In 1901 Emma J. Cole published Grand Rapids Flora, a catalogue of plants growing without cultivation in the vicinity of Kent County. Enormous changes have taken place since those “horse and buggy” days, yet her book remains the most complete account of plants specific to our area. Who was this remarkable high school teacher, world traveller and Kent Scientific Institute botanist? […]

Author Sonya Bernard Hollins will update us on her research into the amazing life and mysteries of Merze Tate. An African American girl born in 1905 in rural Michigan, Tate graduated first in her class from Western Michigan University in 1927, earned a doctorate from Oxford University, worked for the State Department, and traveled around the […]

Join us at the Historical Society of Michigan's Local History Conference in Detroit! Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council board members Jo Ellyn Clarey and Ruth Stevens will lay out Michigan's history of local legislation initiatives and court decisions revealing the crucial role played by local school board elections as both a testing ground for […]

Grand Rapids' Central High graduate, student of dance, New York model, proud mother, and Congressman's wife. First Lady Betty Ford spoke openly about personal and political issues near and dear to her heart; her courage endeared her to the American people as she found herself in step with the times. The exhibit run from April 10, […]

The Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation will celebrate women–past, present and future–who make Grand Rapids great. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at treasures from GRPL’s archival collection, a silent auction, appetizers, and craft cider, beer and wine. Tickets are $75 per person and are available at grplfoundation.org or by calling 616-988-5399.

GGRWHC at NGS Society Night! The national gathering of over 2000 family historians and genealogists will open its conference in Grand Rapids with "Society Night," where the GGRWHC will join other groups showcasing their organizations on the Center Concourse of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. This event is open to the public, as will be the […]

Bringing Your Female Ancestors to Life with Archival Resources Featuring unique collections at the Grand Rapids Public Library and the ambitions of the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council, this GGRWHC-sponsored session will focus on the building of and identification of unusual archival resources. It will highlight materials long available but unused when researching women (century-old […]

The Long Reach of Midwestern Women into the WWI Council of National Defense and 1918 Children's Programs - We have offered a panel presentation for this day-long conference in Grand Rapids. Admission will be free, including a complimentary lunch, and is open to the public. The program is the second in a three-year GGRWHC project illustrating […]

Back by popular demand, the GGRWHC will take to the streets to honor parading suffragists from a hundred years ago. Watch for details & join the fun with bands, bicyclists, candy, and placards! To quote a past participant: this event is “oddly exhilarating”!