For almost a century now, the Washington DC Metro Area has played host to many kit houses of different varieties, from Aladdin to Montgomery Ward- and most prominently: Sears. The houses were simple and modest in nature, meant for the average worker, and shipped by train and wagon in thousands of pieces to the location where they were to be erected. With about 2,000 kit houses in the area constructed over this period, about a quarter of them remain to this day.
Many of the original kit houses stand in historic districts which preserve the houses and prevent them from becoming victim to great changes, practically rendering the homes a living photograph of the ’20s and ’30s. However, some of the kit houses are not located in historic districts and not protected from change- which could lead to an unfortunate demise.
Read on as Audrey Hoffer speaks to the owner of a Washington DC kit house from 1922 in a recent article from The Washington Post by clicking here.
Many of you may know Peter Ascoli- as well as being a grandson of Julius Rosenwald, he is featured prominently in our film, in which he served as a consultant. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he also holds a BA from Oxford, a Masters from Northwestern, and a PhD from UC Berkeley. He’s known to many people as many different things- Professor, consultant, fundraiser- and author.
Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck and Advanced the Cause of Black Education in the American South by Peter Ascoli
Ascoli has written a detailed biography of his grandfather’s life in his book, Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck and Advanced the Cause of Black Education in the American South. If you enjoyed the movie and want to learn more about Julius Rosenwald, then this book will offer you plenty of great insights in to the life of the great philanthropist. The book is published by Indiana University Press and is available through their website and through Amazon.com, available in both trade paperback and hardcover, as well as on Kindle.
Today, Teaching for Change listed the film Rosenwald as a learning resource in their newsletter about the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement! The newsletter also featured a great deal of other valuable resources, several available learning opportunities, and Civil Rights Movement events. You can learn more about Teach for Change and sign up for their mailing list by visiting their website.
A memorial was held for the civil rights activist Julian Bond on Tuesday, October 6th in Washington, DC. The Lincoln Theatre was packed with those who came to pay their respects to this great intellectual and civil rights leader, reports Washington Post reporter, Hamil Harris. Director Aviva Kempner attended the moving memorial and mourned both a friend, and the man who inspired inspired the making of the Rosenwald film, served as a consultant, and was interviewed for the film. His life’s work should compel us to keep on fighting for justice in America.
Julius Rosenwald’s work was not only appreciated by the communities he touched, but inspired those communities, and many others outside of it, to get involved with the improvement of education in rural African Americans in Jim Crow South. The L1 Gallery of Atlanta, Georgia will be showcasing the photography of Dr. Horace Mann Bond (father of the late Julian Bond). Horace Mann Bond was an amateur photographer, who was able to capture Rosenwald’s work first hand in the South. You can see the exhibit through the month of October 2015 at the L1 Gallery in Atlanta, GA at 828 Ralph McGill Blvd Ste.1. Click here for more information.
Peter Ascoli sits below a painting of his grandfather, Julius Rosenwald at the Standard Club where postcards promoting the film were left. Rosenwald was a member of the Club.
It’s no secret that Julius Rosenwald was a strong supporter of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, especially when you stop to consider the fact that he was the one that converted the The Palace of Fine Arts into the museum we know today. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the Chicago Community Trust organized a special screening of the film, Rosenwald at the Museum of Science and Industry on September 3rd. After the screening was a panel consisting of Jewish United Fund president Steven Nasatir, Chicago educator Dr. Barbara Bowman, director Aviva Kempner, and Peter Ascoli, the grandson of Julius Rosenwald.
Aviva takes the stage
Pictured: Steven Nasatir, Dr. Barbara Bowman, Aviva Kempner, and Peter Ascoli
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