FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 1, 2019
Contact: Wendy Malloy
Museum of History & Industry PR
wendy.malloy@mohai.org
206 324 1126 Ext. 150
Get Out Of The Rain And Cold At MOHAI! Featured Exhibit WW1 America, Special Black History Month Programming, History Café, Maker Days And More
January 1, 2019
All events take place at the museum in Lake Union Park
Seattle, WA – Escape the dark, cold Pacific Northwest days and visit Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). Enjoy dynamic public programs, exhibits, and special events that explore many aspects of Seattle’s past and present, from history and culture to technology and innovation.
Explore the museum’s ongoing programs including the popular History Café, Maker Days, and Living Voices: Journey from the Dust. Experience a rare peek into the Great War in the special exhibit WW1 America as it tells an important story of Seattle’s journey through this turbulent era on view at the museum through February 10. Celebrate Black History Month in February with MOHAI’s special programming and important discussions.
Mark your calendar for MOHAI’s upcoming special exhibit Seattle Style: Fashion/Function, opening May 4 and Seattle Style Month in September. Details coming soon!
UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
SAT JAN 12
Up Close: The War to End All Wars
11 am–3 pm
Free for MOHAI Members (included with admission)
Bring a WWI era artifact and join the conversation about how the Great War impacted life in America. You create the content at this one-day pop-up exhibit. No furniture or firearms. Share the stories that make your heirloom unique. Hear about the important contributions that black soldiers have made towards American history at 1 pm in a special presentation with Jackie Jones-Hook of the Buffalo Soldier Museum, Rob Smith of the National Parks Conservation Association, and historian Stephen Corbett. At 2 pm, delve into the impact of WWI on American women through the lens of voluntary organizations with historian Karen Blair. Hear about the important contributions that black soldiers have made towards American history at 1 pm in a special presentation with Jackie Jones-Hook of the Buffalo Soldier Museum, Rob Smith of the National Parks Conservation Association, and historian Stephen Corbett. At 2 pm, delve into the impact of WWI on American women through the lens of voluntary organizations with historian Karen Blair.
MON JAN 14
The Art of Persuasion: Propaganda Posters from WWI to Today
7 pm
$5 MOHAI Members / $10 General Public
From marketing a war to tackling current social issues, propaganda posters have long served to shift public perception. During WWI, the US recruited famous artists to work for the country’s first propaganda department and convince a nation of the merits of war. Hear from historian Bill Woodward joined by Cleo Barnett and Isabella Sisneros from Amplifier Learn about the power and potential of propaganda posters, both past and present. Enjoy a one-night only viewing of selected posters from MOHAI’s collection. Arrive early for a bite to eat at the South Lake Café before the program, open until 7 pm.
WED JAN 16
History Café: Decoding Art in Seattle’s Public Spaces
6:30 pm
South Lake Café
Free
Walk down any Seattle street, turn the corner, and you’re likely to discover art enhancing the city’s parks, plazas, and waterfront piers. The downtown area alone has more than 350 works of art for all to enjoy. How did Seattle amass such a vast collection? What does it tell us about our city? Join Jim Rupp, author of Art in Seattle’s Public Spaces: From SoDo to South Lake Union, as he weaves through over 100 years of urban art collecting. History Cafe is co-presented with MOHAI, The Seattle Public Library, and HistoryLink.org.
SAT JAN 19
Living Voices: Journey Through the Dust
1 & 2 pm
MOHAI, Joshua Green Foundation Theater
Free for members; included with museum admission Share the story of America’s families confronted by the stock market crash of 1929 and the Dust Bowl. Struggling to keep his family together, one young man experiences the loss of his home, the separation of his family, and economic prejudice.
Suitable for guests 11 years to adult. Living Voices combines live theatrical performances with archival film, turning history into a moving personal journey.
SAT JAN 26
Maker Day: Building Board Games
12 pm
MOHAI
Free for members; included with museum admission
Join local game design studio Forrest-Pruzan Creative in creating your own board game elements and dive into the design, prototyping, and testing process behind what makes a good game great. MOHAI Maker Days explore what it takes to be an innovator. Join us on the last Saturday of each month for a drop-in event that features Seattle’s most innovative makers. From art to crafts to technology–explore the endless possibilities of maker culture!
SAT FEB 2
1 and 2:30 pm
Free for MOHAI Members (included with admission)
Enjoy special screenings of the new film, Labor Wars of the Northwest covering three decades of labor strife in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century. This one-hour documentary reveals the plight of working- class men and women who battled for better wages, reasonable hours and workplace safety. Screenings will be followed by a discussion with director and local historian David Jepsen.
WED FEB 6
Labor Will Feed the People: Celebrating the Seattle General Strike Centennial
6:30 pm
$5 MOHAI Members / $10 General Public
For six days Seattle stood still as thousands of workers walked off the job. Making headlines around the world, the 1919 General Strike inspired others in the labor movement both nationally and internationally. Experience this historic moment through an immersive performance featuring the voices of workers, politicians, businessmen, and live music. The evening will include a pop-up exhibit, hands-on activities, and a post- performance Q & A. Created in collaboration with the UW Labor Archives of Washington, historian James Gregory, playwright Ed Mast, and the Seattle Labor Chorus.
