Event Schedule

Spring 2012

Becoming Michigan: From Revolution to Statehood

February 25 - May 5, 2012

February

Michigan’s Quest for Statehood

Feb. 25 (Sat.) 1 pm

Roger L. Rosentreter, Ph.D., professor, Michigan State University, and former editor of Michigan History magazine, recounts the experiences of the thousands of early settlers who headed to Michigan in the early 1830s prepared to make their new home the nation’s next state, only to be faced with delays and with a settlement labeled as “tyrannical, unconstitutional and oppressive.” Also offered Apr. 11 (Wed.) at 11 am

How Michigan Got its Land: Indian Treaties in History and Myth

Feb. 29 (Wed.) 11 am & 1 pm

Charles E. Cleland, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Michigan State University, focuses on Native Americans in the years just prior to statehood through just after statehood, including the impact of Euro-American settlement, the economy, U.S. Indian policy and treaty obligations.

March

Great Lakes Vessels of the Old Northwest

Mar. 1 (Thu.) 11 am

Joel Stone, curator, Detroit Historical Museum and board member, Association of Great Lakes Maritime History, discusses the critical role of the Lakes fleet to the economic, political and social development of the region.

Before Michigan was Michigan: Lake Superior from the American Revolution to Statehood

Mar. 9 (Fri.) 11 am

Frederick Stonehouse, noted maritime historian, recounts the wild and woolly times on the “Big Lake” before Michigan was accepted into the Union, when fur traders, mineral prospectors, evangelical clergy, natives, soldiers and sailors all used Lake Superior as a highway to fortune or death.

The Toledo War: The War Between Michigan and Ohio

Mar. 11 (Sun.) 2 pm

Alan Naldrett, archivist/librarian at Baker College and lifetime member of the Chesterfield Township Historical Society, showcases the story of the unusual “war” that helped propel Michigan to statehood — and in which the only fatality was a pig and one of the major skirmishes involved plundering a vegetable garden.

I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railway

Mar. 14 (Wed.) 11 am & 1 pm

Karolyn Smardz Frost, historian and archaeologist who excavated the Thornton and Lucie Blackburn site in Toronto, recounts this fugitive slave couple’s dramatic escape to Canada via the Underground Railroad, which was aided by the first racial uprising in Detroit history, the Blackburn Riots of 1833.

Invaded on All Sides: The Story of Michigan’s Greatest Battlefield

Mar. 15 (Thu.) 11 am

Ralph Naveaux, considered the foremost historian on the Battle of the River Raisin, examines the largest battle fought on Michigan soil, which represented a major defeat for the Americans and was one of the bloodiest engagements in the War of 1812.

Mackinaw Mission (1823–1837): Window on Michigan’s Statehood

Mar. 16 (Fri.) 11 am

Keith R. Widder, who served as curator of history, Mackinac Island State Park Commission for more than 25 years, covers the Americanization of the fur-trade society centered at Mackinac in the 1820s and 1830s, including commerce, education, language, relationships among ethnic groups and religious turmoil resulting from a clash between Roman Catholicism and evangelical Protestantism.

Troubled Waters: The Great Lakes Frontier on the Eve of the War of 1812

Mar. 17 (Sat.) 1 pm

Brian Leigh Dunnigan, associate director and curator, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, leads a discussion and introduction of the Upper Great Lakes frontier at the outbreak of the War of 1812, illustrated with contemporary images.

Rethinking Michigan Indian History

Mar. 21 (Wed.) 11 am & 1 pm

Patrick Russell LeBeau, Ph.D., director of the American Indian Studies Program at Michigan State University, employs a historical collection of essays to help promote critical thinking of complex issues such as Indian treaty rights, reconsideration of preconceptions and the role and place of Indians in contemporary society.

It’s Maple Syrup Time: Stories, Songs and Dances of Old Michigan

Mar. 24 (Sat.) 1 pm

Genot Picor, storyteller, brings to life local stories and legends that have a connection to making maple syrup, with interactive song and dance opportunities.

Stevens T. Mason: Michigan’s First Governor

Mar. 25 (Sun.) 2 pm

Don Faber, best known as the former editor of the Ann Arbor News, highlights the life of the state’s first governor, who received a presidential appointment at the age of 19 and was elected as governor at 24, leading Michigan into statehood after a difficult fight and setting in place key institutions, such as the University of Michigan.

Revolutionary Detroit: Portraits in Political and Cultural Change 1760–1805

Mar. 28 (Wed.) 11 am

Denver Brunsman, Ph.D., associate professor, Wayne State University, showcases the unique history of Detroit during this time period, because more than anywhere else in North America, it was where the French, British, American and Native American cultures collided and melded during the second half of the 18th century.

