August is our "Summer Slowdown" when we broadcast Wednesday re-runs of our favorite livestream programs and all new pre-recorded Member programs every Friday. This allows us to focus on our Virtual Summer Camps, Summer Chautauqua Series, producing new Webisodes, and planning our Fall lineup of new livestream programs! 

Check out our Summer Slowdown video at this link for a good laugh: Summer Slowdown

Young Historians Virtual Summer Camp: Colonial & Revolutionary America

The Northeast Georgia History Center is excited to announce its series of Young Historians Virtual Summer Camps! These virtual camps are designed for 2nd-6th grade and include live, interactive lessons, historic character portrayals, hands-on activities, period recipes, and more.

Our first virtual camp is Colonial & Revolutionary America and takes place June 14th - 18th with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration is now open: Register Now

Our second camp is World War I and takes place June 28th - July 2nd with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration will be open soon.

Our final camp is World War II and takes place July 20th - July 23rd with activities from 10 AM ET - 1 PM ET. Registration will be open soon.

Tuition is $85. If you are registering a sibling(s), each additional sibling will be 50% off!

If you are a Northeast Georgia History Center Member, you will receive an additional 20% off the total registration price. Become a Member for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member.

Deadline to Register is May 31st, 2021. All materials for at-home activities will be shipped to you beforehand.

The Northeast Georgia History Center's Virtual Family Day, Music in the Mountains, was an amazing presentation to end our 2020-2021 Family Day Programs. Our guests musicians Patrick Barry and Damaris Drewery and our guest musician and historian, Dr. Morgan-Ellis, brought a unique perspective and sound from the Appalachian mountains. We had many viewers watching live with us from around the globe and here in Appalachia. The program has now been viewed almost 700 times!

Watch the livestream in its entirety at our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md9aU8HoZsQ

Happy anniversary to two of our amazing staff members! Marie Walker, the Director of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center, has been with us for 1 year. Lesley Jones, Museum Services Manager, has been with us for 3 years.

I am celebrating one full year of being the Director of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center. The past year of working for this incredible organization has been a dream come true, in what itself has been a very historic time. I'm very proud of all the virtual programming that we were able to accomplish to continue our mission of being our community's pathway to history education. I've also watched in amazement as our community has grown to include not just a local, but a national and international audience through the power of the internet. Every day I am blessed to be able to go to work and do what I love, all while wearing some pretty cool historical costumes along the way.

I have been an intern, volunteer, part-time staff, and now full-time staff member here at the History Center. Glen has been an incredible mentor and, with his guidance, I found my passion for museum archives and collections. Using the skills Glen has taught me, I created an exhibit for the anniversary of Apollo 11, the 19th Amendment, and am currently working on another to be debuting in July. I feel so lucky to be a part of the History Center and work with such wonderful people every day! 

How did tea become such a popular and culturally significant beverage over the centuries? In this episode of Then Again, Amanda Vermillion, a.k.a. The Tea Mistress, takes us on the journey of tea from the process of producing it to tea ceremonies and more.

Listen Now at www.thenagainpodcast.com

Our Gainesville Reads virtual program got poetic this month for National Poetry Month! Throughout the month of April, we have read poems by Shel Silverstein, Maya Angelou, Matsuo Basho, Francisco X. Alarcón, and more. On our special poetry reading session, students shared poems that they loved or even wrote themselves! We also collaborated as a group to write a poem inspired by haiku and one inspired by nature:

The Fox A fox runs among beautiful seeds not one single tree

The Beautiful Forest & The Night Light Fresh air, feel the grass twinkle at our feet Feel the fresh air at your head Feel the dream at your feet The trees are swaying and the flowers are blooming Love it love it love it It's nice to feel the wind and lift up a cloud Leaves are green Life is fun Skies are blue Is that what you think too?

We are so proud of our Gainesville Reads students who have made so much progress in their reading and creative skills. We look forward to this fall when we will begin on-site tutoring again.

Wow! Thank you to everyone who helped us not only reach but exceed our April donation goal at $310. Your support makes it possible for us to provide educational programming to teachers, students, families, and folks like you.

During the month of May we will be raffling off a special item to meet our $200 goal, so stay tuned!

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently in the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

Work on the N.C. White Collection has been moving along quite well! 

Lesley and her group of interns were working through the nitrate negatives, and have a theory that some of the women in them could be students from Brenau in the late 1910s. The archives at Brenau University was kind enough to loan us some of their yearbooks so we can hopefully add some names to the faces of the negatives. We have thousands of women to look through, so it might take us the month of May to name them all!

[negahc]

April 2021

Exciting news! We are thrilled to announce that we are in the midst of obtaining the N.C. White & Son photographic collection. White's studio was located on the Gainesville square in the early 1900s and the collection consists of over 30,000 images of people from the region, from all walks of life. We hope to bring them all home to Northeast Georgia and create some amazing exhibits and programs! Stay tuned!Click here to download the History Center Press Kit for the collection: https://bit.ly/3cL26QR

If you are interested in helping fund this acquisition, contact the History Center or click here to donate:http://bit.ly/ncwhite

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of April! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire April lineup at www.negahc.org/events

We had some very special visitors today at the History Center! Sisters Olivia and Gavy and their mother Wendy traveled all the way from New York to meet us and enjoy our exhibits. They even got to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cottrell Digital Studio and our archives!

Olivia, Gavy, and Wendy have been "regulars" in our livestream program chat for nearly a year, and we were honored by their visit today. They even gave us very *sweet* gifts including maple syrup from Attica, NY!

We love connecting with people across the country and the world through our history programs. It's folks like you, Olivia, Gavy, and Wendy that make our work here an absolute joy.

