History Graduate Students' Museum Presentations

Event Date: 
Tuesday, February 28, 2023 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm EST
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Museum (25 Donald St. E.) and Online
Event Fee: 
Free. Everyone is welcome.

Every year the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society is proud to host a lecture presented by graduate students from the Lakehead University Department of History.  

This year current Master of Arts in History students Christine Green and Haileigh Riddell will be presenting (abstracts and bios below). This will be an in-person event that can also be viewed online via ZOOM. Their presentations will also be posted to the Museum's YouTube channel at a later date. 

Instructions about how to watch live online can be found at https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-5093925

Presentation Information:

"Constructing a Collective Past: Locating Indigenous Histories in Local Narratives" - Christine Green
Abstract: Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #67 calls for the federal government to undertake a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and make recommendations. Of specific importance is UNDRIP Article 15.1, outlining Indigenous peoples’ right to have their cultures, traditions, and histories appropriately represented in education and public information.

One of the main ways the public interacts with Canadian history is through museums and public history initiatives. So, the question becomes what representations of Indigenous histories are being presented in museums? This presentation will examine exhibition and programming practices in museums located in Northwestern Ontario in order to analyze the collective imagining of community histories in relation to Indigenous peoples. By examining exhibits, programming, and outreach materials at various museums across Northwestern Ontario a pattern of representation emerges where Indigenous histories are relegated to the fur trade era and earlier. This presentation will examine why this pattern exists, what museums are doing to correct it, and what museums need in order to support the major changes required.

Speaker Bio: Christine Green is MA student at Lakehead University and is completing her thesis on Indigenous representation in community museums in Northwestern Ontario. She has worked in several community and specialized museums. She also works as a high school teacher for both the Superior-Greenstone and Lakehead School Boards.

"Eugenics: A comparison of Ontario and Alberta while examining the connection to Northwestern Ontario" - Haileigh Riddell
Abstract: A comparative look at the Eugenics Society of Canada, based in Ontario, and the Alberta Eugenics Board and the connection to Northwestern Ontario. In comparing the two provincial eugenic organizations, the talk explores the similarities and differences in key policies, legislation, and public sentiment, while discussing the lasting impact of eugenic practices in Canada.

Speaker Bio: Haileigh Riddell is currently pursuing her MA in History at Lakehead University and holds an HBA in History with a minor in Criminology at Lakehead. She is also a Canada Graduate Scholarship – SSHRC recipient. Her MA research examines settler-colonial health interactions. She is focusing on eugenics in Canada, with a specific interest in Ontario and Alberta.

 

The 2022-2023 Thunder Bay Historical Museum lecture series is sponsored by Lakehead University's Department of History.

Places and Faces: Gathering Older Adults’ Stories of Connecting, Belonging, Placemaking in Thunder Bay

Event Date: 
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 - 8:00pm to 9:00pm EDT
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Museum (25 Donald St. E.) and Online
Event Fee: 
Free. Everyone is welcome.

Nancy Angus will present "Places and Faces: Gathering Older Adults’ Stories of Connecting, Belonging, Placemaking in Thunder Bay." More information will be posted in the coming month. 

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

The 2022-2023 Thunder Bay Historical Museum lecture series is sponsored by Lakehead University's Department of History.

Virtual Lecture: Waiting Out the War on the Shore of Lake Superior

Event Date: 
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm EST
Event Location: 
Online via Zoom
Event Fee: 
Free. Everyone is welcome.

Please join the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society for a virtual lecture from Dr. Michael O'Hagan on Camp 100 (Neys). This will be a virtual event that is free to view.

This presentation will explore the history of Camp 100, an internment camp situated on the coast of Lake Superior, from its inception in 1941 to its eventual closing in 1946. Tracing the camp's history from its origins as an internment camp for German combatant officers, I will examine how the camp was repurposed to house Enemy Merchant Seamen and Civilian Internees and, later, some of the most extreme Nazi prisoners interned in Canada. Relying heavily on archival records and historical photographs, I will explore what daily life was like for hundreds of German POWs who unexpectedly found themselves living on the North Shore of Lake Superior. 

