Public invited to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day Apr. 28 in Calumet

Poster for Workers' Memorial Service to be held Friday, Apr. 28, in Calumet.

CALUMET -- On April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers' Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe jobs.

A Workers' Memorial Service and Community Gathering will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28, near the Italian Hall Memorial at 7th and Elm streets in Calumet. The public is invited to attend a short ceremony to commemorate the workers and children who died in the Italian Hall Tragedy of 1913 and to draw inspiration from the brave Copper Country workers who stood up for workers' rights and safety in the workplace. All are welcome!

Speakers will include the following:

Welcome by Katie Barglind, U.P. Regional Labor Federation

Invocation by Melinda Quivik, Portage Lake United Church

Bill Wanhala, Western UP Community Labor Council

Joanne Thomas, author of the book Across a Century: Annie of Red Jacket

(Laying Flowers)

Closing by Scott Dianda, State Representative, 110th District

If anyone knows how to play the guitar or can sing, a song at the end of the memorial would be welcome. For more information contact Katie Barglind at uprlfcoord@gmail.com or call her at 906-282-1390.

Portage Library to host author of novel on Copper Country 1913 Labor Strike July 23

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library invites everyone to an evening of readings and discussions about the 1913 Copper Country labor strike with Michigan author Donna Searight Simons from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23.

Simons will read excerpts from her book Copper Empire: A Novel About the Copper Country Labor Strike in 1913 -- a compelling work of historical fiction that tells the story of miners and their families as they struggle with dangerous and often deadly working conditions, poor wages, a nine month labor strike, and a Christmas Eve tragedy that forever changed the Copper Country.

In addition to her book, Simons has been published in magazines and newspapers including Lake Superior Magazine. A book signing and selling will follow the presentation, and refreshments will be served. Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Author Steve Lehto to speak on new edition of his book "Death's Door" Aug. 14 at Brownstone Hall

Author Steve Lehto speaks about the 1913 Copper Miners' Strike during his 2012 presentation at the Brownstone Hall in Atlantic Mine. This Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013, Lehto will speak about the new edition of his book Death's Door -- the Truth Behind the Italian Hall Disaster and the Strike of 1913 at the Brownstone Hall during an event again sponsored by the Adams Township School District Foundation, Inc., and the Sarah Sargent Paine Historical Research Center. (Keweenaw Now file photo)*

ATLANTIC MINE -- Author Steve Lehto will discuss the second edition of his book Death's Door -- the Truth Behind the Italian Hall Disaster and the Strike of 1913 during "An Evening with Steve Lehto" from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the Brownstone Hall in Atlantic Mine. The event is open to the public.

The Adams Township School District Foundation, Inc., and the Sarah Sargent Paine Historical Research Center are hosting the event, similar to Lehto's visit that they sponsored in June 2012. In this new lecture, Lehto will update attendees with even more new information on this dark chapter in Michigan's past.

This book is a revised and expanded version of Lehto's 2006 book, Death's Door -- the Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder. This new edition builds on that strong foundation with additional information and new photographs.

In his introduction to this second edition of Death's Door, Steve Lehto writes, "I first worked on this project in the early 2000s, and Death's Door was published in 2006. After the book came out, I continued researching the Italian Hall and the strike while working on other projects. Among other things, I met with countless people who had ties to the story, and many of them had information regarding the events in my book. I also uncovered more evidence regarding what happened at the hall and during the strike. I decided that with the 100th anniversary approaching, it would be appropriate to release an updated and revised version of the book, including everything I know so far.

"And to assure that we never forget how their children were stolen away."

During a book signing at Copper World in Calumet on June 20, 2013, author Steve Lehto chats with customer Delores Aho of Ontonagon about the second edition of his book Death's Door (which she is holding), while Copper World owner Tony Bausano looks on. Lehto was visiting the Copper Country on June 20 for the Italian Hall Ceremony and lectures he gave at Finn Fest.**

Lehto also spoke about his books and gave a book signing at the Brownstone Hall last year for the Adams Township School District Foundation, Inc., and the Sarah Sargent Paine Historical Research Center. The group invited him to return for a second presentation this summer.*

Like the event last year, this Wednesday's event will include discussion, book signing, wine tasting, hors-d'oeuvres, coffee and desserts. Admission is $10, which is tax-deductible and will help support scholarships and projects sponsored by the Sarah Sargent Paine Historical Research Center, which is an affiliate of Adams Township School District Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In addition to scholarships, the Foundation funds are used to provide for teacher and student inspired programs as well as to assist in the preservation and enhancement of school buildings.

Editor's Notes:

* See our June 19, 2013, article about Steve Lehto, which includes video clips and photos from his presentation at Brownstone Hall last year.

** See our July 7, 2013, article with videos and photos of the Italian Hall Ceremony.

Carnegie Museum to host Aug. 13 reception for "Last Days of Italian Hall: Photographs of Calumet's Italian Hall 1981-1988" by Eric Munch

Photographer Eric Munch is pictured here in the Italian Hall Ballroom, Calumet, in September 1983, before the building was demolished. Munch is exhibiting a series of his photos of Italian Hall at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton and will speak at a reception on Aug. 13. (Photo © 2013 and courtesy Eric Munch. Reprinted with permission.)

HOUGHTON -- The Carnegie Museum in downtown Houghton will host a reception for "Last Days of Italian Hall: Photographs of Calumet's Italian Hall 1981-1988" by local photographer Eric Munch from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13. Photographer Munch will speak at 6:30 p.m.

On Christmas Eve 1913, families of striking copper miners gathered in Italian Hall in Calumet, Michigan, for a holiday party. According to several witnesses, someone yelled, "Fire!!" -- and, in the ensuing panic to flee the second story ballroom, 73 people, 59 of them under age 17, were crushed to death in the stairway.

"Last Days of Italian Hall" is a series of 21 photographs, taken by Eric Munch, professional photographer, of Italian Hall before, during, and after its 1984 demolition. Munch first visited the building as a child in 1967 while in Calumet for a family reunion. Though his grandfather and great aunt had attended the 1913 Christmas party, he was at first unaware of the tragic history of the building.

After moving to Calumet in 1980, Mr. Munch photographed the exterior of Italian Hall on several occasions and in 1981 and 1983 he was able to photograph inside the building. In 1984 he documented the demolition and the crowd that gathered to watch as the building was torn down.

Other exhibits at Carnegie Museum

Other exhibits currently at the Carnegie Museum include the following:

"Rural Reflections: Finnish American Buildings and Landscapes in Michigan's Copper Country" -- photographs by Ryan Holt with Historical Narrative by Arnold Alanen.

"Family Ties: Memorials to Those Lost in the 1913 Italian Hall Tragedy" -- an exhibit by the Houghton Keweenaw County Genealogical Society.

"From the Old School: Memories from the Old Houghton High School 1923 - 1989" -- oral histories about life in "the Old School."

The Carnegie Museum is on the corner of Huron and Montezuma in Houghton, Mich. Regular hours are Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. The museum is open to the public and there is no entry fee. For more information email history@cityofhoughton.com or call (906) 482-7140.