Thank you to everyone who came aboard for our March Family Day! We had a swashbuckling time learning about pirates and even meeting a few of the most notorious ones. We learned about what life was actually like for a pirates vs the legends and movies of today. We also had lessons on the history of piracy, the weapons' and tactics used by pirates!

Virtual Family Day: Music in the Mountains - Sunday, April 11th from 1PM-3PM ET

For our final family day of the 2020-2021 school year, the Northeast Georgia History Center presents Music in the Mountains. We will be focusing on the music of Appalachian People in the 19th and 20th century. Appalachia is made up of 420 counties across 13 states and spans 205,000 square miles, from southern New York to northern Mississippi. Georgia has 37 Appalachian counties. The music that was and still is played in these regions is derived from various European and African influences, including English ballads, Irish and Scottish traditional music, hymns, and African-American blues. Genres such as Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Old-Time Music, Gospel, Blues, and String Bands all have roots and influence over the sounds of the music which is made in the mountains. Come join us virtually on Facebook and on YouTube as we learn about and listen to Music in the Mountains.

April Forum: Log Cabins in North Georgia - Tuesday, April 13th at 7PM ET

As survivors of days long gone, we hold a certain romantic awe for historic log cabins. Join Executive Director Glen Kyle as he tells the stories of just a few of the regions remaining log homes. 

Not a member? It's not too late! Go to https://www.negahc.org/member and become one in just a few minutes!

We were thrilled to not only meet our March Donation Goal but to exceed it! Thank you to everyone who helped to raise $300 in March. And a special congratulations to Sue Small who was the winner of our March Donation Goal Raffle! Sue won a $15 gift certificate to our online museum shop. Our new April goal is $200. Let's see if we can make it to $300 again! 

This month we will be raffling A City Laid Waste which contains fascinating details about the infamous 1936 Gainesville Tornado. Every $5 you donate enters you into the raffle. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win! 

Donate today at: http://bit.ly/april21goal

In our latest episode of Then Again, Glen speaks with photographic historian and collector Bill Riley who recently provided the History Center with thousands of glass negatives from the studio of N. C. White. Nathan Carol White was a local photographer in Gainesville during the late 1800s and early 1900s who was a master of his craft. In this episode, Bill describes how he found the glass negatives and the artful skill behind them.

Visit our website to listen to this episode (and all other episodes) at: thenagainpodcast.com

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently in the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

Leah Jarrett: Archives Intern

My name is Leah Jarrett, and I am a sophomore at The University of North Georgia. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in History with an English minor. I hope to pursue a career in museum archives, cataloging pieces of my community's history!

This month From the Archives is a booklet entitled “Portraits in Food” from the Gainesville radio station WDUN. Radio station WDUN was created in 1949 by John Jacobs Jr., who also helped create the Northeast Georgia History Center! The FM station was the very first in North Georgia, and continues as a source of news and sports in North Georgia today.

The booklet is for a cooking school sponsored by WDUN in 1962. Inside is instructions on how to use a meat thermometer, proper food storage, and many different recipes. The cover has seen better days, but the inside is in great condition!

[negahc]

March 2021

It is with great regret and sadness that we announce History Center Board Member, supporter, and dear friend Jackie Cooley passed away On February 9.  She had been a Board member since 2016, but she and her husband Counte had been involved with the History Center for much longer, especially in relation to the White Path Cabin. Along with Counte she had operated Electronic Sales Company for 23 years. She was incredibly active in the community, including as co-founder of For Her Glory, an organization that helps cancer patients in need in medical assistance.  Jackie always had a smile, an encouraging word, and a sharp insight, and she will be truly missed.

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of March! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire March lineup at www.negahc.org/events

Homeschool Connection is going great. It is hard to believe we are approaching the midterm point of our 2nd semester already! We have just entered the 20th century in our American History Course. Last week we learned about WWI and we time traveled to meet a German Imperial Soldier who had been fighting in the trenches in France.

Is the pirate life for you? Come to the Northeast Georgia's virtual family day made possible by the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center on March 14th from 1PM to 5PM EST and find out. We will have lessons on the history of piracy, the weapons and tactics used by pirates, and you'll get to meet some of the most famous pirates to ever sail the seven seas! We will also talk about pirate legends and why are pirates are so popular today. And to end the family day be sure to join us live at 5pm to play our Pirate Trivia Game. If you win you may just get some treasure!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our February Family Day: Voices for the Vote! It was held on February 14th which we learned is the League of Women's Voters Day. We had a wonderful time learning about the women's suffrage movement through the virtual tour of our special exhibit, crafts, fashion, and dance. We even had famous suffragists Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, and Frederick Douglas come and speak about their views. This program was made possible through the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center and viewers like you!

March Forum: Plagues in History

I know, we're all tired of hearing about, thinking about, and living through COVID-19... but what about some of the other pandemics from the past? Join us for a socially-distanced, mask-free virtual presentation on Tuesday, March 9, at 7PM ET for a MEMBERS ONLY Forum as we look back through history at some of the not-so-good days where plague walked the land and what our ancestors thought about disease and it made it through... Eventually.  

Not a member?  It's not too late!  got to https://www.negahc.org/member and become one in just a few minutes!

We exceeded our February donation goal! Our goal was $200 and our generous viewers and members supported us with $215. Thank you to all of our donors: Eric Falls, Dale Granata, Sue, Leigh Elkins, Rosann, Phil Fortin, Jeanne, Arrelina Bernal, Stella, Anonymous, and HandsOnHomeschool Academy!

