A number of faculty and alumni have contributed to the 2020 edition of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society's Papers & Records. The contributors to this year's volume explore topics related to the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the City of Thunder Bay.

Adjunct Professors Dr. Peter Raffo's contribution focuses on the life of Thunder Bay's first mayor, Saul Laskin, and his role in establishing the city. Adjunct Professor and alumnus Dr. David Ratz provides an overview of Canada's military in the city since the end of the Second World War. Other contributions explore the history of sport, urban renewal, the relationship of aldermen in 1969 with the community and electorate

The Department of History is pleased to announce that Michel S. Beaulieu, David K. Ratz, Thorold J. Tronrud, and Jenna L. Kirker have been awarded the M. Elizabeth Arthur Award for best book on the history of Northwestern Ontario by the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society for their book Thunder Bay and the First World War, 1914-1919.

Thunder Bay and the First World War, 1914-1919 is a narrative history shaped, in large part, by what remains of the voices of those from the period -- the letters and correspondence produced by soldiers, nurses, governments, organizations, and families. Their stories are augmented, particularly on the home front, by the remaining archival records. It is the story of a community at war.

Richard Mastrangelo's article "Echo and Features: Atikokan, Steep Rock Iron Mine, and Corporate Culture" received the Ernest R. Zimmermann First Publication Award.

Based on his work as an MA student and published in the 2018 issue of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society's Papers & Records, Mastrangelo examines how newsletters like The Steep Rock Echo and Steep Rock Features can be used to illustrate relationships between manager and miner. He argues that, together, the papers frame questions which go beyond records of mineral production and consumption.

Adjudicated by an independent panel of jurors, the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society's publication awards are given out every two years for the best publications dealing with the history of Northwestern Ontario. This year's winners were recognized at the Society's annual President's Reception held on Sunday, January 5th.

Congratulations to Greg Chomut, (BABEd I/S History) a teacher at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Greg has built bridges between his students and the wider community through innovative classroom and extracurricular activities. He regularly invites at-risk youths to live with his family as they finish their education. All of the students who have lived with him have graduated.

He also co-founded the Wake the Giant Music Festival, where students perform alongside Indigenous and non-Indigenous acts, such as Wolf Saga and Metric, in what is one of Thunder Bay's largest festivals, designed to boost inclusivity and cross-cultural understanding.

Greg has reached out to around 300 local businesses and organizations to display decals noting they are inclusive spaces for Indigenous youth. A student said one of these decals made him more comfortable entering a counsellor's office. Greg also organizes field trips to local businesses for hands-on activities, such as making gelato.

He developed a program to help students navigate the city. Older students work with new students during an "Amazing Race"-style orientation, as they learn how to travel to useful local organizations and services on city transit.

For more information about Greg and his work, click here.

- shared from Lakehead University Campus Connection, November 2020

Dr. High is committed to broadening our understanding of Canada’s history and to disseminating the voices of ordinary people in multiple formats. He regularly writes for the popular press and explores new digital tools and platforms to open up creative spaces for Canadians to engage with and listen to these histories.

His approach to collaborative research and sharing authority highlights his belief that history is a societal project rather than the job of a select few. November 12, 2020 - https://www.canadashistory.ca/

Please listen to the interview with Dr. Steven High, click here.

Congratulations to Dr. Steve Jobbitt on the publication of the most recent issue of Hungarian Studies Review. In addition to serving as co-editor, Dr. Jobbitt has a co-authored editorial essay, a short article, and a book review in this issue. Starting in January 2021, Hungarian Studies Review will be publishing with Penn State University Press, and Dr. Jobbitt will be assuming the position of managing editor.

Congratulations to Nicolas Lépine on the publication of his new book Guerre d’Espagne et socialisme international : dernière chance pour l’ordre démocratique d’entre-deux-guerres, which has just been published by les Presses de l'Université Laval (see https://www.pulaval.com/produit/guerre-d-espagne-et-socialisme-internati...).

Nicolas also has a chapter coming out in the forthcoming volume International Solidarity in the Low Countries During the Twentieth Century: New Perspectives and Themes, which is scheduled for release in October.

Article written for The Champlain Society published, authored by Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu and Brian deRuiter with a special thanks to Erno Rossi.

Outside the Barbed Wire Fence: Oral History and German POWs in Wainfleet Township examines the richness of oral history recounting POWs in the workforce during WWII in Ontario. The article appears under the link Findings/Trouvailles on The Champlain Society blog page, click here to read.

Lakehead University’s Department of History and the Thunder Bay Museum are pleased to announce the launch of "Reel Memories of the Lakehead," a film project that will digitize and catalogue approximately 2000 100 ft. rolls 16mm film footage shot at the Lakehead between 1958 and 1978. This important film collection was donated to the museum by Mr. Fraser Dougall. According to project leader, Dr. Ron Harpelle, two recent university graduates with a background in History will soon be hired to work on the project. They will spend the next twelve months cleaning, digitizing and cataloguing the film. "Reel Memories of the Lakehead" is funded by the Thunder Bay Museum and the Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple with support from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. Graduating students and recent graduates can expect to see the intern positions advertised in early March.

Dr. C. Nathan Hatton, Department of History,  in collaboration with History Masters graduate student Nicholas Duplessis, have published an article in the Globe and Mail, a touching tribute to White River's Charlie Linklater.

Please open the newspaper link to read the March 22, 2020 article Globe and Mail article.