 Dr. Michael O'Hagan is a historian researching German POWs in Canada during the Second World War. He completed his PhD in History at Western University in London, Ontario in 2020 and his dissertation focused on the employment of German POWs in labour projects scattered across Canada. He continues researching POWs in Canada and publishes his research on his blog, www.powsincanada.ca.

 

ZOOM INFORMATION: 

 
The 2022-2023 Thunder Bay Historical Museum lecture series is sponsored by Lakehead University's Department of History

 

Naming the New City at the Lakehead

Event Date: 
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm EST
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Museum (25 Donald St. E.) and Online
Event Fee: 
Free. Everyone is welcome.

How did Thunder Bay get its name? Why were two almost identical names placed on the ballot when citizens were asked to make their choice from three options in the 1969 plebiscite? Was the result contrived by local and provincial politicians who wanted a clean break with the past? Or was it a genuine expression of the electors’ will?

Dr. Peter Raffo seeks answers and discovers some interesting new evidence.

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

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Peter RaffoSince 1970, Peter has maintained a continuing interest in the amalgamation of the Twin Cities. He has published several articles in Papers and Records on the history and consequences of this seminal event in the life of Thunder Bay. In 1995 he oversaw the creation of an Oral History of Amalgamation, which included interviews with politicians, city administrators and staff who had been involved in the process.

 

 

ZOOM INFORMATiON:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83981463734?pwd=UlRFSTl4RGVMZ3hCcU5SRVZUSk5OUT09

Passcode: 530127

The 2022-2023 Thunder Bay Historical Museum lecture series is sponsored by Lakehead University's Department of History.

Mining Country: A History of Canada’s Mines and Miners

Event Date: 
Monday, May 30, 2022 - 7:30pm to 8:30pm EDT
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Museum (25 Donald St. E.)
Event Fee: 
Free. Everyone is welcome.
Event Contact Name: 
Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu
Event Contact Phone: 
343-8010 ext 7928
Event Contact E-mail: 

The Department of History, Department of Geography and the Environment, and the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration invite you to join the authors of Mining Country: A History of Canada’s Mines and Miners, Drs. Arn Keeling and John Sandlos, who will discuss the history of mining in Canada and how the industry has shaped the country.

There are countless mining towns across Canada and each one has played an important role in mining history. Arn and John will talk specifically about how mining in Northern Ontario has shaped both local and national history.

This will be an in-person and virtual event.  This event will be recorded for rebroadcast later.

To register and find out how to take part virtually, go to https://thunderbaymuseum1.wildapricot.org/event-4837411?fs=e&s=cl

This event is brought to you by the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, Department of Geography and the Environment, the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and ExplorationJames Lorimer & Co Ltd, and the Department of History.

Speaker Bios:

John Sandlos is a professor of history at Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a research focus on the history of abandoned mines in Northern Canada. He is the author of Hunters at the Margin and co-editor (with Arn Keeling) of Mining and Communities in Northern Canada: History, Politics, Memory. He lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

Arn Keeling is a professor of geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland. His research examines the environmental legacies of abandoned mines, mine closure and remediation, and the social issues surrounding environmental contamination and its effects on northern Indigenous communities. He co-directed the Toxic Legacies Project with John Sandlos, conducting community-engaged research on the history and legacy of Giant Mine. He lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Lakehead University History Graduate Students' Museum Presentations

Event Date: 
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 - 7:30pm to 9:30pm EST
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Historical Museum
Event Fee: 
Free
Event Contact Name: 
Mr. Scott Bradley
Event Contact E-mail: 

Every year the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society is proud to host a lecture presented by graduate students from the Lakehead University Department of History.  This year's 2021-2022 students are Hanna Johnson and Sierra Lemonius-Walker. 

