February Newsletter

Celebrating Black History Month

Last chance to see State of the Union in Black & White

February will be the last opportunity to experience Roosevelt Smith’s powerful collection of Black Americana. This collection has grown and changed since opening in 2020. If you stopped by early on, there are new items to explore before it closes.

A recording of Roosevelt Smith presenting his collection can be found on our YouTube page.

This content was created by the Black Historical Society of Kitsap County in 2004 as an interactive DVD. Kitsap History Museum shares it now to make the stories of Sinclair Park widely available.

The Sinclair Park Project: A Snapshot of an African American Community

Explore this Virtual Exhibit that documents the history of Sinclair Park and it’s many residents. Built as a WWII housing project, the neighborhood became predominantly populated by African-Americans due to the segregation of the time.

NEW VIRTUAL EXHIBIT!

Black Trailblazers of

Kitsap County

There were only about 100 African Americans in Bremerton in 1940. Four years later, in the midst of World War II, there were an estimated 10,000 Black residents – with 4,600 working for the Navy. This virtual exhibit shares stories of a few of the many Black trailblazers of Kitsap history.

Photo of John Henry Turpin. In 1917, he became the first African American Chief Petty Officer.

New Special Exhibit coming in March and we’re seeking community participation!

Photo caption: Julie Ruttinger, of Tecumseh, Mich., holds a 141-year-old fruitcake, Dec. 9, 2019, a family heirloom baked by her great-great-grandmother, Fidelia Ford, in 1878. (David Guralnick/The Detroit News/TNS)

What’s your story?

Objects tell stories and we want to hear them!

Do you have a family heirloom of any type (objects, books, clothing, oddities and curiosities, etc.) that has traveled over miles and through generations to call Kitsap County “home?” Would you like to be part of a community-focused exhibit about immigration/migration to Kitsap? Our curator would love to hear from you and learn your family’s story. Contact Jeanine Greco at [email protected] if you have a special item that you’d like to lend to bring this exhibit to life.

 Lobby Exhibit for First Friday

This 1917 Valentine’s Day greeting to Howard Hostetler has been in our archives collection since 1975. Join us on Feb. 3rd during First Friday Art Walk and take a peek at more vintage and antique valentines from our collection. The exhibit will open for First Friday at 5pm February 3rd and remain in the lobby for the month of February.

**NEW** Second Saturday Kids Day

Make a Valentine for your Valentine

February 11th 12:00-4:00pm

The Kitsap History Museum is launching a new series specifically for kids! Join us every Second Saturday for a hands-on craft or game suited for school age kids. Bring the little ones down to experience the exhibits and keep them busy with the day’s activity! Stop in any time while we are open noon-4:00pm.

History UnCorked: The Legacy of Emmett Till

Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till Bradley, ca. 1950. Photograph. NAACP Records, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (024.00.00)

February 23rd 7:00pm

Snacks, drinks, and socializing starts at 7:00, program starts at 7:15

Or let us know you’re coming with a reply to this email or call 360.479.6226.

Historian, guest curator, and KHM board member Roosevelt Smith will share photos from his recent visit to the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner, MS. Roosevelt will discuss how the 14 year old’s murder in 1955 has impacted Black communities nationwide.

Volunteer Opportunities

 Support the Museum by lending a hand in a variety of capacities. This month we could use help with the following activities:

First Friday Art Walk: Feb 3rd 5:00-7:00pm – Greeting and socializing with guests

Second Saturday Kids Day: Feb 11th 12:00-4:00pm – Support our kids activity table by connecting with families and demonstrating crafts

Saturday Cleaning: Feb 18th 12:00-2:00pm – Tidy the Museum with dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms and kitchenette.

Thursday History UnCorked: Feb 23rd 6:00-9:00pm – Assist with set up for food and drinks, tables and chairs, greet guests, registration check-in, event clean up

Interested in helping out? Email us with the shift that you’d like to sign up for at [email protected] or call us 360-479-6226

Spotlight on Robert Reynolds

As a recently retired school teacher I’ve been volunteering with the museum for almost a year. I’ve spent my time researching past history and helping with community events.

Working for the museum allows me to help bring historical awareness of how we once lived. Applying lessons learned in the past is helpful in brining solutions to the present.

My favorite artifacts are the collection of donated personal photo albums and scrap books that help bring human connections between the past and present. One scrapbook follows a group of Girl Scout leaders on a road trip from Bremerton to the Pueblos of the Southwest in 1948. These artifacts bring history to life!