Museum of Work & Culture Celebrates Labor Day With a Return to In-Person Events
WOONSOCKET, RI – Join the Museum of Work & Culture, a division of the Rhode Island Historical Society, on Saturday, September 3, 2022, as they celebrate Labor Day with free admission and events for the whole family.
At 10 a.m., the museum will host a panel on Latino labor history in Rhode Island that will shed light on some of the themes in the current changing gallery shows, Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964 and “This Kind of Love, Our Love”: Latino Stories in the Blackstone Valley, 1960s-Today. The panel will be moderated by University of Rhode Island Professor Emeritus Scott Molloy and will feature Progreso Latino Executive Director Mario Bueno, Fuerza Laboral Executive Director Heiny Maldonado, RI Latino Arts Executive Director Marta V. Martínez and RI AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Crowley.
The museum will also begin its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month by kicking off its weekly Spanish-language museum tours. The first tour will begin at 11 a.m. and be led by Woonsocket City Councilwoman and VIDA Church Pastor Valerie Gonzalez, and the second will begin at 2 p.m. and be led by Miss Woonsocket 2021, Kaitlynne Santana.
At 3 p.m., filmmaker Christian de Rezendes will present a preview of season one of his documentary series, Slatersville: America’s First Mill Village. Following the screening, de Rezendes will host a panel featuring participants and the creative team of the series including Gail Denomme, co-producer; Joey DeFrancesco, co-writer; Stephen Gilbane, composer; and Barbara Tucker, Slater historian and author/project consultant.
This free event is sponsored by the RI Labor History Society. This program is also part of the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Bicentennial Celebrations, sponsored by Amica Insurance.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state’s oldest and only statewide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting, and sharing Rhode Island’s past to enrich the present and inspire the future.
Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st-century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest.
As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, and the Aldrich House.
The headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Society are located at 110 Benevolent Street, Providence, RI 02906. Information: (401) 331-8575. Website: rihs.org.
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