In March, we are going to try to reach $250. If you donate toward our March goal, you will be automatically entered into a raffle to win a $15 gift certificate to our online museum shop. Every $5 gets you one raffle ticket! So if you donate $20, you will be entered into the raffle four times. Donate today at bit.ly/march21goal

In our latest episode of Then Again, Glen discusses the geological history of Appalachia with geologist and professor Jim Buecheler from Northern Virginia Community College. Learn the effects of continental collisions, mountain formations, and more in this ROCKIN' episode! You can also follow Jim on his Twitch channel to watch his fascinating geology lessons at www.twitch.tv/geojim2006

Visit our website to listen to this episode (and all other episodes) at: thenagainpodcast.com

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently in the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

CJ Payne: Digital Studio Intern

My name is CJ Payne, I’m a recent graduate of the University of North Georgia. I got my bachelors’ degree in Film & Digital Media with a minor in Graphic Design. I’m passionate about bringing stories to life through editing videos. I love working on documentaries because true stories have much more of a lasting impact with their message, in my opinion. I am interning at the Northeast Georgia History Center because I want to gain more experience working as a video editor. I enjoy learning about the lifestyles of people in past time periods especially those from cultures other than my own like the Cherokee nation. There’s much to learn from people living in a different era than mine.

I love spending time on set with friends, watching movies, and hiking. I dabble with outdoor photography and take way too many pictures of my dog. I also love to read and take my dog for long walks.

Andrews Gless: Digital Studio Intern

Raised in North Georgia, I fell in love with music and movies at a young age. From  action movies to historical biopics and classic hip-hop to opera, music and movies are something that I have always loved. History is very special to me. Apart from being one of my favorite subjects in school, I love learning about different figures and events through time. There is always a lesson about life that can be learned through the study of history.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Film and Digital Media with a Production Concentration from the University of North Georgia, where I was able to work on several different award winning films throughout Georgia and the South, (A Devil in God's Country, Dead Winter,  Halfway). I wanted to continue to hone my editing and production skills. The History Center offers the unique opportunity of being able to help produce different types of content for all ages with a  variety of professionals. I hope that I will be able to assist in bringing more stories of North Georgia and the United States to life. I love good stories, great food and movies of all types. I'm an amateur vinyl collector, avid gamer and I can always be found sharing a laugh with my close friends and family.

From Cheryl and Jerry Vandiver in memory of Dinah Wayne, Jack Frost and Frank Norton Sr.

From Cathy and Tony Herdener in memory of Frank Norton Sr., Dinah Wayne, Jack Frost, Jackie Cooley, Jim Walters and Jo Ann Adams.

From Sandra Williams in memory of Jackie Cooley and Jack Frost.

[negahc]

February 2021

It is with regret that we announce our supporter, board member, and friend, Jack Frost, passed away on January 20.  Jack was one of those people who was always smiling, and always brought a smile to your face.  He agreed to come onto the History Center Board of Directors in 2014 and had been on ever since.  But it wasn't just the History Center that he impacted; when you look around Gainesville he was able to make a difference in a hundred different ways, from the 9/11 monument at the Brenau Downtown Center to helping organize the Memorial Day Parade to the great work he did with the Hall County Sheriff's Office.  He will be sorely missed, but we'll always remember, fondly, all the times we had and how he made Hall County a better place.

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of February! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs.

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire February lineup at www.negahc.org/events

We won Best Museum in the Best of Hall Awards 2021! Thank you to everyone who voted for us and continue to support the History Center. We love the work we do, and we look forward to providing more high-quality history programs to viewers, visitors, students, and teachers in 2021.

Check out our fun announcement video at this link: Best of Hall 2021

As virtual learning continues for many, we are so happy to provide high-quality and fun experiences for students across Georgia through our live Webcasts with historic figures. 

Our most popular character lately is Frederick Douglass, portrayed by Living History Interpreter and professional actor Mustapha Slack. We received wonderful feedback from teachers including this message: "This virtual field trip with Frederick Douglass was phenomenal and more than I expected. When the interpreter started speaking directly to students, responding to their individual questions, I was surprised and amused. It was personal, interactive and highly informative. Great experience!"

Our free reading program, Gainesville Reads, has expanded its virtual lessons to another great group of elementary students in Hall County and Forsyth County! We've had an exciting start with students playing Lexia, a research-based online literacy game that also teaches students about animals, cultures, historical figures, and environments around the world. After our Lexia time is finished, our students play a "create-your-own-adventure" game by creating characters and a story as a group. We have been so impressed with how creative our students are. Our Tuesday group with Mrs. Diana and Mr. Matt are on a quest to rescue a legendary creature called a Parlion (a beast that is part parrot part lion.) Our Tuesday group with Ms. Libba is on a journey to lift a curse on the kingdom caused by an evil sorcerer. And our Thursday group must venture to five islands to retrieve Queen Phoenix's magical, and very powerful, gems. So much imagination and fun!

If you know a student in the Hall County area who could benefit from this program, we do have several spots available for our Thursdays at 4 PM group. Email Program Manager Libba Beaucham at [email protected] for more information.

February 14th is Valentines day, but it is also League of Women's Voters Day! Come celebrate with us at the history center with our virtual family day "Voices for the Vote!" Tune into our Facebook page or YouTube Channel to view our programs starting at 1 PM.  Topics will include a virtual tour of our exhibit celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage, crafts such as making a Suffragist Valentines Day card, and a 1920's dance lesson. We will also be hearing speeches from Suffragists Lucy Stone, Frederick Douglas, and Sojourner Truth. These vides will be published every hour from 1 PM to 5 PM, and at 5 PM be sure to join us for a fun Trivia Game about the Suffrage movement. There will be prizes!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our virtual family day about World War II. We hope you learned a lot through our presentations focusing on the American perspective of the war, including programs on the Ally Soldiers and the American Homefront.

