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Vandalia Gathering

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The popular Vandalia Gathering takes place at the state capitol every Memorial Day weekend.

Events for May 2014

• Déjà Vu Music Festival

  May 02, 2014 to May 03, 2014 — Elkins, Randolph

  The popular Déjà Vu Music Festival returns on May 2 and 3 with featured performer Dustin Lynch. The up-and-coming country singer/songwriter is working with some of Music City’s top writers and producers on his debut album. Additional acts will be announced. More information
• Archives and History Tuesday Lecture: Civil War Ceredo, a Northern Experiment

  May 06, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  On May 6, 2014, Dr. Kenneth Bailey will present “Civil War Ceredo, A Northern Experiment” at the Tuesday evening lecture in the Archives and History Library in the Cultural Center in Charleston. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

  Ceredo was part of New Englander Eli Thayer’s project to end slavery by demonstrating that free labor was more efficient and profitable than slave labor. When the town was established in the late 1850s, it was Thayer’s second effort (after a settlement in Kansas), and he and others had high hopes that it would succeed in eliminating slavery without resort to war. Bailey’s talk will focus on Ceredo as seen by Charles B. Webb. Webb was one of the early settlers, a newspaper publisher, and eventually a Civil War soldier who wrote of his experiences before, during, and after his residence in the community.

  Kenneth Bailey is a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology, Marshall University, and The Ohio State University from which he received his PhD. He is author of four books and numerous articles on various aspects of West Virginia history. After serving in a number of faculty and administrative positions, he retired as Dean of the College of Business, Humanities and Sciences at WVU Tech.

  On May 6, the library will close at 5:00 p.m. and reopen at 5:45 p.m. for participants only. For additional information, call (304) 558-0230.
• Belle Boyd, History Alive!

  May 09, 2014 — Morgantown, Monongalia WVHC Event

  Belle Boyd, History Alive!, 8:15am May 9 at Covenant Christian School in Morgantown.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Babe Ruth, History Alive!

  May 09, 2014 — Fayetteville, Fayette WVHC Event

  Babe Ruth, History Alive!, 7:15pm May 9 at Cathedral Cafe, Fayetteville.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• MercyMe at the Clay Center

  May 09, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  Special Event Performance

  MERCYME

  Opening Act: TBD

  Friday, May 9, 8 pm

  Experience the heartfelt lyrics of one of the most recognized groups in Contemporary Christian music as they perform songs such as “I Can Only Imagine” and “Word of God Speak.”

  Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $60

  Buy tickets
• Ostenaco, History Alive!

  May 10, 2014 — St. Albans, Kanawha WVHC Event

  Ostenaco, History Alive!, noon May 10 at Olde Main Plaza in St. Albans.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America

  May 11, 2014 to June 21, 2014 — Rowlesburg, Preston WVHC Event

  “Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America” at Preston County Sports Museum in Rowlesburg May 11 through June 21.

  The West Virginia Humanities Council is sponsoring a state tour of the new Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit, Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America. West Virginia is a debut state for the exhibit that will be on display at the Preston County Sports Museum located in the Szilagyi Center in Rowlesburg May 11 through June 21. The ribbon cutting ceremony to open the exhibit will be on Sunday, May 11, at 1:00 p.m.

  Hometown Teams interweaves images and text with almost 70 artifacts, video, audio and other interactive elements that present perspectives on sports in popular culture, as well as local sports traditions. It offers information about mascots, marching bands, cheerleaders, game day traditions, tailgating, player/coach relationships, sports equipment, stadiums, rivalries, and athletes who broke racial, gender or physical barriers in sports. The growth of alternative and extreme sports also is explored.

  The Humanities Council is providing funding and technical assistance to each host site for the development of companion displays and supplemental programs that celebrate their local sports heritage. For information on local Hometown Teams activities at the Preston County Sports Museum call 304-789-6147. Before coming to Rowlesburg the exhibit traveled to Parkersburg and Gilbert.

  Hometown Teams is made possible through the Museum on Main Street (MOMS) program, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

  This project is funded in part by a West Virginia Humanities Council grant.
• Emancipation Proclamation Revisitied: Sesquicentennial Speakers Bureau

  May 13, 2014 — Huntington, Cabell WVHC Event

  “Emancipation Proclamation Revisited,” Sesquicentennial Speakers Bureau w/Michael Woods. 10:30 AM May 13 at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington.

  Sesquicentennial Speakers Bureau is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• WV Humanities Council Grant Writing Workshop

  May 15, 2014 — Grantsville, Calhoun WVHC Event

  West Virginia Humanities Council grants administrator Amy Saunders Postalwait will conduct a grant-writing workshop on Thursday, May 15, at the Calhoun County Historical Society Museum, 344 Main Street, Grantsville. It begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs until 12:00 p.m. Seating is limited and registration is suggested. Contact grants administrator Amy Postalwait at (304) 346-8500 or postalwait@wvhumanities.org to register.

