First Sunday Lecture Series

The Early History of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, 1836-1870
Sunday January 4, 2014
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

Speaker: Dr. William P. Marchione, author of A Brief History of Smyrna

The building and early history of the Western & Atlantic Railroad (“The State Line”), now Smyrna's CSX line, was the largest public works project undertaken by the State of Georgia in the 19th century. It remains, moreover, to this day one of only a handful of state-owned American railroads.

This slide show and lecture by Dr. Marchione examines the reasons the W&A was built; the difficulties it had attracting private capital; its troubled 15 year long construction phase; the line’s essential role in fostering the development of the city of Atlanta; the strategic importance of the W&A during the Civil War’s 1864 Atlanta Campaign; and, finally, the controversial Reconstruction phase of its history that culminated in the line’s 1870 transfer from state administration to private management.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission

First Sunday Lecture Series

Nellie Mae Rowe: Georgia Folk Artist
Sunday February 2, 2014
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

Speaker: Dr. William P. Marchione, author of A Brief History of Smyrna

A creative and resourceful self-taught artist, Nellie Mae Rowe gained national recognition during the last decade of her life. Long before that, she was well known locally in Vinings by visitors who came to her exuberantly embellished home, which contained her drawings, stuffed dolls, and recycled objects. Her works are on display at the High Museum of Art, the Smithsonian and other public and private collections. [New Georgia Encyclopedia]

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission

Dust, Drought & Dreams Gone Dry

A TRAVELING EXHIBIT
In Commemoration of the American Dust Bowl of the 1930s
Smyrna Public Library
March 7 - April 15, 2015

"Dust, Drought & Dreams Gone Dry" features twenty colorful, illustrated panels about the Plains area before, during and after the Dust Bowl occurred. The exhibit uses nineteenth and twentieth century images and quotations, memories of the Dust Bowl from oral histories and recent scholarly analysis. Be sure to check one of Smyrna Library's many books and materials for further reading about The Dust Bowl.

KICKOFF EVENT: WOMEN OF THE DUST BOWL
Sunday, March 8
3:00-4:30 P.M.
Smyrna Library, 1st & 2nd Floors
Live interpretations of real women who lived through the Dust Bowl. View “Dust, Drought and Dreams Gone Dry” Exhibit. Enjoy the music of Woody Guthrie and refreshments in the Smyrna Library Meeting Room.

FILM DISCUSSION
Wednesday, April 1
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Wolfe Adult Recreation Center, 884 Church Street, Smyrna, GA 30080
Kennesaw State University Professor, Kay Reeve introduces scenes from “The Dust Bowl” by Ken Burns, leads a discussion of the film and places events in historical context.

KEYNOTE: "A Southeastern Dust Bowl? Soil Erosion in the South"
Sunday, April 12
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Dr. Albert Way examines the processes similar to The Dust Bowl that have been playing
out in the Southeast for decades, such as soil erosion and depletion.

Dust, Drought and Dreams Gone Dry was developed by the American Library Association Public Programs Office in collaboration with the libraries of Oklahoma State University and Mount Holyoke College. The exhibition and tour were made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

Free Admission

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
First Sunday Lecture Series

World War II's Women Warriors
Sunday May 3, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

As part of the Smyrna Public Library’s observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and its aftermath, the library will feature a series of World War II-related programs in 2015.

Speaker: Historian/Author Narayan Sengupta

More women participated in World War II than any other war. Whether Allied or Axis, they contributed in droves. They were factory workers, pilots, nurses, scientists, Resistance, snipers, spies, etc. Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosie the Riveter, Anne Frank, WACS and WAVES are household names. Learn about them and others such as Russia’s Lydia Litviak (a triple ace fighter pilot) and Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a sniper with 309 kills, Indo-American spy Noor Inayat Khan, the Manhattan project’s Chinese-born Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu and the scientific exploits of Hollywood bombshell Hedy Lamarr. They and hundreds of thousands of others changed global society and paved the way for Angela Merkel, Golda Meir, Valentina Tereshkova, Mary Barra and countless others since WWII including today's mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

Speaker Bio: Narayan Sengupta

Narayan has had ten veterans on the French side of his family, seven of whom were in combat. One died in action, one was wounded, one was captured, one was an occupier and one was in the Resistance. Two received the Croix de Guerre. On August 27, 1944, his mother’s family was liberated by brave Americans of the US 3rd Armored Division. On the Indian side of his family, both great uncles were noted historians, and one was head of the All India Historical Society. Consequently, he is very passionate about America’s military accomplishments and its veterans.

Narayan speaks several languages, loves to travel and has visited about 20 countries. He was Star Student at North Fulton High School (which was America’s first International Baccalaureate School), majored in History at Emory and earned an MBA from Georgia State. He worked at places like IBM, Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, MCI and Alltel before starting NFI (www.nfiweb.com), a website, search engine optimization and database development firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

He is in the Smyrna Rotary Club and served as President in 2008-2009. He started Smyrna’s annual Veterans Day event in 2008. He is on the Smyrna Veterans Committee and in SuperSmyrna. In 2010, the Smyrna Rotary Club named him “Smyrna Citizen of the Year.” He is the very proud father of two young daughters.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission
  

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
First Sunday Lecture Series

Combat Experiences in WWII
Sunday June 7, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

As part of the Smyrna Public Library’s observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and its aftermath, the library will feature a series of World War II-related programs in 2015.