This will be a in-person event that is free to view.  Pre-registration with the TBHMS is required for in-person attendees. The lecture will be broadcast live via ZOOM for those who cannot attend in-person and recorded and posted to the Museum's YouTube

 Hanna Johnson

 

 Hanna Johnson was born and raised in Thunder Bay, and recently finished her MA in history.  She also holds an HBA in Political Science and History with a minor is Philosophy from Lakehead University. Her research focuses on the influence of religion on Swedish culture and its social development in Thunder Bay.  Her presentation explores the Swedish population at the Lakehead and its relationship with Protestantism.  Focusing on research into the church records of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church, and St. Ansgarius Scandinavian Anglican Church, the talk explores the demographic information provided in the church ledgers and discusses the conclusions that can be made about the community at the turn of the century.

 Sierra Lemonius-Walker

 

Sierra Lemonius-Walker has an HBSC in Anthropology and a BA in History from Lakehead University, and is soon to be an MA graduate in History.  Her MA research examines the incorporation of multiculturalism by the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, and her presentation focuses on the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society's role in heritage and citizenship in an increasingly multicultural Canada.  In exploring multiculturalism within the Thunder Bay Museum, the talk explores the purpose of public history, its relationship to heritage, and how it is shared with the public. 

This lecture session is part of the Society's long tradition of holding free public lectures. Talks on a wide range of topics are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum from September to April.

2021-2022 Thunder Bay Museum lecture series is sponsored by the Lakehead University Department of History.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONTARIO PROVINCIAL REQUIREMENTS ALL ATTENDEES OLDER THAN 5 YEARS WILL NEED TO SHOW PROOF, AT THE TIME OF ENTRY TO THE MUSEUM, OF VACCINATION FOR COVID-19 USING A QR CODE.  MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ACQUIRE THE QR CODE: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/get-proof/

 

Free Event - Dr. Brian McLaren – Travelling West and East from Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods

Event Date: 
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - 7:30pm to 9:30pm EST
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Historical Museum ONLINE
Event Fee: 
Free Attendance ONLINE
Event Contact Name: 
Mr. Scott Bradley
Event Contact E-mail: 

Dr. Brian McLaren – Travelling West and East from Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods

The lecture will be broadcast live via ZOOM for those who cannot attend in-person and recorded and posted to the Museum's YouTube at a later date.  

Encompassing the traditional territories of eleven First Nations, spanning many more small communities of Indigenous Anishinaabe, two Treaty areas, and three communities of the Métis Nation of Ontario, the Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods proposed Canadian Heritage River spans five Ontario Provincial Parks (Goose Island, Kakabeka Falls, Sandpoint Island, Silver Falls, and Quetico) and a Conservation Reserve (Rainy Lake Islands), and is an integral part of commerce, culture and recreation past and present, and includes two regional centres, Fort Frances and Thunder Bay, and numerous municipalities.

Dr. McLaren is a faculty member in Natural Resources Management at Lakehead University. Here, he teaches wildlife science and management, and has undergraduate and graduate students engaged in projects related to habitat or behavioural study of ungulates, leading to over 50 papers and book chapters on these topics. He works part time in Ecuador, where he expanded his interests in ecosystem study to include agroecology and traditional ecological knowledge in Indigenous communities, work he has also carried out in First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, related to food and Land sovereignty.

This lecture session is part of the Society's long tradition of holding free public lectures. Talks on a wide range of topics are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum from September to April.

2021-2022 Thunder Bay Museum lecture series is sponsored by the Lakehead University Department of History.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONTARIO PROVINCIAL REQUIREMENTS ALL ATTENDEES OLDER THAT 11 YEARS WILL NEED TO SHOW PROOF, AT THE TIME OF ENTRY TO THE MUSEUM, OF DOUBLE VACCINATION FOR COVID-19, PROOF OF NEGATIVE RAPID ANTIGEN COVID-19 TEST FROM NO MORE THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE THE EVENT, OR A WRITTEN DOCTORS NOTE OF MEDICAL EXEMPTION FROM RECEIVING THE VACCINE.

