State history conference comes to Holland Sept. 22-24

The Historical Society of Michigan (HSM) announces that its 143rd Annual Meeting and State History Conference will be held in Holland, Mich., on Sept. 22-24.

The State History Conference celebrates all aspects of Michigan's history and moves to a different location in the Lower Peninsula each year to also explore that area's heritage.

The main sessions of the conference will take place at the Haworth Inn & Conference Center at Hope College, and other events will be held at venues throughout the city. The conference is sponsored by Meijer Inc., the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation, Hope College, the Holland Museum, Van Raalte Press, and the Joint Archives of Holland.

In addition, the State History Awards are presented during the conference. Each year, the Historical Society of Michigan presents a State History Award to those individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the appreciation and understanding of Michigan history.

The three-day conference includes four keynotes - Fatal Crossing: the Disappearance of Flight 2501, Welkom to West Michigan; Flexing West Michigan's Wartime Muscle: The Other Half of Democracy's Arsenal; and Jazz 'Em Up Michigan. Also offered are 12 breakout sessions; four workshops; four tours; the President's Reception, where the State History Awards for books will be presented; the State History Awards Banquet, where the State History Awards for all categories, except books, will be presented; the Closing Banquet; exhibitor tables; and networking opportunities.

Early-bird registration for the State History Conference ends Aug. 20. Standard registration takes place Aug. 21-Sept. 10. Late registration takes place Sept. 11-18. After Sept. 18, registrations will be available only at the door and meal tickets will not be available. Interested parties can register online at hsmichigan.org, by phone at 800-692-1828, by fax or by mail. Registration details and full session descriptions are available in the conference brochure.

The Historical Society of Michigan is the state's oldest cultural organization, founded in 1828 by territorial governor Lewis Cass and explorer Henry Schoolcraft. A nongovernmental nonprofit, the Society focuses on publications, conferences, education, awards and recognition programming, and support for local history organizations to preserve and promote Michigan's rich history.

Published: Thu, Aug 31, 2017