Thank you to the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center for sponsoring our Family Day programs and helping the History Center continue its mission of being preserving and sharing our regional history and being our community’s pathway to history education.

February Forum: A Legal Injustice: The Trail of Tears

Most of us are somewhat familiar with the story of the Removal of the Cherokee Nation from their traditional home in north Georgia to Oklahoma.  The journey itself lasted only a few months, but the seeds of the tragedy were sown years before.  Join Executive Director Glen Kyle for this Members-Only event as he talks about the political and legal processes that led to removal.  Indeed, as will be discussed, nearly every political and legal aspect of removal was 'by the book,' which of course again illustrates that "legal" and "moral" do not necessarily overlap.   As Alexis deToqueville said, "It is impossible to destroy men with more respect for the laws of humanity.”  The forum will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, February 9th, at 7 pm.  The information to access the program will be sent to all members the day before.  

Not a member?  It's not too late!  got to https://www.negahc.org/member and become one in just a few minutes!

We set our January donation goal at $100 and y'all ended up raising $245 for the History Center! Thanks so much to everyone who donated!Our February goal is $200, and you can donate at bit.ly/febgoal21. Any amount is appreciated!

In the latest episode of our podcast, Glen discusses the little-known yet highly influential impact of President, statesman, diplomat, and lawyer John Quincy Adams with Dr. Eugene Van Sickle, history professor and  Assistant VP of Strategic Student Success Initiatives at the University of North Georgia.

Visit our website to listen to this episode tomorrow (and all other episodes) at: thenagainpodcast.com

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently in the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

Last month we asked our livestream viewers and Members for their feedback on how we can make our livestreams even better and what topics our viewers want to learn about this year. We received lots of great ideas for programs, very sweet comments, and excellent feedback. Thank you so much! 

If you haven't had a chance to complete the survey, you may do so at this link: Livestream Survey

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January 2021

We have lots of exciting livestream programs for the month of January! Every Wednesday at 2 PM EST we host free livestream programming to the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM EST we host special Members Only programs. 

Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member. 

View our entire January lineup at www.negahc.org/events

Our Digital Studio has been busy time traveling with our historic figures! Among our most popular Webcast characters is Dr. Benjamin Franklin portrayed by Executive Director Glen Kyle. Students learn from Dr. Franklin himself about his early life in Boston working as an apprentice in a print shop, his running away to Philadelphia at age 17, his early writings, and how he became involved in politics and government. The students are especially interested in learning about Dr. Franklin's experiments and inventions like the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, the glass harmonica, and many others. Dr. Franklin is always prepared with a quip or two for students from Poor Richard's Almanac!

We love to see how excited students are to engage with Dr. Franklin and learn about his life and impact firsthand. Webcasts are free to all Georgia educators thanks to the Cottrell Digital Studio. Educators outside of Georgia and adult groups are welcome to schedule a Webcast for a donation of their choice. More information at www.negahc.org/digital-programs

Thank you to everyone who came to our Virtual Family Day, Frontier Christmas! The staff at the History Center had such a great time sharing the history of what Christmas looked like on the American frontier with you. Also, an extra big shoutout to everyone who joined our virtual choir! Even though we were not able to be together a the History Center this year, you all have made it clear that we are still together in spirit as we navigated all that 2020 has threw at us.

Join us virtually on Sunday, January 10th as we host our WWII Virtual Family Day! WWII Family Day has been one of our most popular events, and we are excited to bring it to you virtually! World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries. We will be focusing mainly on the American perspective of the war, learning about what life was like for soldiers as well as those on the homefront. 

January Forum: Frontiers, Fraud, and Free Land Georgia was the last original British colony to be developed, but today it is the largest state east of the Mississippi River. How the state got its shape is a twisting, winding story that will be explained by History Center Executive Director Glen Kyle during our first virtual Forum of 2021. This Members Only event will take place on Zoom at 7 PM ET on Tuesday, January 12. Members will receive information via email on how to log in to the event. If you are not a Member and would like to become one to take advantage of this and other exclusive content, please go to THIS link today!

We are proud to announce that our 65th episode of Then Again will be launched tomorrow, January 6th!

In our next episode, Glen discusses military aviation with Dr. Richard Beyers who is a professor of European History at the University of North Georgia with training in German aviation history. Learn about the progression of aviation and how it changed military technology and tactics.

Visit our website to listen to this episode tomorrow (and all other episodes) at: thenagainpodcast.com 

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently in the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

The Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation has made a wonderful gift this holiday season! The gift, a portrait of Ada Mae Ivester painted by Georgia artist Carrie Penley, was recently presented to the Northeast Georgia History Center. This gift is to commemorate 11 years of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center and Endowment at the History Center.

In recognition of this transformative support, the History Center is also proud to announce that Marie Walker, previously the Director of Education, will now be named the Director of the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center effective January 1. The support from the Ivesters, their Foundation, and their friends has positioned us to continually provide something our communities desperately need: an appreciation and understanding of our past. After all, that’s what makes us who we are.

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December 2020

2020 has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory... and like all non-profit educational organizations the History Center has had its share of challenges, including having to cancel our biggest annual fundraiser, the Taste of History.  While we've met many of our challenges by not only continuing but EXPANDING our educational outreach by leaps and bounds, our financial challenges remain significant.  Don't worry, we're not going anywhere, but we DO need to make up the difference in our 2020 budget to make sure we can continue providing quality history education for teachers, students, and folks like you.

If you've been keeping up with us you know we've been doing some creative things to raise money: our "snail mail" end-of-year ask, establishing a new Digital Membership, creating the History Heroes program, expanding our Museum Shop offerings, and even hosting a 24 hour Telethon (see article below)!  