THU FEB 7
Witness to Revolution: The Story of Anna Louise Strong
6 pm
Free First Thursday
Follow the life of author and labor activist Anna Louise Strong in this sweeping documentary. As a reporter she covered the major political revolutions of the 20th century in Russia, Spain, and China. Her political vision took shape in the Pacific Northwest after witnessing the 1916 Everett massacre and chronicling the 1919 Seattle General Strike. Stay after the screening for a discussion with the film director Lucy Ostrander and local historian Stephanie Ogle.
WED FEB 13
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM
Partners in Civic Innovation: The Liberty Bank Building Project
7 pm
$5 MOHAI Members / $10 General Public
In the Central District, the Liberty Bank Building stood as a testament to the resilience of a community facing redlining and racist disinvestment. With the original building gone, a coalition of non-profits formed to make this historic site a model of community-led development, designed to address displacement of the African American community from the Central District. Representatives from Africatown, Byrd Barr Place, Capitol Hill Housing, and the original Liberty Bank will share their inspiration for the project that they developed in partnership with the Black Community Impact Alliance. Learn about the challenges and successes of this model of large-scale civic collaboration.
WED FEB 16
Living Voices: The Right to Dream
1 & 2 pm
MOHAI, Joshua Green Foundation Theater
Free for members; included with museum admission
Witness the struggle and sacrifice for civil rights in America through the eyes of an African American student in Mississippi during the 1950s and 1960s. Living Voices combines live theatrical performances with archival film, turning history into a moving personal journey. Suitable for guests ages 12 and up.
WED FEB 20
History Café: The Seattles That Might Have Been
6:30 pm
South Lake Café
Free
What would Seattle be like with a comprehensive urban rail and subway system? Or a massive park stretching from the shores of South Lake Union to Denny Street? Seattle voters have rejected multiple visions of Seattle. These decisions of how Seattle is—or might have been—shape the way we navigate and inhabit our city today. From Virgil Bogues’ 1911 plan for mass transit to the 1995 Seattle Commons proposal, there have been countless visions of Seattle’s possible future ranging from the prosaic to the fantastical. Join Eric Scigliano as he explores the Seattles that might have been. History Café is co-presented with MOHAI,
SAT FEB 23
12 pm
MOHAI
Free for members; included with museum admission
Learn how to mold silicone with local maker Jeremy Elson. This Maker Day guides guests through the process of designing and casting a food safe silicone mold that can be used for chocolate, ice, and more.
SAT MARCH 16
Living Voices: The New American
1 & 2 pm
MOHAI, Joshua Green Foundation Theater
Free for members; included with museum admission
Share the journey of The New American, from the turmoil of the old country to the promise of America. The immigrant journey includes the steamship passage of 1910, the path through Ellis Island, and the sweatshops of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Learn what American liberty and opportunity means to people around the world. Suitable for guests 10 years (4th grade) to adult.
WED MARCH 20
History Café: Untold Stories from the Chinese Exclusion Act Files
6:30 pm
South Lake Café
Free
For 61 years, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States and prevented those who did from becoming naturalized citizens. Applicants were questioned in detail at US ports of entry about their families and villages in China. This rich, biographical information is now accessible in Seattle, housed at the local office of the National Archives. Hear from National Archives’ volunteer Trish Hackett Nicola about the valuable information found in these files, and from Cathy Lee about how the files helped her uncover her great aunt’s story. History Café is co-presented with MOHAI, The Seattle Public Library, and HistoryLink.org.
SAT MARCH 30
Check the website for details
12 pm
MOHAI
Free for members; included with museum admission
Tinker, experiment, and create alongside Seattle’s most experienced makers at MOHAI’s Maker Days.
LOCATION, HOURS AND ADMISSION
MOHAI is located at 860 Terry Ave. in Seattle. Exhibit gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free on first Thursdays to MOHAI’s regular galleries and open until 8 p.m. WW1 America is accessible at a special rate on first Thursdays of $14.95 for adults, $12.95 for students/seniors and free for active duty military and veterans. Admission to WW1 America is included with regular MOHAI admission of $19.95 for adults, $15.95 for seniors (62 and above); $13.95 for students and military (with ID); free for children 14 and under (when accompanied by an adult) and MOHAI members. As part of the Museums For All program, low-income families can visit MOHAI for a minimal fee of $2 per person with the presentation of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. For more information, call (206) 324-1126.
About MOHAI
MOHAI is dedicated to enriching lives through preserving, sharing, and teaching the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region, and the nation. As the largest private heritage organization in the State of Washington; the museum engages communities through interactive exhibits, online resources, and award-winning public and youth education programs. For more information about MOHAI, please visit mohai.org or call (206) 324-1126.