The Invention of the United States

Mar. 31 (Sat.) 1 pm

Decorated author and historian Gordon S. Wood, Ph.D., Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University, and winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for History for his book The Radicalism of the American Revolution, describes the atmosphere of the American Revolution and the way in which Americans in the 1776–1812 period went about establishing their national identity.

April

Michigan’s Quest for Statehood

Apr. 11 (Wed.) 11 am

Roger L. Rosentreter, Ph.D., professor, Michigan State University, and former editor of Michigan History magazine, recounts the experiences of the thousands of early settlers who headed to Michigan in the early 1830s prepared to make their new home the nation’s next state, only to be faced with delays and with a settlement labeled as “tyrannical, unconstitutional and oppressive.”
Also offered Feb. 25 (Sat.) at 1 pm

Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the Second War of Independence

Apr. 12 (Thu.) 11 am

Writer and historian Hugh Howard presents the War of 1812 from the perspectives of President James Madison and the first lady, Dolley, a conflict fought on land and sea, from the shores of the Potomac to the Great Lakes, establishing that America would never again submit to Britain.

West to Far Michigan: Settling the Lower Peninsula 1815–1860

Apr. 13 (Fri.) 11 am

Kenneth E. Lewis, Ph.D., professor of anthropology, Michigan State University, traces the settlement of southern lower Michigan as an agricultural frontier, including the process of colonization, role of historical factors in settlement and the significance of agriculture in the state’s development.

Triumphing Against the Odds: The Elizabeth Denison Forth Story

Apr. 13 (Fri.) 1 pm

Rochelle E. Danquah, historian, educator and lecturer, shares the story of the life of Elizabeth Denison, the daughter of slave parents, who was born into slavery in 1786 on the William Tucker farm along the Huron River of St. Clair, now called the Clinton River.

Turning Point: The Battle of Lake Erie

Apr. 14 (Sat.) 1 pm

Arthur M. Woodford, library administrator and historian, provides perspective on the American naval victory that forced the British to evacuate Detroit, resulting in their defeat at the Battle of the Thames and the practical cessation of Indian hostility in Michigan.

Take Good Care of My Michigan

Apr. 15 (Sun.) 2 pm

The La Compagnie Musical-Dance Troupe presents songs and dances related to Michigan history, beginning with the early French settlers through the mid 1800s.

A Hanging in Detroit: The Last Execution under Michigan Law

Apr. 18 (Wed.) 11 am

Attorney and author David G. Chardavoyne profiles the case of the second and last person to be executed under Michigan law in 1830, not only focusing on the crime, trial and execution, but also the setting and players of the drama, social and legal customs of the times, and the controversy that resulted in abolition of the death penalty in the state.

Adventures in Michigan’s Past

Apr. 19 (Thu.) 11 am

Larry Massie, recently honored with the Historical Society of Michigan’s Lifetime Achievement Award, shares true vignettes featuring Indian chiefs, voyageurs, Jesuit priests, pioneers, lumberjacks, Great Lakes sea captains and Underground Railroad conductors to demonstrate Michigan’s rich heritage.

Journey to Paradise (Michigan!) on the Erie Canal

Apr. 20 (Fri.) 11 am & 1 pm

Join historical re-enactor Michael P. Deren as he illustrates the role of the Erie Canal in the early settlement of the state through an interactive session combining music, education and fun.

Making Michigan and the Civil War of 1812

Apr. 22 (Sun.) 2 pm

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor tells the riveting story of the war that redefined North America, exploring the role of invasion and military occupation in the transformation of the Michigan Territory and examining the relationships between natives, settlers and soldiers on both sides of the border shared by Canada and Michigan.

1812: American’s Second War for Independence

Apr. 28 (Sat.) 1 pm

Lee Murdock, musical storyteller of Great Lakes history, revisits this forgotten war with songs from the period as well as contemporary ballads that tell of the battles, characters, poetry and heroic deeds on both sides of the conflict.

May

Bunyan and Banjoes

May 3 (Thu.) 11 am & 1 pm

Singer and songwriter Kitty Donohoe presents Michigan folk songs and stories, using traditional instruments such as, mountain and hammer dulcimers, guitar and banjo.

What Was it Like in Early Michigan Times?

May 4 (Fri.) 11 am & 1 pm

Storyteller Lois Sprengnether Keel shares stories illustrating key points in the state’s early history, including the pioneers and life on a pioneer family farm, River Raisin Massacre, canals, the Toledo War, and ensuing political maneuvering and abolition.

Speakers and programs are subject to change. Events are free of charge and held in the Lorenzo Cultural Center (44575 Garfield, Clinton Twp.) unless otherwise noted.

Pre-registration is required for all events, excluding exhibits and video showings.