Through much of the twentieth century, Black Seattle was synonymous with the Central District--a four-square-mile section near the geographic center of the city. Quintard Taylor explores the evolution of this community from its first few residents in the 1870s to a population of nearly forty thousand in 1970.
Come celebrate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth with Mr. Delbert Richardson as he conducts a special storytelling session in honor of the official emancipation of those enslaved. This program will start with a presentation about the National Award-Winning Unspoken Truths exhibition followed by a special storytelling experience geared towards middle, high school aged students, and adults but open to all. Limited space available, register early.
Explore connections between place, nature, community, and self through poetry writing in this drop-in program, guided by Seattle's Civic Poet, Jourdan Imani Keith. Stop by the poetry pop-up table and learn how to write memorable lines inspired by the images in Ansel Adams: Masterworks and Perspectives on Place: Photographs from Here.
Join local author and illustrator Susanna Ryan, creator of Seattle Walk Report, as she shares stories from the overlooked history that helped shape street-level Seattle—from coal chutes in Capitol Hill to lampposts in Pioneer Square. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Ryan's process for researching and creating her books, Seattle Walk Report and Secret Seattle, and learn ways that you can begin to discover the hidden wonders in your own neighborhood.
For Family History Month, the MOHAI Mercantile welcomes Kathy Mills Rozzini to discuss her book History of Alaska Airlines: The First Eleven Years 1932-1943. Kathy is the granddaughter of Steve Mills, founder of Star Air Service, which later became the aviation giant Alaska Airlines. Hear about the exciting process of researching and writing her family history, and the dramatic story of her grandfather's life.
Join the MOHAI Mercantile for a reading of Trailblazing Black Women of Washington State with author Marilyn Morgan. Also joining her in conversation will be featured trailblazer, Cynthia Tucker, historian of the Washington State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs.
Comics might seem like a modern invention, but visual storytelling has existed longer than the written word in forms ranging from cave paintings to tapestries to masks. Join local historians and comic makers for a discussion about the long history of sequential art, how we define comics, and how the medium can transform the way we tell and interpret history. Panelists include author Tamiko Nimura, Fantagraphics Editor Kristy Valenti, and Fantagraphics Co-Founder Gary Groth.
In the 1950s, the US government targeted many activists, organizers and intellectuals in the name of fighting communism. One target of investigation was Carlos Bulosan, the Seattle-based Filipino American writer and labor organizer. Drawing from his new book, Menace to Empire: Anticolonial Solidarities and the Transpacific Origins of the US Security State, UW Professor Moon-Ho Jung will situate the FBI's investigation of Bulosan's political activities around radical anticolonial movements across the Pacific.
One of the largest communities of Jews from the Ottoman Empire in America, Seattle's Sephardic Jews have made a notable impact on the city's urban fabric-from the Central District to Pike Place and beyond. Join UW Professor Devin E. Naar for a discussion on the obstacles, opportunities, and changes encountered by Seattle's Sephardic Jewish community in the 20th Century.
Join author Nora Nickum in conversation with Lynne Barre, NOAA recovery coordinator for Southern Resident killer whales, and Sebastian Ford, high school sophomore and Seattle Aquarium Youth Ocean Advocate as they discuss Nora's new young adult book Superpod and the future of the Puget Sound's orca population.
Join author, Cindy Wong, for an in-person reading of Starhug, a magical and uplifting story for all ages and the inner child in us all.
A Cancer Patient's Wife is a fictionalized account of navigating the labyrinth of cancer care, handling the emotional upheaval of a cancer diagnosis and honoring the vows we make to ourselves and to one another. Author Maren Higbee will read and discuss how her real life inspired this insightful story. Book signing to follow.