The Thunder Bay Museum will present a screening of Under the Red Star on 4 December at 7:00pm.  Directed by award-winning filmmaker and Lakehead lecturer Kelly Saxberg, this film explores the evolution of the Finnish Labour Temple--the largest monument to Finnish immigration in North America.  This screening coincides with the Museum's new exhibit on the Finnish Labour Temple that provides an even deeper examination of this key chapter of local, regional, and national history.  Attendance at the screening is $12 for non-members and $10 for Society members.  Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-6417509.

The Department of History is pleased to announce the premiere of The View From Up Here, a satirical and educational documentary series on the history of the Lakehead. One episode of the series will be shown at the Vox Popular Film Festival on September 18 at 7:00pm at the Definitely Superior Art Gallery. The series is the result of a collaboration among Department of History members Tom Peotto, Ron Harpelle, and Kelly Saxberg. Nathan Hatton, a former member of the department, and several former students also played roles in the development of this series. The series is an example of what can be done with “found footage,” a solid background in history, and a desire to educate. For those who cannot attend the premiere, the episode will be available from Sept 20-26 on researchtv.ca and the full series will be broadcast later this year. Bring your friends to see what can be done with a bit of history.

Adam Chapnick and Asa McKercher’s latest book Canada First, not Canada Alone: A History of Canadian Foreign Policy tells the story of a country that has traditionally benefited from diplomatic prudence and compromise even as its citizens have yearned for their elected officials to be world leaders. It argues that, like any country, Canada must look out for its own interests first, but in the modern world it can’t do so effectively without cooperating with other states and non-state actors. Join Chapnick for a discussion of what Canada’s foreign policy past can tell us about how Ottawa might best navigate an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world.

This event will be in-person with a virtual attendance option. To register, please go to  https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-6036661

Refreshments will be available during the event and admission is free for all attendees.

Speaker’s Bio: Dr. Adam Chapnick is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and the deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College. He holds a BA (Honours) from Trent University, an MA in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, and a PhD in History from the University of Toronto. He is the award-winning author or editor of nine books and over 50 academic essays and book chapters. He is also a regular commentator in the public realm. He has appeared as a foreign policy expert on Global News, CTV News, CBC News, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and CBC radio, and has testified as an expert witness before The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

This presentation is made possible by the Canadian International Council – Thunder Bay Branch and co-sponsored by Lakehead University’s Department of History and the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society.

Join us on 28 January at 7:30pm for a presentation by Bryan Wyatt on "The Rise and Fall of Thunder Bay's Two Professional Sports Franchises in the 1990s."

Bryan will discuss the rise of professional hockey and baseball in Thunder Bay in the 1990s. It will look at the development of the Thunder Bay Thunder Bay Hawks, which went on to be the Thunder Bay Senators and Thunder Bay Thunder Cats before the franchise was eventually sold and moved to Rockford, Illinois. He will also discuss the development of the independent Northern Baseball League, and the ensuring history of the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks. The franchise went through a couple of ownership changes, and eventually led to a re-location to Schaumberg, Illinois. The lecture will also focus on the similarities of the professional organizations, and the impacts on both fan bases, increasing cost of operation due to a large part of the businesses located in the United States and the eventual demise of both franchises as a locally-operated entity.

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-5968101/Registration 

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 25 February at 7:30pm for a presentation by graduate student Rachel Kakegamic and Dr. Steven Jobbit on "Revolt at the Lakehead: Stories of Resistance and Dissent during the "Long" 1968."

This presentation explores social and political resistance and dissent at the Lakehead between the mid 1960s and the mid 1970s, a tumultuous period in world history referred to by some scholars as the "long" 1968. Situating local movements and events within a national and global context, Rachel Kakegamic and Steve Jobbitt survey the breadth of activism at the Lakehead and across Northwestern Ontario more generally, and examine the extent to which local activists were informed by radical developments nationally and globally that reached a peak with the student and worker rebellions that broke out throughout the Global North in 1968.

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-5874531

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 28 January at 7:30pm for a presentation by Bryan Wyatt on "Sports in Thunder Bay."

