In case you didn’t know, we post an unidentified photo each month on the Archives & Photos page. This is also the same photo that is listed in Mature Lifestyles magazine. We ask that you contact us if you can help identify the people or place. This month’s photo is 1962 Golden Gloves Champions. We [...]
…find it all in Fulton Street Cemetery! Last night’s tour, a part of the jam-packed summer schedule for GR Reads, was a smashing success with 140 people turning out to learn a bit more about our fair city. Tom Dilley, a walking GR history encyclopedia, kept the crowd entertained with rich stories that brought our [...]
Earlier this week we received a wonderful piece of Grand Rapids Public Library History. A man in Colorado came upon a bookmark from 1943 created by the Library and Greater Grand Rapids Safety Council. On each side there are facts about safety. One side on pedestrian safety and the other side on fatalities during accidents [...]
The Vander Veen Center for the Book of the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council co-sponsored a program and a guided walking tour on Sarturday, March 6th. Both organizations were thrilled that 116 people came to learn more about women’s history in Grand Rapids. The walking tour was based [...]
It’s Sugarbush time in Michigan! We are lucky to live in the small part of the world where sugar maple trees abound and the weather conditions are perfect for tapping maple sap and making maple syrup and sugar. Every March, Blandford Nature Center, on Grand Rapids’ west side, taps hundreds of trees and gives Sugarbush [...]
Have you been blessed with a box of Grandma’s old photos? Does your dad tell great stories that you’d like to preserve? Does someone in your family have a significant birthday or anniversary coming up? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then you should plan on coming to the Library on Tuesday, [...]
When I saw the June 19, 2009 Grand Rapids Press article entitled Researcher Gives Voice to Former Slave’s Story I thought, “she might be a good speaker for a Library event.” The rest is, as they say, history. Join us on Tuesday, February 16, as we explore African American history in the state of Michigan [...]
No, not the university. I am talking about us, the state of Michigan. Did you know we played a huge role in helping people escape slavery? According to Professor Veta Tucker, “the Michigan network was so successful that their resistance was often cited in Congress as the debate raged for passing a new Fugitive Slave [...]
Have you ever thought about researching your family tree? Does the project seem overwhelming? Then join us for Creating a Family History on Tuesday, February 2. Donna Odom, President of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, will present a free workshop. The workshop is open to everyone, although Donna will address research challenges specific to [...]
Tuesdays in February that is. The African American Heritage Committee has put together a great series of speakers on topics that will interest anyone with a passion for history. Each Tuesday night in February, the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections department will be offering a brief tour of their resources. If you’re curious about [...]
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Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone (616) 988 5400
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