FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2011
2011 Fall Programs at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum
(MADISON) ― The Wisconsin Veterans Museum has a number of interesting programs coming up this fall. All programs are free, and open to the public. They are hosted in the Wisconsin Veterans Museum’s 2nd Floor Education Center, unless otherwise noted.
When: Friday, September 9, 2011 at Noon
Topic: “Ten Years After: A First Responder’s Story of 9/11” A Lecture and Discussion
Location: Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 West Mifflin Street, Madison
Speaker: Tony Rajer, author and art conservator
The tragic events of 9/11 took place 10 years ago this September. Many of us recall images of the planes flying into the World Trade Center and the tragic loss of thousands of innocent lives on that day in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Wisconsin resident Tony Rajer happened to be in New York City working during those events. He was a first responder and spent two weeks at Ground Zero with Red Cross and FEMA. Mayor Giuliani thanked him for his efforts in writing. Tony has agreed to share with us his first hand experiences at Ground Zero in an illustrated talk that tells the story of the World Trade Center, the 9/11 event and the current plans for development of the site from a personal point of view. We invite the public to this lively and memorable talk about a day in our history that will live forever and to honor those who gave their lives, the victims as well as the fire and policemen who died on that day for our freedom.
When: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Topic: “Into the Fire: Popular Music and 9/11”
Location: Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 West Mifflin Street, Madison
Speaker: Charles Hughes and Alexander Shashko, UW-Madison; Wendy Schneider and Bradley Thomas, area musicians
The events and aftermath of September 11th, 2001 had an immediate and significant impact on all aspects of life in the United States, including popular music. The tragedy provoked a variety of musical responses from across the stylistic spectrum as artists from the U.S. (and elsewhere) reacted to and reflected on the tragedy, its consequences, and the wars that followed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Join a distinguished panel of Madison-area scholars and performers as they discuss how 9/11 and subsequent overseas military actions affected the way that music was made, heard, and understood from 2001 to today.
When: Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Topic: “The Sarge Wears Eyeshadow: Women in the Vietnam War” A Lecture and Discussion
Location: Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 West Mifflin Street, Madison
Speaker: Heather Stur, Professor of History, University of Mississippi and Sister Linda McClenahan, Vietnam veteran
Over 6,000 women served during the Vietnam War, with most acting as nurses or medical personnel, yet many other women served in vital functions such as intelligence, traffic control, photography, cartography, and supply. The Vietnam War cast aside previously held assumptions that women should be kept safely behind the lines, as many women found themselves in the midst of combat – carrying side-arms for protection, receiving M-16 training, and wearing fatigues instead of the “green cord” uniform became standard practice. Dr. Stur will discuss the role of women in the war, and also sit down for a one-on-one discussion with Vietnam Veteran, Sister Linda McClenahan.
Presented in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Department of Integrated Liberal Studies.
When: Friday, September 30, 2011 at Noon
Topic: “The American Civil War in the West: An Archaeological Perspective” A Lecture and Discussion
Location: Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 West Mifflin Street, Madison
Speaker: Douglas D. Scott, Professor of Anthropology, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
The American Civil War was truly brother against brother, especially in the state of Missouri and the West. Examples of traditional or conventional battle are seen in the archaeological record of the 1861 Battle of Boonville, Missouri and the 1862 Battle of Glorieta Pass, New Mexico where the two armies fought for control of the West. Missouri was noted for its internecine fighting, irregular or guerrilla warfare. The archaeological record of the 1864 Battle of Centralia chronicles the ambush and annihilation of 150 Missouri Volunteers by Confederate guerrillas led by William “Bloody Bill” Anderson. The physical evidence supports the historic records in the broadest sense, but adds considerable detail to the story by showing there is more to the stories than recorded in the recollections of participants or the official record of events.
To schedule interviews with speakers or museum staff, contact Jeff Kollath, Curator of Programs, at (608) 261-0541. Where book signings are mentioned, books will be available for purchase both before and after the events specified. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is a free public educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and is located at 30 W. Mifflin St., across the street from the State Capitol. For more information go to www.WisVetsMuseum.com.
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201 West Washington Avenue | Madison, Wisconsin 53707
1-800-WIS-VETS | WisVets@dva.wisconsin.gov | WisVets.com