Birmingham Public Library — Central
These programs are held
at 12:00 p.m. in the 3rd floor Arrington Auditorium of the Linn-Henley Building. The library
provides beverages. For additional information call (205) 226-3604
May 4 - History of Anti-Semitism
Dr. Robert Corley, Director of UAB Center for Urban Affairs, helps us
understand the Holocaust beginnings by understanding the environment that
sparked it. We examine the roots and progression of anti-Semitism
throughout the ages.
May 11 - Mr. Max Herzel, a Holocaust Survivor, Speaks
At the age of 10, Max Herzel along with his family, escaped from the
German invasion of their home city of Antwerp, Belgium, and sought refuge
in France. Soon after their arrival in France, the Herzel’s along with
other Jews were rounded up there, and during the next five years until his
rescue, Herzel faced harrowing experiences.
May 18 - Literature of the Holocaust
Jacksonville State University’s Professor of English, Dr. Steve Whitton,
will examine the fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama that portray
events during the Holocaust. Emphasis will be given to classics of
Holocaust literature as well as new works.
May 25 - Music of the Holocaust
Michael Korn, violinist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, will
present selections from E. Bloch, J. Achron and other music associated
with the Holocaust. Accompaniment and commentary will be provided by Dr.
Lester Seigel, Associate Professor of Music, Birmingham Southern College.
June 1 - Storyteller Extraordinaire
Once again we are privileged to feature Dolores Hydock at our noontime
program. Hydock is Birmingham’s own acclaimed actress and storyteller. She
will combine these talents in a solo theatrical presentation of summertime
stories. Hydock always leaves her audiences wanting more.
June 8 - Come Clown Around!
Clowns are fun and fascinating - and they do wonderful work. Join us
for a demonstration and discussion of the wonderful work done by local
clowns in hospitals and other areas where they make a difference.
June 15 - On Guard!
Watch the Birmingham Fencing Club in action and learn about the
venerable sport and art of sword play. David Arias, President of the
Birmingham Fencing Club, will discuss the club, its activities, modern
fencing, and will give a demonstration. Warning: this is not like watching
Errol Flynn or Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean; it is more
intense.
June 22 - Do-Good Feel-Good Vacation Getaways
Ever wish you could have more to show for your holiday getaway than a
good tan? Consider taking a "volunteer vacation" and contribute to the
community as well as have a great time. The choices run the gamut from
teaching English to helping conserve natural resources. Albert Anson of
International Expeditions will be your guide in exploring the
possibilities of this increasingly popular alternative to the typical
vacation trip.
June 29 - Birmingham’s Own Antiques Road Show
Please join us for our version of the Antiques Road Show. We are very
fortunate to have Birmingham’s own Bill Carner as our appraiser. Carner is
a certified member of the International Society of Appraisers in the area
of antiques and residential contents. Bring an item you would like to know
more about. No coins or stamps please.
July 6 - Divine Favor and Sin: Lessons from the Slaveholding South
Confederate politicians saw the creation of their nation as a
perfection of the work of America’s founding fathers. In their eyes, the
new southern republic would be a country with an innovative constitution
and without political parties. It would also be a place where African
Americans would remain enslaved. In this lecture, University of Alabama
history professor George Rable will discuss Jefferson Davis and the
Confederacy in an attempt to better understand the complex history of the
secessionist South. This talk is part of the Alabama Humanities Foundation
Speaker in the House Program.
July 13 - "Every Man Should Consider his Own Conscience": Alabama’s
Reaction to the Lincoln Assassination
Abraham Lincoln was murdered in April 1865, just days after Robert E.
Lee's surrender at Appomattox. The president’s supporters reacted to news
of his death with horror while some of Lincoln's opponents, even in the
north, celebrated his demise. How did the people of Alabama view Lincoln's
assassination? University of Alabama at Birmingham historian Harriet Amos
Doss will explore this question using evidence drawn from historical
documents and newspapers of the time.
July 20 -"John Wilkes Booth is Not Dead!": Birmingham’s Louise Wooster
and the Strange Afterlife of Lincoln’s Assassin
Birmingham’s famous 19th-century madam, Louise Wooster, claimed John
Wilkes Booth as the great love of her life. She also insisted that Booth
had not been killed in the days following Lincoln’s assassination, but
survived and an impostor was buried in Booth’s grave. In this talk,
Birmingham Public Library archivist Jim Baggett explores the likelihood of
a relationship between Wooster and Booth, and the enduring myth of Booth's
escape and a government conspiracy to fake his death.
July 27 - "No Army Without Music": The Songs of the Civil War
The Confederate and Union armies would serenade each other across the
lines at night and then slaughter one another in the morning. Within the
songs of the time – depiction of battles, comic treatments of army life,
sentimental ballads, and patriotic anthems – we discover the attitudes,
values, and beliefs of a nation at war with itself. Join Michael Lasser,
lecturer; writer; critic; teacher; and host of the nationally syndicated,
Peabody Award winning, public radio show Fascinatin' Rhythm for this
fascinating program.
July BPL programs will be held in conjunction with the following
exhibit:
Organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, and the
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York City, New York, in
cooperation with the American Library Association Public Programs Office.
This exhibition has been made possible by a major grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities, promoting excellence in the humanities.
Emmet
O’Neal Library (Mountain Brook)
The Brown Bag Lunch Series is held every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.
Bring a sack lunch. Beverage and dessert provided by the Library. Call
(205) 879-0459 for program details.
May 4 - Video - Jazz (Pt. 1)
May 11 - Video - The Conquistadors (Pt.
1)
May 18 - Video - The Conquistadors (Pt. 2)
May 25 - Speaker - Mystery writer
Charlotte Powell
June 1 - Jazz (Pt.2)
June 8 - Alabama Humanities Foundation speaker: Susan
Hagen - Chaucer’s World
June 15 - Video - History of Britain (Pt. 1)
June 22 - Video - Jazz (Pt. 3)
June 29 - Video - Alabama Trees
July 6 - Video - History of Britain (Pt. 2)
July 13 - Local author David Johnson on the U.S.
Presidents; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House
July 20 - Video - The Story of Longitude (Pt.
1)
July 27 - Video - Western Philosophy (Pt. 1)
Homewood Library
Brown Bag Film Series, 12:15 p.m. Call (205) 877-8665 for program details.
Bring a sack lunch. Beverage and dessert furnished by Friends of the
Library. May 4 - Video - Discovering Wales
May 18 - Video - Mark Twain with Eliot Engel
May 25 - Video - Italy: Rome, Naples and the Amalfi
Coast (Rick Steves)
June 15 - Video - Great Cities of Europe
July 20 - Video - Shakespeare with Eliot Engel
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