  Grant-writing workshops are conducted to better acquaint West Virginians with the Humanities Council’s grant guidelines and application process. A variety of matching grants are offered by the Council year-round to nonprofit organizations in West Virginia that support educational programming. The West Virginia Humanities Council is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and serves West Virginia through grants and direct programs in the humanities.

  The following grant categories will be reviewed at the workshop:

  Minigrants. Humanities Council minigrants support small projects, single events, lectures, small museum exhibits and brochures, consultation needs, and planning for more complex projects. They are awarded four times per year for projects up to $1,500. The next minigrant deadline is June 1, followed by October 1, February 1, and April 1.

  Major grants. This category supports public programs including, but not limited to, lectures, school projects, panel discussions, reading/discussion series, exhibits, reenactments, and conferences. They are awarded twice a year for projects over $1,500 and up to $20,000. The deadlines for major grant applications are September 1 and February 1.

  Teacher Institute grants. West Virginia college and university professors are invited to submit a proposal for a two-week seminar on a humanities topic suited to the teaching needs of elementary or secondary teachers. These grants, up to $25,000, are awarded once a year for summer teaching seminars. The deadline is September 1. One to three teacher institute grants are awarded annually to a college or university.

  Publication grants. Only completed manuscripts sponsored by recognized academic presses and established nonprofit presses are eligible. These grants, up to $20,000, are awarded once a year with an application deadline of September 1. Media grants. Humanities Council media grants up to $20,000 are awarded once a year to support the planning, scripting, and production of projects intended to produce audio or video materials. These grants also fund websites or a newspaper series. The deadline for media grant applications is September 1.

  Fellowships. Grants of $2,500 are awarded once a year. Fellowships offer West Virginia teachers, college and university faculty, and independent scholars support for research and writing projects. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the study of interpretive archaeology; the history, theory, and criticism of the arts; ethics; history; jurisprudence; modern and classical languages; linguistics; literature; philosophy; comparative religion; and philosophical and historical approaches to the social sciences. The deadline for Fellowship applications is February 1.

  For more information or to register for the workshop at the Calhoun County Historical Society Museum, contact Amy Postalwait at (304) 346-8500 or email postalwait@wvhumanities.org. Grant guidelines and applications are also available on the West Virginia Humanities Council website, www.wvhumanities.org.
• 7th West Virginia Cavalry

  May 15, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  On Thursday, May 15, 2014, Steve Cunningham will present “Loyalty They Always Had: The 7th WV Cavalry in the Civil War” in the Archives and History Library in the Culture Center in Charleston. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

  Raised and organized in the Kanawha Valley in 1861, the 7th West Virginia Cavalry (previously the 8th Virginia Infantry and 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry) served during the U.S. Civil War in numerous battles, campaigns, and raids including the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862, Cross Keys, 2nd Bull Run, White Sulphur Springs, Droop Mountain, the Salem Raid, Cloyds Mountain, and the Lynchburg Campaign. At war’s end, they facilitated the paroling of more than 5,000 returning Confederate soldiers to the Kanawha Valley region. Cunningham will share from his research for his upcoming book on the unit, entitled Loyalty They Always Had: The 7th West Virginia Cavalry in the U.S. Civil War.

  Steve Cunningham has been conducting research on the 7th West Virginia Cavalry for about 20 years, maintains an active Web site about the 7th, and has hosted several events for descendants of the unit. He is a past president of Kanawha Valley Civil War Roundtable, where he was involved in the organization of the centennial rededication of the West Virginia monuments at Gettysburg, and co-authored the book, Their Deeds Are Their Monuments: West Virginia at Gettysburg. He also is the author or co-author of several articles on the Civil War, including “The 1st West Virginia Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign” for the scholarly journal Civil War Regiments. He was a contributor to the West Virginia Encyclopedia and has contributed research to several other authors’ books.

  Cunningham created and maintains the Web site West Virginia in the Civil War, which receives 75,000 visitors each year, and is president and owner of 35th Star Publishing, which specializes in non-fiction titles on West Virginia history and culture. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and operations research from Virginia Tech, and a master’s of business administration from the Marshall University Graduate College. He resides in Charleston and is employed by Charleston Area Medical Center.

  For additional information, call (304) 558-0230.
• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the Clay Center

  May 15, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY

  Thursday, May 15, 7:30 pm

  Leap back to the roaring ‘20s. This high-energy, seven-piece ensemble will prove that it’s still cool to swing, big band style, as they play music from their latest album, “Rattle Them Bones.”

  Tickets: $15, $25, $35

  Buy tickets
• Stonewall Jackson, History Alive!

  May 17, 2014 — Lost River, Hardy WVHC Event

  Stonewall Jackson, History Alive!, 11am and 2pm May 17 at Lost River Museum.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Eleanor Roosevelt, History Alive!

  May 17, 2014 — Cameron, Marshall WVHC Event

  Eleanor Roosevelt, History Alive!, 1pm May 17 at B&O Freight Depot, Cameron.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Mark Twain, History Alive!