Free Public Lecture - Bill Reist – Bawlf and Stewart Grain Elevators Construction

Event Date: 
Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 7:30pm to 9:30pm EST
Event Location: 
Thunder Bay Historical Museum
Event Fee: 
Free
Event Contact Name: 
Mr. Scott Bradley

Free Public Lecture - Bill Reist – Bawlf and Stewart Grain Elevators Construction

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

Join the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society and our partner the Friends of the Grain Elevators as Bill Reist presents the fascinating construction of the twin Bawlf and Stewart grain elevators simultaneous construction in the summer of 1923.

More information and the link to watch the webinar can be found at this webpage: https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/lecture-bawlf-and-stewart-elevators-construction/

  • Free Museum Admission during the event
  • Refreshments will be available

In Accordance With Ontario Provincial Requirements All Attendees Older That 11 Years Will Need To Show Proof, At The Time Of Entry To The Museum, Of Double Vaccination For Covid-19, Proof Of Negative Rapid Antigen Covid-19 Test From No More Than 48 Hours Before The Event, Or A Written Doctors Note Of Medical Exemption From Receiving The Vaccine.

2021-2022 Thunder Bay Museum lecture series is sponsored by the Lakehead University Department of History. This lecture session is part of the Society's long tradition of holding free public lectures. Talks on a wide range of topics are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum from September to April. 

If you missed the beginning of this year’s sponsored lecture series here are some links to the September and October Recordings:

September Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAYSA4WCme0

John Potestio: Becoming Canadian: Memories of an Italian Immigrant.

October Recording: https://youtu.be/IewIqUgyAEA

Beth Hanna: The path to a more inclusive narrative: sharing experiences

Remembrance Day Thursday, November 11, 2021 Livestream

Event Date: 
Thursday, November 11, 2021 - 10:30am to 3:00pm EST
Event Location: 
ONLINE with Research TV
Event Fee: 
Free Attendance ONLINE
Event Contact Name: 
Dr. Ronald Harpelle
Event Contact E-mail: 

The Department of History and Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple are partnering with ResearchTV to present a Remembrance Day livestream honouring the 100th anniversary of the poppy.

Please join us Thursday, November 11, at 10:30 am for a full day of events featuring films, interviews, and ceremonies.

https://vimeo.com/event/1444188

Free Public Lecture - 100th Anniversary of Chippewa Park

Event Date: 
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 - 8:00pm to 10:30pm EDT
Event Location: 
ONLINE with The Thunder Bay Historical Museum
Event Fee: 
Free Attendance ONLINE only
Event Contact Name: 
Scott Bradley
Event Contact Phone: 
(807) 623-0801
Event Contact E-mail: 

Chippewa Park is celebrating its 100th Anniversary of the official opening of the park in 1921. The presentation will provide a snapshot of the last 100 years along with a glint into its future. The presentation will also highlight the restoration work undertaken by the organization especially the recent work in the restoration of the 106 year old C.W. Parker Carousel.

Guest speaker Iain Angus is the Secretary and Project Manager for The Friends of Chippewa Park. He has a background in public service including being elected to all three orders of Government as well as working for both the Recreation and Parks departments of the City of Thunder Bay. As a consultant he developed feasibility studies for a number of municipalities and First Nations in the Northwest as well as conducting transportation and forest operation research. He is a founding director of The Friends of Chippewa Park and considers the park his ‘neighbourhood’ as he was raised at the park as his family operated the Tourist Camp from 1945 to 1970.


 

This lecture session is part of the Society’s long tradition of holding free public lectures. Talks on a wide range of topics are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Thunder Bay Museum from September to April.  When the lectures are able to be held in person light refreshments are served after the speaker’s presentation. 

2020-2021 Thunder Bay Museum lecture series is sponsored by the Lakehead University Department of History.

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