Civil War 150th Anniversary Exhibit Comes to RI State House
GoLocalProv News Team
Civil War 150th Anniversary Exhibit Comes to RI State House
Civil War 150 commemorates the 150th anniversary of the war, told through the words of the political figures, soldiers, families and freedmen who witnessed the war firsthand. The arrival of the exhibit was announced by the Rhode Island Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission, who lobbied successfully to make the State House one of fifty sites nationwide that will have the honor of hosting the exhibit. The exhibit will be displayed on the south side of the State House Rotunda and is open to the public 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"The exhibit is on its way from South Dakota," said Kathy Hartley, an exhibit spokesperson. "Typically it is being displayed at libraries, but it was pretty special that we were able to get it for display in the State House. This is due to the work by the RI Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Commission and its chair, Frank Williams. This is just one of the projects that the Commission has undertaken as part of its charge to commemorate the Civil War and educate Rhode Islanders about the impact of the War."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"The War…Through the Words of Those Who Lived It"
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History developed the exhibition from their collection in partnership with The Library of America through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The exhibit is part of a three-year project developed by the NEH entitled Civil War 150: Exploring the War and Its Meaning Through the Words of Those Who Lived It."
There will be several public events that will be held in conjunction with Civil War 150. The exhibit's opening will be marked by a ceremony on Thursday, March 6th at 3:30pm. On the 18th between 9:30 and 11:30, over 1,800 middle schoolers will journey to the State House to see the exhibit. The students will then will be treated to a performance by hip-hop and rap artists who will interpret the exhibit's historical themes into modern lyrics and dance. "It will be quite an event," says Hartley. "There will be Civil War reenactors at the State House while they view the exhibit, then prior to the performance…there will be 'President Lincoln' in a press conference with Chief Justice (Retired) Frank J. Williams conducting the interview."
For more information on the exhibit, visit http://www.rhodeislandcivilwar150.org/.
Pawtucket's Hasbro Celebrates GI Joe's 50th Anniversary
The Original GI Joe
In 1964, Hasbro's factory in Pawtucket released the first ever action figure--they called it "G.I. Joe: America's Moveable Fighting Man."
The Original Lineup
The original prototypes for Hasbro's action figure include a sailor ("Skip), a marine ("Rocky"), and a pilot ("Ace"), but it was Joe who stole America's heart. The idea of Joe as part of a team would resurface decades later.
G.I. Joe Ages Gracefully
In the 1970s, America and G.I. Joe both saw big changes. Joe got hip with some realistic facial stubble, and added new moves to his arsenal with the "kung fu grip"--an innovation from Britain that allowed for Joe to grip objects.
New Characters
This was the decade that saw Joe joined by a host of other related characters (including Atomic Man, seen here). Joe was now part of a unit--and would continue to be throughout the franchise's history.
Joe in the 1980s
In the 1980s, G.I. Joe launched G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, immortalized in various media. Getting in line once more with the mood of the buying public, Joe was cleanshaven again, with even more innovations to the action figure.
Joe in Comics
Joe has been a hallmark of a variety of media, but his comic book incarnation is among the most beloved. He has existed in comics in one form or another since the 1940s, decade before the action figure was even manufactured. Here's a shot from a later story, based off the Real American Hero series from the 1980s.
Joe Moves into the 90s
In the 1990s, the G.I. Joe franchise continued to adapt and expand. Joe was outfitted with Desert Storm-style cameo for the Target Exclusive Duke action figure, seen here.
Joe in the 2000s
In the 2000s, Joe made the leap into his first blockbuster, with the character title of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra played by emerging star Channing Tatum. The movie spawned a video game adaptation and grossed over $300 million worldwide.
The 2010s
In the past few years, Joe has continued on his upwards trajectory. A sequel to the 2009 movie, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, grossed $375 million worldwide. Talks of a third movie by the same director are already in the mix.
G.I. Joe Today
All of the media platforms, spinoffs and hoopla surrounding this famous RI product ultimately boil down to one thing--the joy and imagination of the people who opened the box to find the original Joe in 1964. Those fans haven't forgotten--and you can bet that GIJoeCon, the annual Dallas fan-centered event, will be prepping for the fiftieth when they assemble this April.