But I'm here to say we need your help. IF you believe in our mission, please consider a donation to the History Center by December 31, whether it's an online donation, some Christmas shopping in our Museum Shop (now online!), watching and giving during our Telethon on December 4-5, or just a check that you drop in the mail.  Any amount helps!  And if you've already made a donation to us this year, THANK YOU!  It really has made a difference not just in our budget, but in knowing that we can depend on this fantastic community of members, fans, supporters, and history buffs.  

So, as always, thanks for all you do;  and most importantly may this Holiday Season be bright, healthy, and happy for each and every one of you! Glen Kyle, Executive Director 

Click here to make a donation via our online Museum Shop: https://negahistorycenter.square.site/shop/donation/9

Throughout the month of December we are showcasing a selection of our favorite livestream programs from 2020 each Wednesday at 2 PM ET. We will continue to offer new programs for our Members Only livestreams each Friday at 2 PM ET. Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member. View our entire livestream schedule at www.negahc.org/events.

View our entire December lineup at www.negahc.org/events

We are so excited for our First Annual 24 Hour Telethon! Beginning Friday, December 4th at 9 AM, the Northeast Georgia History Center is hosting 24 hours of livestreams, videos, raffles, and prizes to raise donations. This year has had its challenges, but we have also reached more folks than ever nation and even worldwide with our livestreams and Digital Memberships.

We are inviting you and all your friends and family to join us in raising funds toward our programs, exhibits, archives, and operations. Watch on Facebook Live and YouTube Live. If you would like to tell us what you love about the Northeast Georgia History Center, we will share your comments during the livestream! You can email us at [email protected], or send a letter to 322 Academy Street NE Gainesville, GA 30506.Thank you all so much for your past and continued support. We can't wait to see you in the chat during our first annual telethon!

The Northeast Georgia History Center has made the decision to make the December Family Day Virtual this year. With the spike of Covid-19 cases we do not feel that we can safely hold an event on site. The virtual event will be held on Sunday, December 13th from 1PM-5PM.  The Theme will be Frontier Christmas. Our living history interpreters will share with your family songs, carols, and stories of Christmas time that were popular in the mid to late 1800's. There will also be a historic dance lesson, crafts that you can make at home, and trivia! We hope that you will join us virtually for this event that will be fun for the whole family!

The brand new online Museum shop is now open! We have over 70 items currently on the store, with many more items soon to come. We also have discounts of up to 70% off on select books!

Visit our new store at: http://negahistorycenter.square.site

In our latest episodes of Then Again, we feature two oral history interviews that describe the experiences of seniors in Hall County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kim Franklin of the Alzheimer’s Association and Dana Chapman of iTNLanier offer their insights on this challenging time for senior citizens. Listen now: http://www.thenagainpodcast.com/episode/cfc1b85352d84944/the-challenges-of-seniors-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

Forums are BACK!  Kinda....

Since the pandemic hit back in March, the History Center has had to severely curtail it's on-site programming, and unfortunately this includes our popular Forum on the second Tuesday of each month.  Sadly, we can throw open our doors and invite our Forum fans back in... yet.  But we're glad to announce that on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 pm we'll be having a VIRTUAL Forum for our members!  Topic?  Given the date, Executive Director Glen Kyle will be giving a presentation over the Attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941.  We'll be sending out information to our members shortly about how to sign up for this virtual event, but in the meantime please go ahead and put it on your calendars!

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November 2020

Throughout the months of November and December we are showcasing a selection of our favorite livestream programs from 2020 each Wednesday at 2 PM ET. We will continue to offer new programs for our Members Only livestreams each Friday at 2 PM ET. Become a Digital Member today for as little as $3/month or $35/year at www.negahc.org/member. View our entire livestream schedule at www.negahc.org/events.

View our entire November lineup at www.negahc.org/events

Our first family day of the school year was a complete success! On November 8th The History Center held it's first public in-person event since March. 90 people were able to safely enjoy this free program about the lives of early American farming families through living history, hands-on activities, and traditional folk dance. Some of the stations include candle making, blacksmithing, homestead tools, and a corn husk doll craft. We had many safety protocols in place to adhere to the state guidelines regarding Covid-19. It certainly looks rather different than our family days last year, but a good time was had by all, and lots of learning happened.

We have been nominated for the Best of Hall County Awards in the Museum category! Anyone can vote and you get one vote per day. Please take a moment to vote for us at this link and every day of November: Best of Hall County Awards

Thank you for your support!

The Cottrell Digital Studio continues to reach students and families across the nation through Live Webcasts! Most recently we conducted four webcasts in a single day in which multiple classes in Dodge County, Georgia met Austin Dabney and Giles Harris, two soldiers in the American Revolution.

Austin Dabney was an enslaved African American who became the only Black patriot to be granted land by the state of Georgia in recognition of his service. He was also one of the few to receive a federal military pension.Born enslaved, Austin’s enslaver Richard Aycock sent Austin as his substitute to fight in the war for him. Austin served as an artilleryman and was wounded in the Battle of Kettle Creek in 1779. Giles Harris, a white soldier, took Austin to safety and to his own home to recover. Giles and Austin were lifelong friends after the war.

Meet Mr. Dabney yourself during a live Webcast! All Webcasts are free to Georgia educators with at least 20 students. We also provide Webcasts for groups of at least 20 on a donation basis. More info at www.negahc.org/digital-programs.

Catch up on the latest episodes of our podcast Then Again! Our latest episode featured Dr. Bryan Sorohan of Brenau University who has extensive knowledge on the Georgia Gold Rush. Listen now at www.thenagainpodcast.com!

