July 2022 Journal Newsletter
Summer Chautauqua: Southern Writers
Our second Summer Chautauqua performance will feature author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, portrayed by professional living history interpreter Chiara Richardson, on Tuesday, July 12th at 7:00 PM.
Well known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston was also an anthropologist whose research greatly influenced her literary style and themes. Many of her stories are inspired by her childhood in the small town of Eatonville, Florida in the early 1900s. Hurston would later collect African-American folklore of Eatonville and the South during her anthropological research. Her fiction writings were often criticized by writers of the “New Negro” movement who sought to defy stereotypes of rural African-Americans, but Hurston maintained that her characters and stories reflected the lived experiences of people she knew both personally and through her research.
This event is free for Members. Non-Member tickets are $5 each cash or card at the door.
Our last program of the Chautauqua season will feature author Flannery O’Connor on August 9th.
July Mini-Docs
We have lots of great virtual programs coming up for both Members and the public!
View our lineup of events at www.negahc.org/events.
To gain access to our weekly Members Mini-Docs, you can become a local Member or Digital Member at www.negahc.org/member.
Accepting New Tutors for Gainesville Reads
We currently accepting new volunteer tutors for our free children’s program, Gainesville Reads, for students in 1st-5th grade who struggle with reading. Tutors meet with the same student each week to help them build confidence in their reading skills through fun activities, reading books together, and worksheets that address specific challenges of the student. Training and curriculum is provided. Tutoring sessions begin August 10th, 2022.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor for Gainesville Reads, you can apply online at www.negahc.org/gainesvillereads.
Intern Spotlight: Bella Miranda
We’d like to introduce you to one of Archives Interns, Bella Miranda! Bella is a rising Junior at the University of North Georgia and is currently majoring History and minoring in Art History. She is currently conducting research on our N.C. White photography collection, writing text panels and collecting artifacts for our upcoming Fashion theme, and shadowing our Archives & Collections Manager Lesley Jones to learn more about being an archivist. Bella’s hobbies include baking and drawing.
New Homeschool History Club
This August, we begin our new Homeschool History Club! This is a free virtual club for students ages 8-12 that will meet monthly on the third Thursday of each month at 3:30 PM ET. Each session will include a lesson with a historian or historic character. Topics will cover both national and world history and the students will vote on which topic they learn about next!
Registration and details are available at www.negahc.org/homeschool.
Special thanks to the Cottrell Digital Studio for providing this program.
Then Again Podcast
In our latest episode of Then Again:
Marie interviews Jack Weinstein, the president of the board for the Augusta Jewish Museum, about how the oldest standing Synagogue in Georgia was saved from demolition and is being turned into the Augusta Jewish Museum. If you would like to learn more about this museum and tour their virtual exhibits you can do so here:
Listen now at www.thenagainpodcast.com!
Summer Camp Highlights
This summer we hosted a day camp exploring Georgia history and a virtual camp about the American Revolution! Students explored history through fun activities, historic crafts, meeting historic characters, and interactive lessons with our Education Director Marie Bartlett.
Special thanks to living history interpreter Richard Burke for his wonderful portrayal of General James Oglethorpe!
During our virtual summer camp, students met a Continental Soldier, a woman Camp Follower, a Loyalist, Benjamin Franklin, and Martha Washington. They made historic crafts like cornhusk dolls as well as historic recipes like Queen’s Cake.
This program was made possible by the Cottrell Digital Studio.
From the Newspaper Archives
Street fairs and carnivals were quite an exciting form of entertainment in Gainesville during the early 1900s! In an article from the Georgia Cracker in 1901, we learned that a five-day fair “of Fun and Frolic” was held by the Sturgis Carnival Company traveling to Gainesville.
The fair was “absolutely free” and included “hourly exhibitions” like Professor Speedy the high diver who “leaps from the summit of a ladder erected 90 feet above the ground” and dives into a “small tank of water.” There was also a “big Ferris wheel, which gives you a novel ride from a giddy height” and an “electric theatre” where you could watch early forms of short motion pictures. Exotic characters like the “Pharaoh’s daughter” and a “the wild man” also entertained audiences.
The fair took place on the public square and was described as being very popular and wholly enjoyed by all who attended.
Seeking Sponsors for 3rd Annual Telethon
Last year, the History Center hosted its second 24 Hour Telethon and raised over $3,000 to support our operations. This year we’re a little more ambitious! We’re setting our goal at $5,000. We’re offering sponsorships to local businesses and organizations to help us meet this goal. Sponsorships begin at just $50 and offer a great way to support local education and promote your organization.
Details are available at www.negahc.org/telethon.
Annual Taste of History: Individual Tickets Now Available
Individual tickets are now available to purchase for our annual Taste of History fundraiser honoring Pillars of the Community. For details, please contact us at info@negahc.org.
This year we'll be honoring four Pillars of the Community, two individuals and two businesses: John Burd, E.E. Butler, Carroll Daniel Construction, and The Norton Agency. Each of these have contributed greatly to Gainesville and Hall County by their vision, their service, and their commitment to improving the quality of life throughout our region.
More details will follow in the coming months, as well as articles spotlighting each of our honorees, but in the meantime mark your calendars!
Sponsorships are available, email glen@negahc.org for more information.