Speaker: WWII Soldier Robert Walker

Our guest speaker will be Mr. Robert Walker, a 95 year old World War II veteran who resides in nearby Mableton. Mr. Walker served with a bomber squadron in England and on the European continent in the 1943 to 1945 period. The program will consist of a videotaped interview with Mr. Walker in which he recounts many fascinating tales of his many harrowing wartime experiences. Mr. Walker will himself introduce the hour-long videotape and be available to answer audience questions about his wartime experiences.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission  
   

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
Author Visit

As part of the Smyrna Public Library’s observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and its aftermath, the library will feature a series of World War II-related programs in 2015.

Speaker: Author Steve Snyder

On Wednesday evening, June 10 at 6:30 pm author Steve Snyder will give a book talk on his recently published, award winning work, “Shot Down,” the story of the author’s father, Howard Snyder, and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth, shot down over Belgium in WWII.

Mr. Snyder will recount the fascinating story of the five out of ten crew members of the Susan Ruth who survived the crash and were taken in by Belgians who risked their lives to hide them from German soldiers.

As one recent reviewer noted “stories like the ones in Shot Down revive the past, give it new life, and offer a link between the heroes of yesterday and the men we now call “Grandpa.” Steve Snyder’s extensive research, careful storytelling, and humane treatment of his subjects make Shot Down a must-read for anyone with an interest in this gripping period of American history.”

A presentation not to be missed!

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
First Sunday Lecture Series

The Cobb County Boys
Sunday July 12, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

As part of the Smyrna Public Library’s observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and its aftermath, the library will feature a series of World War II-related programs in 2015.

Speaker: Historian Pat Burns

Oral historian Pat Burns will introduce her videotaped interview with World War II veterans entitled "The Cobb County Boys" comprised of multiple interviews with local veterans. The program will also feature a display of World War II photographs. Audience members will also have an opportunity to sign up to participate in an oral history training workshop, directed by Bill Marchione, who has had much experience over the years in oral interviewing.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission  
   

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
First Sunday Lecture Series

The Return of the Violin
Sunday August 2, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

As part of the Smyrna Public Library’s observation of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and its aftermath, the library will feature a series of World War II-related programs in 2015.

Presenter: Zach Berman
Smyrna resident and KSU's Holocaust Museum Guide

At our upcoming First Sunday Lecture at the Smyrna Public Library we view the powerful film "The Return of the Violin". The violin in question, a priceless Stradivarius, was owned by famed violinist Bronislaw Huberman. Before the rise of the Nazis, he was considered one of the most prodigious musicians of all time.

During the war Huberman was a tireless opponent of the Nazis and saved many Jews by bringing them to Palestine to create an orchestra that would become one of the world's foremost ensembles, the Israeli Philharmonic. The violin in question, missing for over 50 years, now belongs to noted Jewish-American violinist Joshua Bell. This is a compelling story, not to be missed.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission
   

First Sunday Lecture Series

Raymond Reed and the Reed House
Sunday September 13, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

Speaker: Historian & Preservationist Michael Terry

With the City of Smyrna’s recent purchase of the Raymond Reed house, September’s lecture will focus on the history of that distinctive and conspicuously situated Smyrna mansion, and upon the political career of its most recent occupant, the late Raymond Reed (1916-2014), a courageous State Legislator who served in the Georgia General Assembly during tumultuous late 1940s and 1950s, a man of unusual courage who championed much forward looking and often controversial legislation that challenged the political bosses of his day.

Mayor Max Bacon will be on hand to introduce this program, and answer questions about how the city plans to utilize the Reed House. The lecture will be narrated by local historian, author, and historic preservationist Michael Terry. A related exhibit of Reed memorabilia will be mounted in the library’s second floor gallery during the entire month of October.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission

V-E Day and V-J Day 70th Anniversary Commemoration Event
First Sunday Lecture Series

Max Parnell
Sunday October 4, 2015
3PM
Smyrna Public Library

Presenter: Historian Dr. William Marchione

The culminating program in our five-part series marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, will be a lecture by local historian Dr. William Marchione, the author of A Brief History of Smyrna (2013), on the life and career of Smyrna war hero, aviator, and Japanese prisoner-of-war Max Parnell (1922-2005).

Parnell saw service in the India-Burma-China theater of war under famous general Claire Chennault. This lecture will be based upon a huge collection of papers (comprising more than 500 items), one of the finest collections of World War II memorabilia in existence, now housed in the Smyrna Library’s developing archive, deposited there through the generosity of Mayor Bacon, Parnell’s godson and namesake. Items from the Parnell collection will be on display in the library during the entire month of October.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Free Admission

First Sunday Lecture Series

An Historical and Architectural Walking Tour of Smyrna's Williams Park Neighborhood
Sunday November 1, 2015
3PM
Pergola in Williams Park on Roswell Street
(Do Not Meet at Library)

Speaker: Casey Clavin

An Historical and Architectural Walking Tour of Smyrna's Williams Park Neighborhood. Participants should gather at the pergola in Williams Park on Roswell Street - will be limited to the first 24 people who RSVP to wpmarchione@gmail.com or 857-919-0505.

The Williams Park neighborhood of Smyrna (the streets lying east of Atlanta Road, opposite Market Village) contains the largest concentration of older structures in the city, many dating from the 1885 to 1925 period, a unique architectural ensemble that could well qualify as Smyrna's first National Register Historic District. The area also has a fascinating history. Casey Clavin, who has given much attention to the architectural history of this interesting neighborhood, and local historian Bill Marchione, will co-narrate this walking tour of the city's oldest neighborhood, a tour that will also feature visits to the interiors of some of Williams Park's most interesting residences.

The Williams Park walking tour is being co-sponsored by the Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council (SACC) and the Friends of the Smyrna Library (FOSL), as one of the Smyrna Library's regular "First Sunday" programs.

Free Admission