By Sophie Monsibais

In the age of glamour, famous night clubs dotted New York City. The Stork Club was one of these and stood proudly in Manhattan from 1929-1965. The Stork Club exemplified a rising “café society” in which movie stars, aristocrats, and anyone else with prestige intermingled generating gossip and helping to create the notion of celebrity we have today. Though it was richly decorated with mirrored walls and gold fixtures, the patrons were the main draw to the club. It was a place people went to see and be seen, and the club’s owner, Sherman Billingsley, kept high profile visitors coming back by paying their tabs and bestowing lavish gifts. Special items emblazoned with the Stork Club’s logo were also created—like this lipstick tube! “Jacqueline” is the color inside which is a red-gold. There is very little lipstick left in the tube in the same way there is little left of the Stork Club which closed unceremoniously in the 60’s and was demolished not long after to make way for a park. Still, this small tube serves as a dainty reminder of a glittering time long past.

Storytelling and creation is a great way to encourage young readers to use their imaginations and understand the elements of a story. In our Virtual Gainesville Reads lessons, we have just finished our first adventure game which introduces new vocabulary and concepts to students by collaborating on a story together. Our Gainesville Reads students have really taken to this and created a fun and exciting adventure together called The Legend of the Wish Flower. Each student developed their own character with specific attributes, skills, and personality like Tigon the Tiger King, a magical Princess, a cunning ninja, a clumsy wizard, and more. Program Manager Libba Beaucham said, "It's been so wonderful to see students who were initially shy about speaking up become so excited to jump in with such creative (and often hilarious) ideas." We would like to say a big thank you to our volunteer Matt House who leads the adventure game.We will share a comic book version of The Legend of the Wish Flower with you all soon! If you know a child in 2nd - 5th grade that would benefit from this program, please contact Program Manager Libba Beaucham at [email protected].

Coming in December we will be hosting a NEGAHC Telethon! The proceeds from the 24-hour telethon will go towards updating exhibits and to day-to-day operations. Stay tuned for more information, coming soon!

Have you checked out our new online gift shop? We have a great selection of our most popular items available for sale online! Visit this link to start shopping and support a great cause: https://negahc.typeform.com/to/WsoZm0sh

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October 2020

We have lots of great (and spooky!) livestream programs in store for October! Every Wednesday at 2 PM ET, we host free livestream programs for the general public. Every Friday at 2 PM ET we host special Members Only livestreams. Become a Digital Member to enjoy Members Only programs at www.negahc.org/member.

View our entire October lineup at www.negahc.org/events

Just a few weeks ago our Executive Director, Glen Kyle, celebrated his 13th Anniversary at the History Center! From all of the staff here at the History Center, thank you for your outstanding leadership and dedication to history education.

Here is a photograph of Glen during one of his first living history events for the History Center in 2009!

We are very excited about our October Family Day coming up on Sunday, October 11th! This Family Day will be virtual with videos posted every hour from 1 PM - 5 PM ET. This month’s theme is the Salem Witch Trials and will include a dramatized reenactment of the original transcripts of the trial of Bridget Bishop. Our staff is thrilled to be able to bring history to life in this way, and hope you join us for our virtual family day on Facebook or on YouTube!

Our Blacksmith Shop Interpreter Steven Bartlett forged this beautiful, historically accurate iron candlestick holder and now you have a chance to win it! All raffle proceeds support educational programming here at the History Center. Tickets are $3 each. The more tickets you buy, the more chances you have to win! You must enter by midnight on October 11th. The winner will be announced Monday, October 12th. Make your donation now at the link below. We appreciate your support! Good luck! 

Enter Raffle

Cleda Locey, and her late husband Marvin, have been involved with the History Center (and it's predecessor, the Georgia Mountains Museum) for over a quarter century. As volunteers, board members, gallery docents, financial supporters, and our most reliable "institutional memory," the Locey's fingerprints are all over the History Center.  As a way to show our gratitude for some of our most dedicated and long-term volunteers, the History Center recently dedicated a corner garden on the campus to them! "Cleda's Corner" will be a beautiful reminder of the importance of volunteers to the History Center's legacy just like the Loceys are!

Check out the latest episodes of our podcast Then Again at www.thenagainpodcast.com! In our latest episode, Libba Beaucham interviews historian Sara Snyder on the ways in which rail systems changed Victorian era England. The rail station was a unique place in which people of different classes were brought together. Learn how these classes perceived each other, how rail changed over time, and what we can learn from the buildings, blueprints, and other sources of material culture. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment which recognized and granted women the right to vote in the United States. We have a fascinating special exhibit with artifacts from our archives, video productions, and take-home activities for adults and children alike to learn about the Women's Suffrage Movement! Visit this special exhibit during our regular hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM and Sunday 1 PM - 5 PM.

We have had so much fun bringing history to life for students through our Digital Programs this Fall! Students have met Benjamin Franklin, compared and contrasted World War I & World War II, learned about the Patriots and Loyalists of the American Revolution, and more. Our Live Webcasts with historic characters and historians are free to all Georgia educators. We are expanding our reach to a national audience by offering our Digital Programs to educators outside of Georgia for a donation of any amount. If you know an educator or homeschool group that would benefit from our Digital Programs, send them our way!

Have you checked out our new online gift shop? We have a great selection of our most popular items available for sale online! Visit this link to start shopping and support a great cause: https://negahc.typeform.com/to/WsoZm0sh

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September 2020

We have lots of great livestream programs in store for September! Join us as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15) with guest speakers, dance lessons, and more. Become a Digital Member for as low as $3/month to enjoy our Members only programs at www.negahc.org/member

Livestream: Ask a Historian Wednesday, September 2nd at 2 PM ET Historian Glen Kyle answers your history questions live from the chat! Great for families and educators alike.

