A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Memories of the Early 20th Century, Cedar Rapids, IA

A Great Cloud of Witnesses presents oral history memories of the early 20th century in a midwestern community. In the 1980s, the Cedar Rapids Public Library and Junior League of Cedar Rapids interviewed nearly 100 community members about their memories of the early 20th century. The topics covered immigration, early industries, tragic industrial accidents, downtown businesses, the Depression and its effects on banks and the economy, the contributions of Czech immigrants and African Americans to the cultural fabric, the growth of schools and hospitals, the transformation of communication with telephones and early radio, the impact of Grant Wood and his art, the rise of community theater, the Cedar Rapids Symphony, and the public library—these are only a few of the many topics in the interviews. The voices of these community members have much to say to us today. They speak with resilience and optimism of their lives and relationships in Cedar Rapids during the tumultuous early years of the 20th century. They give us a glimpse of a time when people made community through hardship, sacrifice, and perseverance, a time when people created fun out of nothing and endured whatever came their way. And took care of each other through it all. We need to hear these stories again.

Contributor(s): Derr, Laura Muntz (Author)
ISBN: 1087988217 EAN: 9781087988214
Publisher: Laura M. Derr
Pages: 338
Binding: Paperback
Pub Date: November 12, 2021