It truly speaks to the depth of a program when more than 150 people gather for a literary discussion on a beautiful Monday evening in Traverse City. And from that evening’s conversation, and from those held statewide for the past year, we know that the Great Michigan Read has made an impact.
The 2011-12 Great Michigan Read, featuring Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age by Detroit native Kevin Boyle, can be considered our most successful Great Michigan Read yet. With 300 partnering organizations throughout the state planning discussions, lectures, film nights and more, the Michigan Humanities Council is proud to say that more than 1 million Michiganians have been engaged in the program.
The Great Michigan Read Finale event, held June 25 at the Dennos Museum Center, proved to be an excellent culmination of the program. Discussion between audience members, Boyle, and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Michael F. Cavanagh didn’t just surround the story of Dr. Ossian Sweet, but of race relations today and the impact the book had on communities around the state.
The Michigan Humanities Council would like to thank its sponsors – the National Endowment for the Humanities, Meijer and individual donors, as well as its 300 community partners and thousands of participants around the state. Without your help this program could not have made such a monumental impact.
Keep a look out for information on our 2013-14 Great Michigan Read, which will tentatively launch in the spring of 2013. |
Special Thanks
The Michigan Humanities Council would like to pay special recognition to the many sponsors who helped make the Great Michigan Read Finale event such a success.
Grand Finale Sponsors
Dennos Museum Center
Paulette & Grant Parsons
Smith & Johnson Attorneys, PC
Host Committee Sponsors
Sue & Jim Dutmers
Susie & Bill Janis
Peg & Dan Jonkhoff
Shelley A. Kester
Gail Evans & Bob Knechel
Susie & Bob Kuras
Debbie & Dave McKeon
Patti Pelizzari
Cindy & Dean Robb
Karen & Louis Smith
Tim & Shawn Smith
Michael Beaulac & Katie Wolf
Peter Zirnhelt
Cultural Arts Partners
The Cottage Book Shop
Dennos Museum Center
Glen Arbor Art Association
Grand Traverse Regional
Community Foundation
History Center of Traverse City
Horizon Books
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Michigan Legacy Art Park
Music House Museum
Old Mission Peninsula
Historical Society
Oliver Art Center
The Peter Dougherty Society
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear
Traverse Area District Library |