Members Livestream: The Way We Work Friday, September 4th at 2 PM ET Historian Glen Kyle presents a Members livestream about the way that work has evolved throughout history. What were typical jobs during the Medieval era? What was it like to be an apprentice in ancient Rome? Why has 9-5 become a typical work day? Learn all about it in this Members livestream!

Lofi History on Twitch! Tuesdays at 4 PM ET Historian Glen Kyle takes your history questions as electronic musician Libba Beaucham creates some sweet beats! Only on Twitch at www.twitch.tv/lofi_history every Tuesday from 4-5 PM ET.

View descriptions of all September livestream programs at this link.

Our special exhibit Voices for the Vote is now open! This exhibit tells the story of the Women’s Suffrage Movement both nationally and locally and was designed by our Archives Manager Lesley Jones. View items from our archives spanning from the 1800s to the 1970s, learn about Suffragists and Anti-Suffragists, the role that Georgia women played in the movement, and more! This exhibit will be on display until the end of March 2021.

On Sunday, September 13th the Northeast Georgia History Center will be holding our first ever Virtual Family Day Event! Join us on Facebook or on YouTube as we talk about the glamour of Old Hollywood, the style, the stars, and the systems that made movie making the business it is today.

We will release a new video each hour starting at 1 PM ET and the event will conclude at 5 PM ET with a virtual trivia game where you could win a free digital membership. Log on to learn about the Studio System, the hand-prints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and how Micky became America’s Mouse. Hope to see you there virtually!

Full Schedule:

1 PM ET - Introduction to the Era of "Old Hollywood" & the First Mickey Mouse Cartoons with historian Marie Walker

2 PM ET - Big Hits from Old Hollywood with historian Glen Kyle

3 PM ET - Popular Dances of Old Hollywood with Kat Nagar of Atlanta Historic Dance

4 PM ET - Kids Craft Tutorial (only a piece of paper and coloring pencils or crayons are needed!)

5 PM ET - Old Hollywood Trivia with historians Glen Kyle and Marie Walker

We are so excited to begin our new distance learning program this month, Homeschool Connection. This idea was inspired by our awesome campers this summer who did not want summer camp to end! They asked if we could do something like camp during the school year, and we said YES! That, along with our desire to provide support to parents and teachers who are navigating this new world of distance learning, is how Home School Connection was born.

Homeschool Connection provides live, weekly, one-hour history lessons for students in 3rd - 8th grade on Mondays at 1 PM ET beginning September 14th, 2020. Director of Education Marie Walker, along with historic interpreters, will guide students through the map of American History beginning with the first people to inhabit the American continent through World War II. We have a wonderful group of students already signed up and we cannot wait to begin!

We have a limited number of spots available for more students to join. Complete our interest form at this link to learn more.

Today, August 31st, is the last day to enter our Suffrage Sash raffle. This beautiful, handcrafted, historically accurate Suffrage Sash was made by our Director of Education, Marie Walker! Raffle tickets are just $5 each. The more tickets you purchase the more chances you have to win! All proceeds go toward educational programming here at the History Center. Enter by midnight tonight for your chance to win: www.negahc.org/donations

The winner will be announced tomorrow, September 1st!

With the school year being so driven by virtual learning, we want to make sure all our Georgia teachers out there know about our free Digital Programs! The Cottrell Digital Studio has served thousands of students since 2016 and we are excited to serve even more this fall. Students can video conference with historic characters like Harriet Tubman, Thomas Jefferson, Juliette Gordon Low, Frederick Douglass, and more, learn from a historian and ask them any question live, tour our fascinating exhibits and see our artifacts up close, and learn from our engaging Webisodes. See all of our Digital Program offerings at www.negahc.org/digital-programs!

Catch our latest episodes from the Then Again podcast with special guest historians! Learn about the origins of American exceptionalism with Dr. Anne Tucker, explore life in the Medieval era with Dr. Thomas Greene, and journey through the world of Mississippi blues music with Dr. Ben Wynne! Listen now at this link: Then Again Podcast

This month’s From the Archives item is a ticket from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to Atlanta in 1935 during his homecoming tour before the 1936 election. FDR would later come to Gainesville shortly after the 1936 tornado and again in 1938 to celebrate the rebuilding of the city.

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The Journal August Newsletter

We have lots of great livestreams during August that largely focus on women’s history as this August marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment which granted women the right to vote nationally.

Each Wednesday at 2 PM ET, we present a livestream for the general public to enjoy via Facebook Live or YouTube Live. Each Friday we present special Member Livestreams for our local and digital Members. Become a Digital Member for as little as $3/month or $35/year to enjoy Member livestreams and more: Become a Digital Member

August Livestream Schedule:

Virtual Trivia: The American Civil War August 5th at 2 PM ET Join Glen Kyle and Marie Walker as they host an online trivia game about the American Civil War. Details on how to play at this link.

Reading & Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper (Members Only) August 7th at 2 PM ET Libba Beaucham reads The Yellow Wallpaper, a short story published in 1892 by Charlotte Perkins Gilman which has often been interpreted as a piece against the oppression of women with mental health issues. Libba will offer insight on the various interpretations of this work and the life of its author.

Ask a Historian August 12 at 2 PM ET Historian Glen Kyle answers your questions about all things history in our Ask a Historian series.

The Military Women of World War II (Members Only) August 14th at 2 PM ET Join historian Glen Kyle as he presents a Members Livestream on women who served in the military during World War II. The Women’s Suffrage Movement August 19th at 2 PM ET Libba Beaucham hosts a presentation on the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the United States and abroad including interviews with historians and a special look at the life of Suffragist and Abolitionist Lucy Stone.

