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Grant
Awarded: November
2006
Type of Grant: We the People Grant
Sponsor:
Monroe County Council CIO Social & Welfare Association
Contact:
L. William Connor, Jr., 734-693-0658, lwconnerjr@mail.com
Website:
www.monroelabor.org/newton_steel/index.htm
Award:
$8,855
(MONROE)-----The
Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) today awarded an $8,855 grant
to the Monroe County Council CIO Social and Welfare Association
for the exhibit, The Nation’s Eyes Are on Monroe: Second
Conflict on the River Raisin. The grant is part of the MHC’s
We Made Michigan … We the People program, created to support
programs which explore avenues of work and labor that define the
Great Lakes state and its citizens. We the People is a special funding
initiative through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
to promote learning and study in the area of history and culture.
Support and resources for the project are also provided by the Steel
Workers Union, Monroe County Historical Museum, Monroe County Library
System, Monroe County Convention & Tourism Bureau, Monroe County
Community College, Wayne State University Walter Reuther Library,
Michigan Labor History Society, and Dr. James DeVries.
“This
program is a unique programming opportunity that will enlighten
audiences about the important historical context of the Monroe Newton
Steel Strike of 1937 to American history,” stated Jan Fedewa,
executive director of the Michigan Humanities Council. “The
Michigan Humanities Council is pleased to support this project’s
engaging public programs.”
The primary component of the The Nation’s Eyes Are on Monroe:
Second Conflict on the River Raisin project will be to create exhibits
to commemorate the historical event. The exhibits will also be used
to complement the educational curriculum developed by the Monroe
County Labor History Museum, including field trips and educational
course packs.
Two
physical exhibits will include artifacts, documents, and supporting
materials that tell the story of the strike. The primary exhibits
will be housed at the Monroe County Labor History Museum. A smaller,
“satellite” exhibit will be located at the River Raisin
Battlefield Visitor Center, 1403 East Elm Ave., Monroe. The satellite
site is the location of the most significant battle of the War of
1812 and where the Newton Steel Strike occurred. Both these exhibits
will open to the public and school groups on May 1. Additionally,
a virtual, online companion exhibit will be created and available
to the public on April 1, 2007.
“When
you look at the collaborating organizations involved in this project
it is very encouraging to see what can be accomplished if everyone
takes a small piece,” said L. William Conner, Jr., the president
of the Monroe County Council CIO Social and Welfare Association.
“This effort helps substantiate the value of a labor history
museum not only in this great labor rich state of Michigan, but
also for the community of Monroe who should benefit from a new dimensional
reason to visit this historical town. This is a great opportunity
to preserve our past struggles and have a better understanding on
how its relevance relates to the standard of living we all enjoy
today and is sometimes taken for granted.“
"This
Michigan Humanities Council grant will provide many in the Monroe
area with the opportunity to learn about an important time in Michigan's
past," said U.S. Senator Carl Levin. "I am happy to support
an investment that will help young people discover our rich history.”
"I
would like to congratulate the Monroe County Council CIO Social
and Welfare Association on being selected for this exclusive grant
from the Michigan Humanities Council,” stated U.S. Representative
John Dingell. “The history of labor and the imprint it has
left on our fine state is of seminal importance to who we are today.
I commend the Monroe County Council CIO Social and Welfare Association
in their endeavor to remember the achievements and honor the struggle
of the labor movement. The Monroe County Labor History Museum is
a valuable asset both to the Southeast Michigan community and the
country as a whole. It presents a unique opportunity to enrich the
community educationally, while also creating another attractive
tourist destination in Historic Downtown Monroe. I am proud to represent
the Museum in Congress and hope that we continue to work together
to uphold Monroe's place in labor history.”
Website:
www.monroelabor.org/newton_steel/index.htm
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