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Experience interesting research and knowledge about our local history at the 20th Annual Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium. This year’s theme is “Turning Points in Pikes Peak Regional History.” Presenters, selected from proposals submitted by academics, researchers, and the general public, will explore the narratives that have shaped our region. This unique event serves as a platform for history enthusiasts and newcomers alike, providing a welcoming space to discover the story that created the Pikes Peak region we know today.
Launched in 2004 as a day-long celebration of local history, the Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium is a pivotal event that explores history in the Pikes Peak region. The Symposium has evolved over time to match shifting resources and community needs, and now showcases local history through a compelling three-part series over three days. It starts with engaging short documentaries, followed by traditional in-person presentations, and concludes with a "virtual symposium," which was introduced during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.
The Symposium is sponsored by the Helen and James McCaffrey Fund for Regional History, the Friends of PPLD, and the PPLD Foundation.
Film Festival and Symposium
Featuring short films by acclaimed local filmmakers Jim Sawatzki and Steve Antonuccio, the festival showcases documentaries from High School History Day competition winners. It concludes with the world premiere of 4K footage of the iconic Cologne tank battle from World War II.
In-person Symposium
The Pikes Peak region, with its rich tapestry of people, institutions, and landscapes, offers compelling stories of triumph, trouble, and transformation. Come discover the watershed moments that made us who we are today during the in-person portion of the History Symposium featuring engaging presentations exploring this history.
Virtual Symposium
The virtual portion of this year’s History Symposium will feature presentations exploring turbulent moments in Colorado’s pre-territorial past, the many names of our regions throughout the years, and the evolution of the labor and socialist movements in the Pikes Peak region.
This part of the History Symposium will be over Zoom. Click here to join.
Throughout May, the Library is celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, recognizing the cultures, experiences, and contributions of the AAPI community. Join us in celebrating with the booklists and resources on this page.
Booklists
Resources
- Kanopy
Enjoy films and documentaries by or celebrating AAPI people. - Hoopla
Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with movies and TV shows on Hoopla. - CultureGrams
Experience the world through cultural information on more than 200 countries with CultureGrams and other resources in our Countries & Cultures Guide. In CultureGrams, explore all the U.S. states in colorful, engaging reports. - Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute
Learn about opportunities to connect with Chinese culture here in Colorado Springs with the Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute. - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources for Teachers
This collection of lessons and resources for grades K – 12 social studies, literature, and the arts will help educators explore AAPI heritage with their students. - National Park Service
Planning a vacation? Take in some of these historical sites from the National Park Service. - Asian Art Museum
Find activities for kids and families and explore AAPI heritage in creative ways. - Hmong flute/qeej
Learn about Asian and Pacific Island Instruments in this video. - Japanese taiko drumming
Watch professional Japanese taiko drummers perform. - Traditional Korean music
Jump into the world of traditional Korean music with this video from the Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels.
Regional History & Genealogy Resources:
- Books from the Carnegie Library - Special Collections (Some titles are available for checkout from other library locations)
- Voices from Colorado: perspectives of Asian Pacific Americans by Nestor J. Mercado
- Asian American genealogical sourcebook by Paula K. Byers
- Asians in Colorado: a history of persecution and perseverance in the Centennial State by William Wei
- Chinaman's chance: the Chinese on the Rocky Mountain mining frontier by Liping Zhu
- The road to Chinese exclusion: the Denver riot, 1880 election, and rise of the West by Liping Zhu
- Chin Lin Sou: Chinese-American leader by Janet L. Taggart
Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with Pikes Peak Library District! Explore the resources on this page recognizing the culture, experiences, and contributions of the Jewish American community.
Programs
Getting Started with Jewish Genealogy
Get started on your Jewish genealogy! Attend this in-person class to learn how to work with the unique challenges and advantages associated with tracing Jewish ancestry. Complimentary coffee will be provided, and an optional guided tour of the Regional History & Genealogy department resources will follow the class. Register here.
- Penrose Library: Sat., May 11 from 1 – 3 p.m.
Resources
- Hoopla
Explore Jewish stories and experiences in eBooks, music, movies, and more. - American Jewish Desk Reference
Learn more about Jewish heritage with this reference book from the American Jewish Historical Society. - Kanopy
Discover films and documentaries celebrating Jewish Americans on Kanopy.
Regional History and Genealogy Resources (18+)
- Archival Collections:
- Mohl Family Photographs (Digital Photograph Collection)
Leo and Hertha Mohl were long-time residents of Colorado Springs, small business owners, dairy farmers, and world travelers. They were also some of the first European war refugees to live in Colorado Springs.
Hertha Mohl was born in Vienna, Austria, and worked as a dressmaker until, after almost getting caught passing out anti-Nazi literature, she smuggled herself into England. While living in London, Hertha served in the British Air Raid Precaution Service. Also born in Vienna, Leo Mohl served as secretary of the trade union movement. Leo was taken to concentration camps in Dachau and Buchenwald for his political activities. In 1939, he was released and immigrated to England, where he met Hertha.
The Mohls immigrated to the United States in 1940, eventually making their way to Colorado Springs. They raised dairy cows on farmland that is now owned by the Air Force Academy, operated a bookstore called The Book Home, and owned a reweaving shop called Master Weavers of America.
- Mohl Family Photographs (Digital Photograph Collection)
- Various Photographs (from PPLD’s Digital Photograph Collection) Photographs of the Colorado Springs Jewish Community.
- Books from Regional History and Genealogy (Books from Regional History and Genealogy)
- Exploring Jewish Colorado by Phil Goodstein
- A Colorado Jewish family album, 1859-1992 by Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society
- A history of Jewish life in Colorado Springs (DVD – also available for checkout)
- Getting started in Jewish genealogy by Gary Mokotoff
- L'chaim: a guide to Jewish genealogical research by Zoe Henry
- Dr. Charles David Spivak: a Jewish immigrant and the American tuberculosis movement by Jeanne E. Abrams
- Jewish women pioneering the frontier trail: a history in the American West by Jeanne E. Abrams
- A guide to the Jewish Rockies, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming by Amy Shapiro
Websites
- Jewish American Heritage Month – Library of Congress
- Jewish American Heritage Month – National Archives
- Jewish American Heritage Month – National Parks Service (National Register of Historic Places)
- Jewish Americans - PBS.
Watch clips and outtakes from the 3-part PBS documentary series The Jewish Americans. This collection includes resources for further investigation, lesson plans for high school educators, and opportunities to share your own story. Recommended for high school and older. - Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Go on a virtual tour of many of the fascinating exhibits now available online.