Bryan will discuss the rise of professional hockey and baseball in Thunder Bay in the 1990s. It will look at the development of the Thunder Bay Thunder Bay Hawks, which went on to be the Thunder Bay Senators and Thunder Bay Thunder Cats before the franchise was eventually sold and moved to Rockford, Illinois. He will also discuss the development of the independent Northern Baseball League, and the ensuring history of the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks. The franchise went through a couple of ownership changes, and eventually led to a re-location to Schaumberg, Illinois. The lecture will also focus on the similarities of the professional organizations, and the impacts on both fan bases, increasing cost of operation due to a large part of the businesses located in the United States and the eventual demise of both franchises as a locally-operated entity.

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-5968101 

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 26 November at 7:30pm for a presentation by Gerard Boyer on "The Early French History of Thunder Bay."

More information will be posted in the coming month. 

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/events/public-lectures/

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 24 September at 7:30pm for a presentation by Elder Shelia DeCorte on Water Walks.Elder De Corte will be sharing her personal experience and stories as a local Water Walker.  She will be defining what a water walker is and isn't and most importantly bringing awareness to the importance or water. 

Sheila De Corte is an Ojibwe Elder and knowledge keeper from Animkii Wajiw (Thunder Mountain/Mount McKay) located in Fort William First Nation in the Robinson Superior Treaty Territory of 1850. Her Spirit name is Niibin Giimiwan (Summer Rain), and she is from the Turtle Clan. Sheila was born and raised in the city of Fort William/Thunder Bay, Ontario. She retired from the Federal Public Service in January 2020 to allow her the freedom to follow her cultural spirit wherever that may lead her.

Sheila’s Anishinaabe way of living continues to pull her into many cultural related areas, which includes walking for the water in ceremony. She was first called to the water in 2017 when she joined the water walkers, “For the Earth and Water”, which later brought forward a vision to bring water down from Loc Lomond Lake, located on the sacred mountain of Anemki Wajiw, to help bring healing to the local rivers. With the support and guidance from the late Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, “For Love of the Rivers” water walks began in 2018 and continue today. Now as “For Love of the Rivers 2.0” following a commitment and promise to continue the work that our Grandmother Water Walker started in 2003.

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-5780456

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 22 October at 7:30pm for a presentation by Elder Ma-Nee Chacaby on Two Spirit & Pride movement.

More information will be posted in the coming month. 

This presentation will be in-person and online. Complete information and how to register can be found at https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/events/public-lectures/

This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History. 

Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Join us on 23 January for presentation by current and recent graduate students Taylor Mae Laughton, Aja Mayer, and Bronwyn Chesterfield 

The Journey to A New Life: War Brides’ Journey to the Lakehead
Aja Mayer and Bronwyn Chesterfield will discuss War Brides’ journey to the Lakehead after the Second World War. Often, war brides’ stories are romanticized and remembered as triumphant love stories. Our presentation will examine these women’s journey to get to Canada and their lives once they arrived in their new homes. Our presentation will showcase the challenges the women endured, their lives and legacies. We will take a look at some of the War Brides that arrived here at the Lakehead after the Second World War and their experiences here.

Conscription at the Lakehead: Fort William and Port Arthur During the First World War
Taylor Mae Laughton will speak on the impact of the First World War and the wartime leadership of Sir Robert Borden on the residents of Fort William and Port Arthur.

This will be an in-person event that is free to view.  The 2 lectures will be broadcast live via ZOOM for those who cannot attend in person and recorded and then posted to the Museum's YouTube at a later date.  

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR

Speaker Bios: 

Aja Mayer is a Master of History Student at Lakehead University. She was born and raised in Thunder Bay. After completing my Masters, Aja plans to enter the Social Justice Master’s program at Lakehead University to combine her knowledge of history with her passion for creating a better community for all.

Bronwyn Chesterfield is a Master of History student at Lakehead University. She doing her Master’s Project on Reconnaissance during the Second World War following the 29th South Alberta Regiment. She has her Bachelor of Education and wants to be a teacher after I finish my Masters.

Taylor Laughton was born and raised in O'Connor Township near Kakabeka Falls, Ontario and will be graduating with an MA in History from Lakehead University in the spring of 2024. Taylor also holds an HBA in History & Political Science with a minor in English and a specialization in Military History from Lakehead University. Taylor's current research focuses on the impact of the First World War and the wartime leadership of Sir Robert Borden on Fort William and Port Arthur.

This presentation is part of the 2023-24 Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society’s Lecture Series sponsored by the Department of History.  Since 1908, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society has been regularly holding talks on a wide range of topics on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum (425 Donald Street East) from September to April. All presentations are free and open to the public.