Programs brought to you by West Branch Public Library in partnership with the Hoover Presidential Foundation!
Lou Henry Hoover’s White House Years
June 15, 2023 6pm
Please register here to receive a link to the webinar
This is the first of a 3-month ‘Best Of ‘ series of 3rd Thursday programs. This program originally aired in May of 2022.
When Lou Henry Hoover moved into the White House on March 4, 1929, she looked forward to using her influence to strengthen the areas that were near and dear to her heart: women’s opportunities; the arts; and private philanthropy. The onset of what we now call the Great Depression challenged Lou’s plans, but she saw new opportunities for serving the nation and remained undaunted.
Lou continued to blaze a trail of achievements that have often been forgotten. She was the first president’s wife to address the nation by radio. She continued the work of updating the White House to accurately reflect its history and documented that work. Lou’s private philanthropy led to the building of a school for children in a remote area of rural Virginia, and she sought out and supported local artisans for a number of special projects.
About the Speaker- Annette Dunlap:
Annette Dunlap has been a North Carolina-based freelance writer for over 30 years. She has written for a variety of publications, including op-eds for the Fayetteville Observer, the Charlotte Observer and The Pilot, in Moore County. She was a freelance reporter for the Asheboro Courier-Tribune, and has been a contributor to inspirational magazines, business publications, and White House History. Annette is the author of Frank: The Story of Frances Folsom Cleveland, America’s Youngest First Lady; The Gambler’s Daughter; and Charles Gates Dawes: A Life. Her biography of Lou Henry Hoover, A Woman of Adventure: The Life and Times of First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, was recenlty released by the University of Nebraska Press.
Annette has appeared on C-SPAN’s first ladies’ series to discuss Frances Cleveland and Lou Henry Hoover, and was a panelist at the Harding Symposium’s “Modern First Ladies” program in 2015. Her research on Frances Folsom Cleveland inspired the development of the program, “First Ladies and the Politics of Fashion,” which has been broadcast on C-SPAN.
Annette holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. She and her husband of 41 years live in North Carolina.
The Lafayette Escadrille
July 20, 2023 6pm
Please register here to receive a link to the webinar
This month, our summer ‘Best Of ‘ series continues with a popular episode from August of 2021, ‘The Lafayette Escadrille,’ with Darroch Greer. A century ago 38 Americans from every walk of life volunteered to fly in the First World War. It was their own idea—to fight in the skies to aid our oldest ally, France, long before the United States entered the war. They were willing to pay the ultimate price. They helped move their reluctant nation to ultimately join the Allies and enter the fight. They were the Lafayette Escadrille. We’ll hear from the film’s director, Darroch Greer along with Paul Glenshaw.
Please watch this 20-minute version of ‘The Lafayette Escadrille’ in preparation for the Third Thursday program.
About the Speaker: Darroch Greer is a documentary filmmaker and historical researcher. He’s written and produced documentaries on the Civil War, Native America, and popular culture for Discovery, the History Channel, PBS and VH1.
Spotlight on the Famous Flour Sacks
August 17, 2023 6pm
Please register here to receive a link to the webinar
This is the 3rd of 3 summertime ‘Best Of ‘ programs. It originally aired in December of 2022 and had one of the highest registrations of all 3rd Thursday programs.
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum’s entire collection of decorated Belgian Relief flour sacks from World War I was subjected to a close examination in June 2022. Annelien van Kempen, visiting researcher from The Netherlands, and Marcus Eckhardt, Hoover Presidential Museum curator, studied every detail and counted 360 it ems in this unique survey of war-time American and Canadian flour sacks, decorated by Belgian schoolgirls, women and artists, mainly in 1915.
They will present what they discovered in their fascinating two-week search in this episode. They share their insights in both the great variety and similarity in sacks, school-projects, flour residues in dresses, patriotic patterns in the embroidery and needlework and delicate lace edges.
They’ll reveal the identity of Belgian schoolgirls who painted and embroidered the sacks. Special attention will be given to paintings of emerging -now famous- Belgian artists and exquisite embroideries, including the “Rooster on the Oak Branch” flour sack from Antwerp that was presented in a manifestation of gratitude to Mr. Herbert Hoover in August 1916. Since June, new WWI decorated flour sacks have come into the museum’s collection, showing there are many more waiting to be discovered!