Meet Suffragist Lucy Stone (Members Only) August 21st at 2 PM ET Libba Beaucham portrays Suffragist Lucy Stone and takes your questions from the chat in-character and out-of-character.

The History of the Girl Scouts August 26th at 2 PM ET Libba Beaucham presents a livestream program about the history of the Girl Scouts and its founder Juliette Gordon Low. Meet Juliette Gordon Low (Members Only) August 28th at 2 PM ET Libba Beaucham portrays Girl Scouts Founder Juliette Gordon Low and takes your questions in-character and out-of-character.

We have made an enormous amount of progress in re-organizing and cataloguing our archives thanks to Lesley Jones, Ava Wilkey, and our interns! This was an ambitious project that has taken hours and hours of hard work, but thanks to this incredible team, we can share even more of the fascinating items in our archives with the rest of the world. Here are a few pictures of the work and progress:

Lesley Jones (left) with intern Mary Abbott (left) view a glass negative

One of the hundreds of glass negatives that are being processed in our archives

Interns Ruth, Carmen, and Mary prepare and clean glass negatives for processing and storage

Ava Wilkey (left) with Lesley Jones (right) reviewing items for storage and cataloging. Ava has had extensive experience in archives management and offered so much great insight in this project! Thank you, Ava! Lesley led our team of interns and jump started this project last year with a LOT of hard work. Thank you, Lesley!

Here is the archive as it was before Lesley and the team began

Now items have been cataloged in boxes and on shelves!

This is an ongoing project, but the work that has been done has paved the way for our future interns to work in a professional, organized, and fascinating archive. 

This is also a project that requires funding so that we may continue to hire professionals and purchase necessary supplies. If you are interested in making a donation towards this project, you may donate at this link.

An article by our Director of Education, Marie Walker, about Mary Wollstonecraft who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women during the French Revolution.

Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women in the midst of the French Revolution, which she happily embraced, even traveling to France to experience it firsthand. The world was being turned upside down, kings were no longer regarded as having a “Divine Right” to rule, and the people were rising up to take charge. It was a time of revolution. Yet, while this social upheaval was happening, and “the common man” was getting more rights, women were not. Wollstonecraft wrote this to urge people to include women’s rights, as basic human rights, in the new government that was forming.

Portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft by John Opie source

In response to The Declaration of the Rights of Man, Mary Wollstonecraft took up her pen to write A Vindication of the Rights of Women in only six weeks, making the argument that women were just as rational as men and therefore worthy of all the same rights as men. She sarcastically implores that her own sex “will excuse me if I treat them like rational creatures, instead of flattering their fascination graces and viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, unable to stand alone” (Wollstonecraft pg. 1170). She completely rallies against the idea that women are creatures that need to be taken care of by men, because they only have the intellect of a child. Wollstonecraft was very well educated and greatly discusses the need to educate women, because she argues if women were given equality, the same education as men, and the same chances as men, women would not need men. Women, if given education and equality would be able to attain social and economic independence. 

Change was happening all around the world, and Wollstonecraft wanted to push that change as far as it would go. She believed that “the refusal of those who had espoused revolutionary principles of equality to extend right to women represented a betrayal of those supposedly universal principles.” (Historical Notes pg. 1168). Wollstonecraft was literally rebelling against everything society said about women. She wanted women to be recognized as intelligent and rational creatures. She writes, “how grossly do they insult us who thus advise us only to render ourselves gentle, domestic brutes!” (Wollstonecraft pg. 1172) Wollstonecraft wanted women to be valued for their knowledge and reasonable intellect, and not only appreciated as pretty things, wives, and mothers.

Wollstonecraft also tackled the juxtaposition between two largely held ideas of womanhood, the idea that women being morally superior, and that women were weak. Wollstonecraft states, “Women are, therefore, to be considered either as moral beings, or so weak that they must be entirely subject to the superior faculties of men.” (Wollstonecraft pg.1176) Wollstonecraft then urges women to reject these ideas saying, “I wish to persuade women to endeavor to acquire strength, both of mind and body,” (pg. 1170). Wollstonecraft’s’ dream was to see a nation full of strong independent women. Women who were strong of body, who did not need a fainting couch. Women who were strong of mind, who took pride in their intellectual prowess, and did not simply defer to a mans’ opinion.

We are thrilled with the success of our first ever virtual summer camp series. From the beginnings of Colonial America, to the Western Frontier, to the complexities of the American Civil War, we journeyed through history with such great groups of students! Here are a few highlights from our most recent Civil War Virtual Camp:

Students met nurse Clara Barton, portrayed by Marie Walker, and learned about the life of a nurse during the Civil War.

Glen Kyle interpreted a Union Officer with lots of reproduction items to showcase.

Students met Harriet Tubman, portrayed by Chiara Richardson, and were able to ask Harriet questions directly.

Glen interpreted the life of a Confederate Civil War soldier and taught students what camp life was like.

Marie taught several crafts including this one, a yarn doll!

Frederick Douglass, portrayed by Mustapha Slack, met with students and told them what inspired him to fight for abolition.

A few of the many students that joined our camp. They were so inquisitive and great to work with!

Catch up on our latest podcast episodes with special guests and fascinating topics! In our latest episode, Medieval Historian Dr. Thomas Greene discusses what we misunderstand about Medieval life and the connections between our experiences and those of the past. Listen to all of our episodes at this link:

Then Again Podcast

Our educational programming is made possible by the Ada Mae Ivester Education Center and the Cottrell Digital Studio.