Their Eyes Were Watching God,
by Zora Neale Hurston
Joining this year’s select 75 communities nationwide, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association/Memorial Hall Museum is a proud participant in the National Endowment for the Arts’ BIG READ initiative. Exploring history through great literature and art, our first community read in ’07-’08 was Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, followed by Willa Cather’s My Ántonia in ’08-’09; Tobias Wolff’s Old School in ’09-’10; Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried in ’10-’11; and The Joy Luck Club in ’11-’12.This year we were pleased to receive our 6th BIG READ award! Partnering with a variety of community collaborators, from September through May we’ll provide special events to explore the themes in Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God.
PAST 2012/2013 EVENTS
Tilton Library Book Discussion of Their Eyes Were Watching God
Make What You Can of It Student Art Exhibit: Our 5th annual family-friendly art & history BIG READ-inspired exhibit at the Great Hall at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. This year’s exhibit looks at quilts and quiltmaking related to the themes of Their Eyes Were Watching God.The Great Hall is a multi-purpose space used by many community groups, so you may want to call to be sure there is not a public event scheduled the day you want to visit.
APRIL
Saturday April 6
Opening reception for our 5th annual family-friendly art & history BIG READ-inspired exhibit at the Great Hall at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. This year’s exhibit will look at quilts and quiltmaking related to the themes of Their Eyes Were Watching God; 1:00 pm–3:00 pm.
Fridays & Saturdays, April 12-May 17; and daily through the end of May: The exhibit at the Discovery Center will be open Fridays and Saturdays through May 18; then daily through the end of May. The Great Hall is a multi-purpose space used by many community groups, so you may want to call to be sure there is not a public event scheduled the day you want to visit. Open 10:00 am–4:00 pm.
Monday, April 22 at 9 pm
Gather with us at the Rendezvous Bar on 3rd Street in Turners Falls to watch Oprah Winfrey’s 2005 production of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Weigh in with your opinion of the movie and book. Come at 9, or come early for “dinner and a movie.”
MARCH
Saturday, March 23
The BIG READ will be at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art as part of a program for teachers, librarians and other educators, “From Creative Process to curriculum Connections: Children’s Books in the Classroom; 10:00 am–3:30 pm.
Wednesday, March 27
Keynote events. Lucy Anne Hurston, the niece of Zora Neale Hurston, and author of Speak, So You Can Speak Again: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston, will speak at Greenfield Community College’s Stinchfield Lecture Hall at 12 noon. Later, PVMA and GCC will host a Reception & Conversation with Lucy Anne Hurston at the Arts Block in Greenfield. 
Moonlight Davis, Morning Star and friends will be performing jazz, swing, blues, and gospel; light fare; and cash bar from 5:30–7:30 pm. Both events are free and open to the public. Special thanks to Greenfield Community College for co-sponsoring these events.
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PREVIOUS YEAR’S EVENTS:
Our March exhibit was extended!Fridays and Saturdays through the end of April, 10 am–4 pm.
Note: The Great Hall will be closed to the general public on Saturday, April 14th, for our East Meets West Conference. Please call ahead to see if any other events are scheduled on the day you’d like to visit.*
4th annual family-friendly art & history exhibit around the themes of The Joy Luck Club at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls.
April 14, Saturday, 9am–2:45 pmSpeaker Day co-sponsored by the Pioneer Valley History Network, East Meets Western Massachusetts, at the Great Hall, Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. $25 fee includes author talks, lunch with Pengyew Chin, and admission to the Chinese Folk Art Workshop performance at 3 pm across the street at the Shea Theater. For more information and to register, visit the Pioneer Valley History Network’s website.
April 14, 3 pmCulminating Event, Chinese Folk Art Workshop
dance and drumming performing arts troupe comes to the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, also co-sponsored by the Pioneer Valley History Network. Tickets $6 for adults; $2 children 12 and under. Tickets available at 1-800-838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com or at the door.Old Deerfield Christmas Sampler at the Better Living Center at the Easter States Exposition in West Springfield. Give the gift of great literature! Start or join a book discussion in your town! Big Read information and free materials.
Craft Night at Deja Brewin Wendell. Join us for a creative evening making Chinese accordion books. Handmade and decorative papers and a selection of ribbons provided free, but bring your own supplies if you have favorite paper/ribbons you’d like to use.
DISCUSSIONS, and more: If you’re interested in hosting a book discussion, incorporating this book into your curriculum, or have an event idea or venue, please leave a message for Sheila Damkoehler at 413-774-7476 x 10 or email sdamkoehler@deerfield.history.museum.
About THE BIG READ: The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. You can find more information about THE BIG READ and programs happening across the nation here. Read the NEA press release here.