  May 18, 2014 — Lost River, Hardy WVHC Event

  Mark Twain, History Alive!, 1PM May 18 at Lost River Museum.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• West Virginia University Since WWII: Little Lecture

  May 18, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha WVHC Event

  “West Virginia University Since World War II,” Little Lecture by Ronald L. Lewis at the MacFarland-Hubbard House in Charleston. 2pm May 18.

  West Virginia University emeritus professor Ronald L. Lewis will discuss the growth and evolution of WVU since World War II for the West Virginia Humanities Council Little Lecture in May. The program will be 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, at Humanities Council headquarters in the MacFarland-Hubbard House, located at 1310 Kanawha Boulevard, East, in Charleston.

  Lewis, who also holds the title of West Virginia Historian Laureate, is the author of Aspiring to Greatness: West Virginia University since World War II, published in September 2013 by WVU Press. The book is the only modern history of WVU and focuses on the post-war historical developments that elevated the school from a regional institution to one of national prominence. In his May 18 talk, Professor Lewis will examine the impact of returning WWII and Korean War veterans and baby boomers on student enrollment from 1945 to 1975. From the mid-70s to the early 1990s this growth gave way to a trend of unprecedented gender, racial, and ethnic diversity reflecting the increase of students from nontraditional backgrounds. In the 1990s WVU, like other public universities, was called upon to generate more of its own revenues with the increasing commercialization of higher education. The University’s strategic responses to these pressures transformed it into the large complex institution of today.

  Professor Lewis taught history at WVU from 1985 to his retirement in 2008. He chaired the History Department from 1989 to 1995. In addition to Aspiring to Greatness he has published numerous articles, essays, and book chapters. He also has co-edited 14 books including Transnational West Virginia: Ethnic Communities and Economic Change, 1840-1940 and is the author of Transforming the Appalachian Countryside: Railroads, Deforestation, and Social Change in West Virginia, 1880-1920; and Welsh Americans: A History of Assimilation in the Coalfields.

  Robinson & McElwee PLLC is sponsoring the 2014 Little Lecture Series. Founded in Charleston in 1983, the law firm serves clients throughout West Virginia and Ohio.

  Admission to the lecture is $10 and includes a reception after the program. Taylor Books will furnish copies of Aspiring to Greatness for purchase and Professor Lewis will sign them following the program. People interested in attending should call the Humanities Council at 304-346-8500 before 12:00 noon on May 16.

  Little Lecture Series is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Robert E. Lee, History Alive!

  May 23, 2014 — Rowlesburg, Preston WVHC Event

  Robert E. Lee, History Alive!, 4PM May 23 at Szilagyi Center, Rowlesburg.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Live on the Levee: Thump Daddy with Downtown King

  May 23, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  Charleston’s Live on the Levee returns to Haddad Riverfront Park Memorial Day weekend and kicks off a new summer season of live music. The Friday night concerts begin at 6:30pm.

  Thump Daddy with Downtown King, May 23
• 38th Vandalia Gathering

  May 23, 2014 to May 25, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  Annual celebration of the traditional arts, music, dance, stories, crafts and food of West Virginia. Join us every Memorial Day weekend, Friday through Sunday. More information
• West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Garden Party

  May 25, 2014 — Sutton, Braxton

  Join the WV Music Hall of Fame and Cafe´ Cimino for Garden Party III

  Sunday, May 25, 3-9 p.m. (Worry not – Monday is a holiday!)

  Celebrating the careers of Mike Morningstar and Alan Freeman.

  Music includes: Alan Freeman & Robert Shafer, Todd Burge, Gray Samples, Chet Lowther & Chris Stockwell, Bob Shank, Mark Cline Bates, The Boatmen, and The Carpenter Ants

  Feast on Cafe´ Cimino’s sumptuous buffet, a smorgasbord of West Virginia music and (for the first time) an open bar!

  Tickets are $65 in advance; $75 at the door

  Buy your ticket by May 20 and you will be entered in a drawing to win a complimentary overnight stay that evening at Café Cimino

  For information/reservations call 304/342-4412 or email wvmhof@gmail.com or Café Cimino 304-765-2913
• Harriet Tubman, a History Alive! presentation

  May 28, 2014 — New Martinsville, Wetzel WVHC Event

  Harriet Tubman, History Alive!, May 28 at noon at New Martinsville Public Library.

  History Alive! is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• 2014 Pullman Square Summer Concert Series

  May 29, 2014 — Huntington, Cabell

  The Heiner’s Bakery Dutch Miller Pullman Square Summer Concert Series, presented by 93.7 the Dawg, returns to Pullman Square in downtown Huntington at 7pm Thursdays from May 29 through August 28. Full schedule.

  May 29: Jabberwocky
• Live on the Levee: Time and Distance with Beggar's Clan

  May 30, 2014 — Charleston, Kanawha

  Charleston’s Live on the Levee returns to Haddad Riverfront Park Memorial Day weekend and kicks off a new summer season of live music. The Friday night concerts begin at 6:30pm.

  Time and Distance with Beggar’s Clan, May 30