| Take a step back in time next Saturday, May 9, as Linebaugh Public Library holds the Soul of a People celebration, a day-long look at the Great Depression. The library will offer special displays, programs, music and special activities for children during the celebration. Linebaugh Public Library System is sponsoring a series of programs in conjunction with “Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story,” a new television documentary about the Federal Writers’ Project to be broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel HD. The FWP was a small section of President Franklin Roosevelt’s mammoth Works Progress Administration, designed to get America back to work after the Depression. At noon, the library will hold a soup line on the patio next to the children’s room, with a mock Hooverville. During the Great Depression, many of the homeless built shantytowns throughout the country, which were named after President Herbert Hoover, who was blamed for the country’s economic woes. “This is a way for people to learn, first hand, about the hardships people faced during the Depression,” LPLS Director Rita Shacklett said. At 1 p.m. in the Reading Room, Kristine McCusker, MTSU history professor, will give a brief presentation about the Great Depression and the role that the Federal Writers’ Project played in our nation’s recovery. Following this, retired journalist Hank Haines and other local seniors will share their memories of living through the Great Depression. Activities for children will include a game about the 1930s, with a prize to be awarded. During the day, the library will play music and radio programs from the 1930s, including songs by Uncle Dave Macon. Photographs, documents, and other items will be on display, to give a glimpse of what life was like for people who lived during the Depression. In addition, throughout the day, the library will record oral histories with people of all ages, discussing how the Great Depression affected their lives and/or how the current economic situation is affecting them now. The collected histories will be donated to the Albert Gore Research Center at MTSU. The library will also collect these histories during Uncle Dave Macon Days, July 10-12, and by appointment during May and June. To schedule an interview, please call Jerianne Thompson at 615-893-4131. “We encourage everyone, regardless of age, to come and participate. We have a real opportunity through this program for older members of our community to share their experiences with the youth and help them to better understand what is taking place right now in our country. Through these oral histories, we will be creating an important historical record documenting our community’s past in comparison to our current economic climate,” Shacklett said. The Soul of a People Celebration is free and open to all ages. Additional programs will be held at LPLS branches in May through July. For more information on the entire program series, visit www.linebaugh.org/soul.htm or call 615-893-4131. Soul of a People programs are made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life, with support from the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The Soul of a People documentary was produced by Spark Media, Washington DC. Linebaugh Public Library is located at 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. The Library is the cornerstone of our community, enriching lives through free resources for learning, fun, and opportunity. |
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