Dr. James Bruns Luncheon

Dr. James Bruns President and CEO Atlanta History Center Speaks at September 2004 Chapter Luncheon

Our guest speaker for September was Dr. James Bruns, President and CEO of the Atlanta History Center.

The Atlanta History Center, founded in 1926 as the Atlanta Historical Society, is located at 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta. The Center includes four signature exhibitions and two changing exhibition galleries in the Atlanta History Museum, two historic houses (the Swan house and Tullie Smith farm), the James G. Kenan Research Center, and 33 acres of gardens. They also now own the Margaret Mitchell house. For more information see their web site at www.atlantahistorycenter.com.

Dr.Bruns was here to educate us about the Atlanta History Center and to inform us of the upcoming “V for Victory: America Remembers World War II” exhibit coming in November. The exhibit is scheduled to start November 11^th, and have about a ten-month run.

The exhibit will examine the individual stories and experiences of Georgians and others who lived through the WWII experience from 1941-1946, including snapshots into life just before and after the conflict. From patriotic activities on the home front to the establishment of military training bases throughout the state, the exhibit will examine life for Georgians within their families, in their neighborhoods, on the job, in the military and on the front lines.

Dr. Bruns enlightened us with several personal stories of veterans who participated in WW II, plus offered background stories on how the Atlanta History Center acquired a number of its interesting pieces of history.

A prize possession is the 600 pound ships bell from the USS Atlanta, a light cruiser that sank in action during the war. He related that Atlantans were so distraught over the loss of the ship bearing their name that they raised sixty million dollars to build a replacement, plus two destroyer escorts to protect her!

The AHC also has a piece of the USS Arizona, which sank during the Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He offered us a chance to hold that small piece of history in our very own hands if we contact him and let him and arrange a time. They will soon have one of the props from the Memphis Belle, a B-17 Flying Fortress that was retired from active service in the WW II European theater after 25 successful bombing missions.

Another interesting project at the AHC is the Veterans History Project. The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is honoring America’s veterans through the Veterans History Project, a national initiative to collect individuals’ wartime experiences.

The Veterans History Project, with the assistance of its network of more than 670 partners, including AARP, the founding corporate sponsor, calls for all Americans to play a personal role in the preservation of our nation’s history by recording the first-person accounts of those who defended our country during wartime, as well as the civilians who supported them.

Each Wednesday, the Atlanta History Center, with the help of AARP and other volunteers, will conduct oral interviews with local veterans from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can sign up as a volunteer, or interviewee, by calling 404-814-4052.

A free instruction kit for veterans, volunteers and potential partners who would like to participate is available by calling 1-888-371-5848, or by visiting the Web site at www.loc.gov/vets.

Many thanks to Dr. Bruns for taking the time to educate us about the Atlanta History Center. I now have a note on my calendar to schedule a visit!

Click on a thumbnail image to view a full sized picture.

Dr. James Bruns starts his presentation.